My iPhone 11 Won’t Update! Here’s The Real Fix.

It’s important to back up your iPhone before doing any major restores (such as a DFU restore). If something goes wrong while you’re trying to fix your iPhone, having a back up means you won’t lose any of your data (such as contacts, photos, apps, and more). Restoring from a back up is a lot more convenient than having to go and reenter all the information that was saved on your iPhone.

There are a few different ways to back up your iPhone:

Backup Your iPhone Using iCloud

1. If you have a WiFi connection, you can back up your iPhone using iCloud.
2. Open the Settings app.
3. Tap on Your Name at the top of the screen.
4. Tap iCloud.
5. Scroll down and tap on iCloud Backup.
6. Make sure the switch next to iCloud Backup is on. You’ll know the switch is on when the switch is green.
7. Tap Back Up Now.
8. A status bar will appear to tell you how much time is remaining.

Backup Your iPhone Using iTunes

1. Plug the Lightning connector on your Lightning cable (charging cable) into the Lightning port on your iPhone.
2. Plug the other end of your Lightning cable into a USB port on your computer.
3. Open iTunes on your computer.
4. Click on the iPhone icon in the upper left hand corner of iTunes.
5. Click the circle next to “iCloud” or “This computer” to select whether you want to backup your iPhone to iCloud or your computer.
6. Click Back Up Now to backup your iPhone.
7. When the backup is complete, you’ll see the time and date updated under Latest Backup.

Backup Your iPhone Using Finder (Macs Running Catalina 10.15 or newer)

1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac using a charging cable.
2. Open Finder.
3. Click on your iPhone under Locations.
4. Click the circle next to Back up all of the data on your iPhone to this Mac.
5. Click Back Up Now.
6. When the backup is complete, you’ll see the time and date updated under Latest Backup.

If your iPhone is running an outdated version of iOS, you may run into problems that could be fixed simply by updating to the most recent version of iOS.

There are two ways to update iOS on your iPhone: in the Settings app and by using iTunes.

Update iOS In The Settings App

1. Open up the Settings app.
2. Tap General.
3. Tap Software Update.
4. If an update is available, tap Install Now or Download and Install.

Update iOS Using iTunes (PCs and Macs running macOS 10.14 or older)

1. Connect your iPhone to a computer using a Lightning cable.
2. Open iTunes.
3. Click the Phone button in the upper left-hand corner of iTunes (see image 3).
4. Click Check For Update.
5. If an update is available, click Download and Install.

Update iOS Using Finder (Macs running macOS 10.15 or newer)

1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac using a charging cable.
2. Open Finder.
3. Click on your iPhone under Locations.
4. Click the General tab.
5. Click Check for Update.
6. Click Download and Install if an iOS update is available.

Restarting your iPhone 11 lets all of its programs shut down naturally and get a fresh start when you turn it on again. This can often fix minor software glitches.

1. Simultaneously press and hold the side button and either volume button.
2. Swipe the red power icon from left to right to shut down your iPhone 11.
3. Press and hold the side button to turn your iPhone 11 on again.

A DFU restore is the last troubleshooting step you can take to rule out a software problem on your iPhone.

Watch our step-by-step DFU restore guide on YouTube, or follow the steps below:

1. Plug your iPhone in a computer.
2. Open iTunes (on PCs or Macs running macOS Mojave 10.14 or earlier) or Finder (Macs running macOS Catalina 10.15 or newer).
3. Press and release the volume up button.
4. Press and release the volume down button.
5. Press and hold the side button until your iPhone’s display goes black.
6. When the screen turns black, press and hold the volume down button while continuing to hold the side button.
7. Hold both buttons for five seconds.
8. After five seconds, release the side button, but continue to hold the volume down button.
9. Release the volume down button when your iPhone appears in iTunes or Finder.
10. Your iPhone appears in iTunes or Finder, it’s in DFU mode!
11. Click Restore and follow the on-screen prompts to DFU restore your iPhone.

You can use iTunes to perform iOS updates on your iPhone. If you’re unable to update your iPhone in the Settings app, sometimes using iTunes to update your iPhone is a simple workaround.

1. Plug your iPhone into your computer using a Lightning cable (charging cable).
2. Open iTunes.
3. In the upper left hand corner of iTunes, click the iPhone icon. 
4. In the top box underneath iPhone, click Check For Update.
5. If an update is available, click Update.
6. Keep your iPhone plugged into your computer while the update downloads and installs.

iPhone software updates (iOS updates) generally require 600-800 megabytes (MB) in order to install properly. Let’s make sure your iPhone has enough storage to complete the update!

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap General.
3. Tap iPhone Storage.
4. The amount of storage space you have available will be listed next to Available.
5. If you don’t have enough storage space to install the iOS update, clear up some space by deleting unwanted apps, photos, or other content.

Apple repairs iPhones at the Genius Bar in Apple Stores and through their online mail-in repair service. Apple repairs are high-quality, but out-of-warranty repairs can be much more expensive than third-party solutions. If you’re looking to save some money you’re not covered by Apple’s warranty, you may want to check out our other recommendations.

How To Repair Your iPhone With Apple’s Mail-In Service

1. Visit Apple’s support website to begin the online mail-in repair process.
2. Alternatively, call 1-800-MY-APPLE (1-800-692-7753) to set up a repair.

How To Repair Your iPhone At The Genius Bar Inside Your Local Apple Store

1. Visit Apple’s website to make a Genius Bar appointment before you go into the store. Apple Stores are extremely busy, and if you don’t have an appointment, you may have to wait for hours or end up being turned away. (Editor’s note: I’m a former Apple tech and we’re not exaggerating — please, do yourself a favor and make an appointment first!)
2. When you arrive, go to the Genius Bar to check in for your appointment.
3. Genius Bar appointments always include free diagnosis. If you’re under warranty, many repairs can be done on the spot, but it all depends upon which parts are in stock. If you’re not under warranty, the Genius will give you a quote for the cost of a repair.