iOS 11: How to download and install Apple's new iPhone software – and everything else you should do first

Apple's iOS 11 has just dropped.

As with all iOS updates, getting the new software is free, relatively easy and important for security updates if not for new features.

Actually getting hold of the software is simple enough. Just head to the Settings app on your phone, click on "general" and then "software update", and let it do its thing.

But it might not necessarily be easy. As soon as the software is released, there's going to be a huge rush to get hold of it, which might lead to problems with the servers. So if it doesn't seem to be working straight away, just wait it out – if you come back later on, everything should be a bit more stable.

Most important of all, make sure you're ready to actually download it. It's become a lot more easy and stable in recent years – but there's still things to do to make sure you're safe.

Check on your apps

This year, Apple has added an extra complication that should make things more simple in the future. It's banning all 32-bit apps from the store, which means that software that hasn't been for the new 64-bit processors will be kicked out and will stop working on your phone.

For the most part, all of the important apps will have been updated. But it's important to check because it might include some apps that you use everyday, which developers might not yet have got around to fixing.

You can find full details on how to do that, and what to look out for, here.

Clear the way

Nowadays, Apple has made its phone smarter about using up space, and you won't have to go through the boring work of deleting apps just to free up space for the update, and then re-installing them all over again. But that doesn't mean the exercise is completely pointless.

Even though there's no immediate need, an iOS update is a good time to through all your apps and see if there are any you need to clear out.

Back yourself up

Apple's iOS updates are relatively stable now, and since they've been through so many betas there's a limited chance that there will be anything wrong with them, but it's worth backing up all the same. Do that by going to the Settings app and tapping Backup.

Enjoy

iOS 11 brings with it a whole range of features. Some of them are subtle but helpful, like the changes to multitasking on the iPad. Others are grand and ambitious, like the augmented reality features that Apple has added.

You can find a breakdown of those AR tools here. And you can find a list of some of the nicest changes here.

But the greatest fun is finding your own way through all the changes. So enjoy!