iOS 17 Release Date: Tips & Tricks

The iOS 17 release date for iPhone is months away, but some iPhone users might want to start preparing for its arrival right now, especially those planning to use the iOS 17 beta.

Apple will confirm iOS 17 during its WWDC 2023 keynote address in early June. And while we’re expecting an update that’s on the lighter side, the operating system will deliver new features, enhancements to current features, and a lot more.

The final iOS 17 release date won’t land for awhile, but iPhone users will be able to try the software out long before the final version arrives.

The official iOS 17 release date won’t land until the fall, probably in September alongside the iPhone 15 series, but you’ll be able to try the software in June when Apple releases the iOS 17 beta.

For the unfamiliar, the iOS 17 beta will be an early version of the company’s new operating system. It will give developers, and those enrolled in Apple’s Beta Software Program, a chance to try new features and test for bugs and performance issues before the final version arrives.

Installing the iOS 17 beta right away might be tempting, but a lot of you will want either wait for the public beta or stay put on iOS 16. The beta will be unfinished software and unfinished software has the potential to cause lots of problems on your iPhone.

If you decide to install the iOS 17 beta, you’ll want to prepare. This is particularly true if this will be your first time using iOS beta software on your iPhone.

If you’re thinking about installing iOS 17 and/or the iOS 17 beta on your iPhone, here are some tips that will come in handy as we push toward the beta’s release and the final iOS 17 release date this fall.

Prepare for the iOS 17 Release Date

If you’re interested in downloading the developer or public iOS 17 beta, there are some steps you should take before installing the software on your iPhone.

We put together a guide for the iOS 16 beta that will take you through some steps you should take before installing beta software on an iPhone.

We’ll release a guide specific to iOS 17 and the beta in June, but this guide will give you some insight as we approach WWDC 2023.

Get Familiar with iOS 17

You should get familiar with iOS 17 before downloading the beta and the final release in the fall.

For most people, this will simply mean watching the WWDC 2023 keynote live stream or the playback once Apple releases it. The company will outline many of iOS 17’s changes during the conference and it should release a full-blown guide covering the operating system once the beta is out.

If you want to take it a step further, you can download the iOS 17 beta on your iPhone and go hands-on with all of the changes before the final release.

Again, iOS 17 slated to be a fairly minor upgrade, but it looks like it will include upgrades to well-known features like Control Center and CarPlay.

Most People Should Avoid the iOS 17 Beta

Installing the iOS 17 beta on your iPhone might be tempting, but most people should avoid the beta and wait for the official release.

The iOS 17 beta will help Apple fix bugs and performance issues before they become major headaches for millions of iPhone users around the world. And while it’s certainly fun to try out new features before they’re released to the public, iOS beta software can be extremely problematic.

The iOS 17 beta will cause problems for testers and you could run into some of the very same issues if you decide to install it on your iPhone.

While you might be able to fix some issues on your own, other bugs and performance issues will probably require a fix from Apple in a future update down the road.

If you rely on your iPhone to get through the day, you’ll want to stay put on whatever version of iOS your device is currently running.

Monitor Feedback from the Beta

If you decide to keep your daily driver on iOS 16, make sure you monitor feedback from iOS 17 beta testers as we push toward the update’s official release.

Monitoring feedback will alert you to potential iOS 17 problems and it will also reveal potential benefits coming with Apple’s new operating system.

More importantly, it might help you decide if you want to install iOS 17 on your iPhone right away or wait a little bit for the smoke to settle.

We’ll see iOS 17 beta feedback emerge on sites like YouTube, Twitter, and the MacRumors forums so check those sites if you’re curious about the software’s performance in the buildup to the official release in the fall.

iOS 17 Release Time

Again, the iOS 17 beta should arrive on June 5th. We expect the company to release the first version for developers shortly after the conclusion of the keynote. Look for that to happen around 12PM or 1PM Pacific.

As for future beta releases, Apple typically pushes new iOS software updates out in and around 10AM Pacific. That will likely be the case for the next iOS 17 beta and the final version of iOS 17.

We sometimes see iOS updates roll out 5-10 minutes after 10AM so there’s no need to panic if the software doesn’t popup in your iPhone’s Settings app right away.

Here’s what that looks like for other time zones in the United States:

• Eastern – 1 PM
• Central – 12 PM
• Mountain – 11AM

Keep all of this in mind if you plan to install new iOS 17 betas and/or the final version of iOS 17 right away.

iOS 17 Download Size

We don’t know how big the iOS 17 beta download will be, but you can expect it to be pretty sizable. Most iOS operating system’s require a significant chunk of space. The same goes for the final version of iOS 17.

You can expect long download times, especially right after Apple pushes the software live. The installation process could take quite a bit of time as well.

Once you pull iOS 17 from Apple’s servers, you might notice a prompt asking you to “Install” the software right now or “Later.” While most of you will probably want to install it right away, others might benefit from scheduling the installation.

If you do decide to schedule it, you can choose to install it while you’re sleeping or you can have your device remind you to install it at a later date when you’ve got some free time.

