PSA: iOS 16.4 Enables Auto-Installing Software Updates by Default
Jun 11, 2025 am 11:14 AMAll iPhone and iPad users should be aware that installing the iOS 16.4 update for iPhone or iPadOS 16.4 update for iPad will activate the system settings for automatically downloading and installing future iOS/iPadOS software updates on that device.
Immediately after the update is installed and before the device can be used, a splash screen appears to inform users of this change. However, many users tend to quickly tap through these setup screens without reading them carefully, potentially missing the implications of the changes being made to their iPhone or iPad.
On the splash screen shown on iPhone and iPad, only two options are available; the default option is “Continue,” which enables automatic downloads and installations of future software updates, while the secondary option allows users to choose “Only Download Automatically.” This presents a misleading choice (and could be considered a UX dark pattern), as it doesn’t reflect all available options. In reality, users can later manually enable or disable either automatic downloads or installations of future iOS/iPadOS updates.
If you'd like to check or modify your device's current settings or adjust your iOS and iPadOS update preferences, you can do so anytime by navigating to Settings > General > Software Update > Automatic Updates > and toggling the desired switches accordingly.
At this settings screen, there is also a third option labeled “Security Response & System Files,” which is generally recommended to keep enabled, as most users want their devices protected from critical security vulnerabilities. Of course, users have the option to disable it if preferred. Security Response updates differ from regular system software updates and typically don't introduce new features or system changes—only fixes for known security issues and vulnerabilities in the operating system.
Although this change was introduced with iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4, it's possible that future software updates may carry similar configurations, meaning users might need to periodically revisit and adjust their manual settings to control whether automatic iOS updates are enabled on each device individually.
Many iPhone and iPad users prefer not to have system software updates installed automatically, due to various concerns such as data usage, compatibility with existing apps or hardware, or simply wanting to maintain control over when updates are applied to their own devices rather than having those decisions made automatically.
Do you use automatic software updates on your iPhone or iPad? What are your thoughts on this feature being enabled by default and with
The above is the detailed content of PSA: iOS 16.4 Enables Auto-Installing Software Updates by Default. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

Hot AI Tools

Undress AI Tool
Undress images for free

Undresser.AI Undress
AI-powered app for creating realistic nude photos

AI Clothes Remover
Online AI tool for removing clothes from photos.

Clothoff.io
AI clothes remover

Video Face Swap
Swap faces in any video effortlessly with our completely free AI face swap tool!

Hot Article

Hot Tools

Notepad++7.3.1
Easy-to-use and free code editor

SublimeText3 Chinese version
Chinese version, very easy to use

Zend Studio 13.0.1
Powerful PHP integrated development environment

Dreamweaver CS6
Visual web development tools

SublimeText3 Mac version
God-level code editing software (SublimeText3)

Hot Topics

As most Microsoft Word users are aware, it's common to end up with unwanted blank pages in a Word document. These typically appear at the end of the file and often get printed or included when converting to PDF. This issue can occur regardless of whe

You’ve had your Mac for a few years, and you’re starting to feel the effects of your device aging—the battery doesn’t hold up as well as it used to. To avoid getting stuck with a dead Mac, you have no choice but to take your charger e

The Focus Modes functionality comes with several pre-set options such as Work, Driving, Sleep, and users are also free to create custom ones for any scenario imaginable. Should you find yourself not needing a multitude of Focus modes—whether because

Apple has made available macOS Monterey 12.6.2 and macOS Big Sur 11.7.2 for users still operating on previous-generation Mac systems. These updates are offered independently of macOS Ventura 13.1.Both macOS Monterey 12.6.2 and macOS Big Sur 11.7.2 co

If you trust Siri to accurately transcribe your speech into text and send it as a message, you can activate a setting that lets Siri send messages automatically from your iPhone without asking for confirmation first.With the confirmation feature enab

Some users of macOS Ventura have noticed that file sharing between a Mac running macOS Ventura and other devices like iPhones, iPads, Windows PCs, and certain NAS drives such as Synology models is not functioning properly. For many individuals, confi

Some users of Mac computers running MacOS Sierra and MacOS High Sierra have reported issues when trying to log in to an Apple ID or iCloud via System Preferences, as well as problems accessing iCloud.com using Safari. In addition, Safari fails to loa

Creating a bootable macOS Ventura installer can be desirable for many advanced Mac users, whether to perform clean installations, install macOS Ventura 13 onto multiple machines without having to re-download the installer, to serve as a recovery boot
