Update your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV today

October 25, 2022

By Kim Komando

Before it was even released, the big news for iOS 16 was that it would introduce the ability to unsend texts. Finally! Well, it’s not as cut-and-dry as it may sound. Tap or click here for what actually happens when you unsend, edit or delete a text in iOS 16.

Apple’s new iPhone and iOS have had some stumbles, and this week the company released the first major update with iOS 16.1. But that’s not all.

Apple also released updates for Apple TV, Apple Watch and iPad. If you have an Apple device, you have an update waiting for you. Here’s a breakdown of the updates and how to get them.

iOS 16.1

iOS 16 had a shaky start. When using third-party apps like Snapchat, TikTok and Instagram, people reported that the phone’s rear camera was shaking, which caused blurry videos.

There was also an annoying bug causing the copy-and-paste permission prompt to pop up far too often. Users were also experiencing low microphone volume when using CarPlay.

Those issues were fixed with incremental updates, and we’ve reached the first milestone: iOS 16.1. Here are some highlights:

• iCloud Shared Photo Library: You can easily share photos and videos with up to five people in a separate library. Set up rules based on start date or the people in the photos. Set permissions for who can add, edit, caption and delete pictures.
• Live Activities: The iPhone 14 Pro’s Dynamic Island (the notch) shows you activities, alerts and more at any time. Now it has third-party support so you can track flights, food orders and more.
• Apple Fitness+: The exercise tracking app is now supported on your iPhone even if you don’t have an Apple Watch.
• Wallet: You can securely share your car, hotel room and other keys in Wallet using messaging apps such as Messages and WhatsApp.

To update your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Software Update > Download and Install.

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iPadOS 16.1

The iPad gets the new features introduced with iOS 16, and then some. iPadOS 16.1 adds the edit, unsend and mark as unread options to messages.

Here are more changes you’ll get for updating your iPad:

• Mail App: You can unsend or schedule a message to be sent later.
• iCloud Shared Photo Library: You can easily share photos and videos with up to five people in a separate library. Set up rules based on start date or the people in the photos. Set permissions for who can add, edit, caption and delete pictures.
• Passkeys: Passkeys are unique digital keys that are more secure than 2FA, never stored on a web server and stay on your device. They replace passwords and use Touch ID or Face ID for verification. They’re end-to-end encrypted and let you sign into websites or apps.
• Weather app: The Weather app finally lands on the iPad.
• Stage Manager: You can resize windows, view multiple overlapping windows and more easily switch between apps. Stage Manager lets you use your iPad with an external display as well. You can view multiple apps on each and drag or drop files and apps between screens.
• Display scaling: This mode lets you change the resolution on your display to fit more on the screen.

To update your iPad, go to Settings > General > Software Update > Download and Install.

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watchOS 9.1

The latest watchOS adds some new features and improves the Apple Watch experience.

Here’s what you’ll get with watchOS 9.1:

• Better battery life: You’ll use less battery when using Outdoor Walking, Running and Hiking Workouts.
• Unplugged: Apple Music can download while Apple Watch is off the charger using Wi-Fi or cellular.
• New smart home support: Smart home products are now supported.

Here’s how to update your Apple Watch:

• On your iPhone, open the Apple Watch app, then tap the My Watch tab. 
• Tap General > Software Update and download the update.

tvOS 16.1

tvOS 16 for Apple TV was released just last month, and 16.1 is now available with a few new features.

• A new look for Siri: The voice assistant is now more compact, so you don’t miss anything on the screen while using it.
• Use Siri with AirPods: Connect your AirPods to your Apple TV and use the “Hey Siri” command to get to the content you want.
• iCloud Shared Photo Library: You can easily share photos and videos with up to five people in a separate library. Set up rules based on start date or the people in the photos. Set permissions for who can add, edit, caption and delete pictures. You’ll need to create the library on your iPhone, iPad or Mac.
• Apple Fitness+ support: You can now work out and meditate with Apple Fitness+ on Apple TV.
• New smart home support: Smart home products are now supported.

To update your Apple TV, go to Settings > System > Software Updates > Update Software.

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