iOS 16: Here’s how to get Apple’s free operating system update on your iPhone

After months of waiting, Apple’s new software update for iPhones will be available later tonight. The update is the annual fall tradition that brings new features to Apple’s iPhone ahead of the availability of new iPhones. Apple revealed the first details of iOS 16 during its keynote address in June during its annual Worldwide Developers Conference. Last week, the tech giant said the free software update will be available starting September 12, as it introduced the iPhone 14 lineup, Apple Watch Ultra and AirPods Pro 2 at its headquarters in Cupertino, California.
Anyone with an iPhone 8 model or later can download the update. iOS 16 is compatible with the following iPhones: iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro M, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, iPhone X, iPhone 8 and 8 Plus and iPhone SE (2nd generation or later).

To download the update, which is free to download, simply go into the Settings section on your iPhone, tap on the tab that says “General,” and then press “Software Update.”
When it is available, plug in your device or make sure your device has 50 per cent battery life or more. Then tap “Install Now.” You can also update your phone plugging it into a laptop and going through iTunes, if you prefer a tethered option.
Apple’s iPhone users will be able to add widgets on the lock screen to get information at a glance.
The most notable change with iOS 16 is the lock screen, which has been completely reimagined. Thanks to the new look, a more customizable lock screen allows users to adjust the time and date font and colour. Wallpapers also got a major facelift with new depth effects that can automatically separate a subject from its background.
In addition, notifications on the lock screen will move to the bottom of the screen to make them easier to reach. Apple is also adding highly requested features to the Messages app. On iMessage, Apple added options to edit messages, unsend and mark threads as unread. Live Text, which first arrived on iOS 15, is also getting updated. The machine learning-powered feature now not only lets you easily copy text from images and videos but also gains the ability to convert currency and translate text.
But iOS 16’s iCloud Shared Photo Library, a brand new feature which makes it easier to share photos with family and friends, won’t be available when iOS 16 debuts. Apple says it is coming “later this fall.”

Cupertino is also delaying the release of iPadOS 16, the tablet-centred operating system. The new update for the iPad includes Stage Manager – one of iPadOS 16’s headline “multitasking” features. Apple traditionally releases iOS and iPadOS updates together.
Alongside iOS 16, Apple is also rolling out WatchOS 9, the latest software for Apple Watch. The update is packed with new features including new running metrics, refreshed watch faces, added sleep-tracking data, and more. A new low-power mode is also coming to compatible Apple Watches.