> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://chrisenns.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # How to Upgrade Your iPhone Over the Air OTA - URL: https://chrisenns.com/2011/11/how-to-upgrade-your-iphone-over-the-air-ota/ - Published: 2011-11-10T12:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2024-04-08T23:52:13.000Z - Author: Chris Enns - Tags: Uncategorized, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2024-04-08 17:47, #ichris **Note:** Check out an [updated version of this post with iOS 7 and beyond screenshots and instructions](https://chrisenns.com/2014/03/ios-7-1-update-out-how-to-update-your-ios-device/). Apple today released iOS 5.01 - a minor update to iOS 5 that includes: - Fixes bugs affecting battery life - Adds Multitasking Gestures for original iPad - Resolves bugs with Documents in the Cloud - Improves voice recognition for Australian users using dictation [1](#fn-19771:1) As this is the first time for most people to be able to use over the air (OTA) updating instead of having to update via iTunes, I thought I'd post the steps to do the update. [2](#fn-19771:2) [3](#fn-19771:3) ### Find Settings.app It has the gear style icon: ![Settings.app](https://chrisenns.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/otaiosupdate01.jpg "Settings.app") ### General Scroll down until you see the **General** section: ![General](https://chrisenns.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/otaiosupdate02.jpg "General") ### Software Update Assuming you've got 5.0 properly installed you should see a **Software Update** item: ![Software Update](https://chrisenns.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/otaiosupdate03.jpg "Software Update") ### Checking for Update The iPhone will ping Apple's servers to see if there's an update: ![Checking for Update](https://chrisenns.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/otaiosupdate04.jpg "Checking for Update") ### iOS 5.01 Download and Install You should see the **Download and Install** option beneath the description of what's in the update: ![Download and Install](https://chrisenns.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/otaiosupdate05.jpg "Download and Install") *[Click here to see what's behind the Learn More option](https://chrisenns.com/wpblog/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/otaiosupdate06.jpg)* ### Terms & Conditions Hooray! T&C. Make sure you run it past your lawyer before you agree to install. ![Terms & Conditions](https://chrisenns.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/otaiosupdate07.jpg "Terms & Conditions") ### Connect Your iPhone To a Power Source If you aren't already plugged into something, it prompts you to plug it in: ![Software Update Connect your iPhone to a power source while the download is in progress to save battery.](https://chrisenns.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/otaiosupdate08.jpg "Software Update Connect your iPhone to a power source while the download is in progress to save battery.") ### Download Ahoy! It took just under 2 minutes to download but your connection speed will vary: ![Less than 1 minute remaining](https://chrisenns.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/otaiosupdate09.jpg "Less than 1 minute remaining") ### Preparing Update It took longer to prepare the update than it did to download: ![Preparing Update](https://chrisenns.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/otaiosupdate10.jpg "Preparing Update") ### iOS 5.01 Will Be Installed In 7 Seconds Click install or watch it countdown: ![Software Update iOS 5.01 will be installed in 7 seconds. Your iPhone will restart when installation is finished.](https://chrisenns.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/otaiosupdate11.jpg "Software Update iOS 5.01 will be installed in 7 seconds. Your iPhone will restart when installation is finished.") ### Verifying Update Depending on how many other Apple nerds are doing it at the same time as you, this could take a few minutes: ![Verifying Update](https://chrisenns.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/otaiosupdate12.jpg "Verifying Update") ### Restart and then Restart Again At this point the visual tour ends as I can't take screenshots while it's restarting and installing. But my iPhone restarted a couple of times with a progress bar both times. After the second restart/progress bar, my iPhone rebooted to a normal screen and was done. A quick check back into **Software Update** reveals that iOS 5.0.1 is installed and I'm up to date. ![iOS 5.0.1 Your software is up to date](https://chrisenns.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/otaiosupdate13.jpg "iOS 5.0.1 Your software is up to date") Done. --- 1. *Crikey!* [↩](#fnref-19771:1) 2. Assuming you're already running iOS 5.0 [↩](#fnref-19771:2) 3. Though this tutorial covers the upgrade on an iPhone 4, the same process works for iPad and iPod touch devices that are compatible with iOS 5 [↩](#fnref-19771:3)