If you do decide to install the iOS 17 update overnight, you’ll have to plug your iPhone into a power source.

Prepare for iOS 17 Problems

As we mentioned, the iOS 17 beta will be plagued by problems. This will be the case through the duration of the beta testing process.

Common problems include abnormal battery drain, Bluetooth issues, Wi-Fi problems, app instability, UI lag, crashes, and Exchange issues.

These problems appear after every single iOS release and there’s a good chance we’ll see them all popup immediately after iOS 17’s release.

It’ll be difficult to predict what kind of performance you’ll get on your iPhone so you’ll want to make sure you’re prepared to tackle any issues you encounter on day one and beyond.

We’ve released a list of fixes for common iOS problems. If you don’t consider yourself an iOS expert, you’ll want to bookmark those fixes. We’ve also released guides to fixing bad iOS battery life and iOS performance.

You’ll also want to bookmark or follow Apple Support on Twitter and bookmark the Apple Support page on the company’s website. You should also get familiar with Apple’s Discussion forums.

Learn How to Downgrade

If iOS 17 beta starts causing problems on your iPhone, and you can’t seem to fix the issue(s), you may have to downgrade back to stable software.

If you already know how to downgrade, you’re good to go. If you aren’t familiar with the downgrade process, you’ll want to get familiar with it right now. That way, you aren’t scrambling if the beta starts acting up on your iPhone.

For more on the downgrade process, have a look at our walkthrough.

Keep Your Apps Updated

If you want the best possible experience on iOS 17, make sure you keep your apps updated.

We won’t see developers update their apps with support for the iOS 17 beta. However, once we get closer to the official release, developers will start to roll out updates with support for iOS 17.

These updates will help stabilize the new operating system’s performance and help your device make a smooth transition to new software.

Before you download an app update, make sure you read reviews from users. These reviews will alert you to potential benefits and problems with the latest version.

Take Your Time with iOS 17

iOS 17 will be an exciting upgrade and some of you might be tempted to install the new operating system right when it drops this fall.

For some of you, particularly users dealing with iOS 16 problems, this might be the best decision. That said, some of you will be better off waiting a few hours, a few days or, in some cases, a few weeks before installing iOS 17.

There are plenty of reasons to skip new iOS software updates on day one so make sure you take your time. This goes for the beta as well.

Avoid iOS 17 If You’re Jailbroken

Avoid the iOS 17 beta if you still jailbreak your phone.

If you’re hoping for an iOS 17 jailbreak, don’t hold your breath. Jailbreak developers could surprise us, but we aren’t expecting a release.

If you still jailbreak your devices, you’ll need to stay put on an older version of iOS.

Install iOS 16.5 for Better Security

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If security is important to you, think about installing Apple's iOS 16.5 update on your iPhone right away. Apple's detailed the security patches on board iOS 16.5 and you can learn more about them over on Apple's website. As for older software, iOS 16.4.1 included two security upgrades and they're important if you want to keep your iPhone protected from harm. You can learn more about the pair here. The company's iOS Security Response 16.4.1 (a) update also included security updates, but Apple hasn't revealed them yet and it's unclear if it will. Apple's iOS 16.4 update had a substantial number of patches on board. You can read about them in detail over on Apple's security site. The iOS 16.3.1 update had three security patches on board including one for an actively exploited vulnerability. For more on the security contents of iOS 16.3.1, check out Apple's security page.  iOS 16.3 brought 10+ new security patches with it and you can learn more about all of those right here.  In addition, the software came with support for physical security keys for Apple ID. These will beef up your account security by requiring a physical security key as part of the two factor authentication sign in process. Learn more about the change right here. If you skipped iOS 16.2, you'll get its changes with iOS 16.5. iOS 16.2 brought a ton of important security patches with it and you can dig into the details on Apple's security site.  The update also brought end-to-end encryption to iCloud, iMessage, iPhone backups, Notes, Photos, and more. If you want to learn more about it, head over to Apple's guide.  If you decided to missed iOS 16.1.2, you'll get its solitary security patch with your upgrade. Learn more about it right here. If you skipped iOS 16.1.1, you'll get its security patches when you upgrade. You can learn more about them right here. If you missed the iOS 16.1 update, it brought 19 security patches to the iPhone and you can learn about the particulars of those over on Apple's website. If you failed to download iOS 16.0.3, it had one security patch on board, a fix for a potential exploit within the Mail app. For more about the fix, check out Apple's security site. If you're still running iOS 15 your iPhone, you'll get a bunch of other patches when you upgrade. iOS 16.0 brought a ton of security patches to the iPhone. If you're interested in the exact nature of these improvements, you can read about them over on Apple's security website. In addition to those patches, iOS 16 brings some additional enhancements to privacy and security including Safety Check which, according to Apple, will help "people in domestic or intimate partner violence situations review and reset the access they’ve granted others."  The feature also resets system privacy permissions for apps and restricts Messages and FaceTime to the device on hand. Apple's also made some improvements to Passkeys in Safari. iOS 16 brings a brand new sign-in method that's end-to-end encrypted and safe from phishing and data leaks.

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