How to Fix “An Error Occurred While Checking for a Software Update”

Isn’t it frustrating when you are all excited about the new iOS update, but it quickly turns into a disappointment after you receive an error message like “an error occurred while checking for a software update”?

The error message generally occurs while updating the iOS with a poor network connection. However, the error can arise due to various other factors.

Nevertheless, you can try a simple fix like restarting your phone to resolve your issue. If it works, great, but if it doesn’t, your problem is a little complex and requires multiple fixes.

So, without further ado, let’s learn why your update failed in the first place and what you can do to fix it.

“An Error Occurred While Checking for a Software Update” – Causes

There are various reasons why your update failed, and you are receiving the above error message. Some of the most common ones are as follows:

How to Fix “An Error Occurred While Checking for a Software Update”

The above error message generally pops up while trying to update the iPhone. However, it can also show up on your Apple Watch. This is because Apple Watch demands the latest version of iOS to update itself. Hence, to get rid of the error message on the Apple Watch, you first have to resolve it on the iPhone. 

Also, the Apple servers can get overcrowded when many people download the updates simultaneously. So, you can wait for some hours and try downloading the update sometime later. If you want to check which Apple services are affected specifically, you can check System Status on their site.

Check if You Are Connected to the Network 

It may sound funny, but sometimes you could forget to turn on the Wi-Fi before trying to update the device. 

On the other hand, you are connected, but the network is too slow, and it takes too long to update the device. Hence, you are getting the error message.

Therefore, you should connect to a strong network while the update process is taking place. Meanwhile, close any apps using the internet for a smoother update process.

Reset Network Settings

For an update to be successfully downloaded without an error, you should be connected to a stable internet connection. However, if you are experiencing connection issues, it can act as a roadblock to the update process. So, to resolve your network issues and the update error message,

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Then, navigate to General > Transfer or Reset Device.
3. Tap on the Reset option.
4. Now, choose the “Reset Network Settings” option.
   
5. The resetting process can take some time so wait until it finishes.
6. Finally, restart your phone and see if your problem has been resolved.

Free Up Memory Space

You are probably getting the update error message because there isn’t sufficient storage space on your device. Hence, you should consider freeing up some space. 

First, you can sort all the files according to their size and start deleting the larger files such as videos, audio, or other files you no longer need.

 Alternatively, if you cannot delete them, you can upload them to iCloud. Likewise, you can back up the iPhone to an external hard drive if you have one.

Delete the Previous Beta Profile

If you are still using a beta profile on your phone, you need to remove it to get the new updates. To remove the beta profile, 

1. First of all, open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Then, navigate to General > VPN & Device Management.
3. Under the Configuration Profile, tap on iOS Beta Software Profile.
4. Now, tap on “Remove Profile”, and a pop-up screen will appear from the bottom.
   
5. Next, tap on Remove.
6. Restart your device and try downloading the update again.

Update iPhone Using iTunes

If you couldn’t update your phone after getting the error message, you can use this workaround method to resolve your update issue. This involves updating your phone using iTunes. Here’s how you do it.

1. First, you have to connect the mobile phone to a PC.
2. Then, open iTunes on your PC and click on the little device icon next to Music.
3. Under Summary, click on the “Check for Update” option.
4. Lastly, click on an available update and install it by following the on-screen instructions.

Sync the Date and Time Settings

Some iPhone updates are rolled out for a specific time period. So, if your date and time settings are set incorrectly, then you could face this type of issue. To set the correct date and time,

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Navigate to General > Date & Time.
3. Click to enable the Set Automatically button.
   

Force Restart the Device

Suppose you are stuck with the error message and unable to restart your phone. In this case, you can force restart the device with the following steps.

1. Press one of the volume buttons and hold it.
2. Also, press the Power button at the same time.
3. Release the buttons when you see the Apple logo on the screen.

Contact Apple Support

If none of the above methods worked for you, you still have the option to contact Apple Support. You can reach out to them on their official website and tell them about your issue. Hopefully, they will respond to you with a solution to fix your particular issue.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Can I Get the Latest Updates as Soon as Apple Releases Them?

You can enable the Automatic Updates option on your device to download the latest updates automatically. To configure it,

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Navigate to General > Software Update.
3. Now, tap to enable the “Automatic Updates” option.
   
4. Next, enable the Download iOS Updates and Install iOs Updates option.
5. Your phone will download the latest updates automatically from now on when connected to the internet. 

How to Update My Apple Watch Using iPhone?

You can update your Apple Watch in two ways. Either you download updates using the watch itself or use your iPhone to update it. Here’s how you can update the watch using your iPhone.

1. Open the Apple Watch app.
2. Under the My Watch tab, navigate to General > Software Update.
3. Choose an available update and download it.