iOS 17.5.1: Is It Safe to Upgrade?

Apple recently rushed out a new iOS 17.5.1 update to address a glaring issue. It’s a small update, but it’s one most iPhone users should install today.

Every time Apple releases a new version of iOS 17 we get questions from family, friends and readers. They want to know if the firmware is safe to download.

We like to wait a few days before making a definitive recommendation. This allows for the smoke to clear a bit and it gives us ample time to test the software on our iPhones.

Over the past two days, we’ve spent quite a bit of time with iOS 17.5.1. We’ve been using it on an iPhone 12 Pro, an iPhone 14 Pro, and an iPhone 15 Plus.

We’ve poked and prodded the software for bugs and performance issues to help our readers, and loved ones, decide if a move to iOS 17.5.1 is necessary and worth it.

Everyone’s situation is different, but here are some basic recommendations we can make after spending a couple of days with the latest iOS 17 software.

iOS 17.5.1 Performance

We’ve only spent two days with iOS 17.5.1 so we can’t profess to have ventured into every nook and cranny, but we have a good feel for its general performance.

Oftentimes, it can take a couple of days for new iOS firmware to settle in. Problems that appear immediately after an update’s release (lag, abnormal battery life) sometimes dissipate after the iPhone adjusts to the new software.

We didn’t run into any problems in the hours following the download, nor have we run into any noticeable bugs or performance issues in the hours since. It’s been smooth sailing across our iPhones.

Battery life is holding up and we haven’t encountered any abnormal drain. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS, three key pillars of connectivity, are all functioning properly on iOS 17.5.1.

Our apps, of which there are many, are running normally. We haven’t spotted any hiccups with popular applications like Netflix, Twitter, Slack, Gmail, Chrome, or Spotify.

iOS 17.5.1 is also running smoothly on the iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 15 Plus. We’ve noticed a wee bit of lag on the iPhone 12 Pro, but nothing major.

We’re going to continue testing iOS 17.5.1 in the days ahead and we’ll let you know if anything changes.

There Are Problems, But They Aren’t Widespread

iOS software, even small maintenance releases like iOS 17.5.1, can bring unintended issues to iPhones. It’s just the nature of the beast.

We’ve been monitoring iOS 17.5.1 feedback from iPhone users and they’ve come across bugs and performance issues we haven’t seen on our devices. That’s the bad news.

The good news is we haven’t seen complaints about widespread issues, like the one iOS 17.5.1 fixed. That could change, but more often than not we learn about larger problems within a few days of a software update’s release.

There’s always a bit of risk installing new software, you can’t predict exactly how it will run on your iPhone, but in most cases, iOS 17.5.1 should run just fine.

iOS 17.5.1’s Important Fix

If you’re having a good experience on iOS 17.5 or older, you may not feel as inclined to download iOS 17.5.1 right now. That’s fine, but consider what iOS 17.5.1 fixes.

Apple was forced to release iOS 17.5.1 a week after iOS 17.5 because a database corruption caused deleted photos to reappear on iPhones. A serious issue.

The company says the bug is rare, but we saw more than a few complaints on Reddit, X/Twitter, and Apple’s discussion forums.

If you want to prevent this from happening with the content on your iPhone, you should upgrade.

Is iOS 17.5.1 Safe to Download?

As of right now, iOS 17.5.1 is safe to download.

Given what the update patches up, and given that we haven’t seen any major bug or performance issues pop up, the pros should outweigh the cons for most iPhone users.

If you’re still feeling leery, and we don’t blame you if you are, check out our guide that covers iOS 17.5.1 in extensive detail.

You may also want to wait for additional feedback about iOS 17.5.1’s performance before taking the plunge. You can find it on sites like X, Reddit and YouTube.