How to Update Apps on iOS & Android
Apps are a quintessential part of smartphone ownership, and they’re constantly evolving over time with new updates. Keeping your library of apps up-to-date doesn’t have to be a chore, and is actually easier than you might think.
These steps will help you update any apps on your phone, whether you’re on iOS or Android.
Updating apps on iOS
- Go to the App Store on your iOS device
- Select the ‘My Account’ option at the top of the screen
- Open ‘App Update’ and tap ‘Update All’. Tap ‘Update’ next to each app if you want to download the update for each individual one
If you want your apps to update automatically, look for the ‘App Updates’ toggle in the App Store. Likewise, you can disable automatic updates if you’d rather handle this yourself.
Updating apps on Android
- Tap the Google Play Store app
- Select your profile icon in the top-right corner
- Open the ‘Manage apps and devices’ menu
- Tap the ‘See details’ option underneath ‘Updates available’
- Press ‘Update all’ and download updates for all of your apps, or tap ‘Update’ next to each app
Similar to iOS, you can set updates on Android to automatically download. Navigate to the profile picture menu in the Google Play Store and select ‘Settings’. Once you’ve done that, tap ‘Network preferences’ followed by ‘Auto-update apps’. You’ll be asked to choose whether to update apps over Wi-Fi or mobile data, with a limited amount of mobile data, over Wi-Fi only, or to not auto-update apps.
FAQs
Why is my iPhone not updating apps?
If apps aren’t updating on your iPhone, this can be due to poor Internet connection or not having enough storage on your device. Try again once you’re in a stronger signal area and consider freeing up space for the app downloads.
What happens if you don't update apps?
App updates contain security fixes, new features and performance improvements. Not keeping your apps up-to-date can mean losing out on those additions.
How do I update an app on iPhone without the App Store?
Apple requires app updates to officially be uploaded to the App Store, so you will always need it to keep apps up-to-date.