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Your iPhone just got a new iOS update, and you should download it right now

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iPhone 15 Pro display with iPhone 15 Pro Max in background.
Prakhar Khanna / Digital Trends

Apple has just released a new security update, iOS 17.4.1. This comes a little over two weeks after iOS 17.4, which was a big update. iOS 17.4.1 doesn’t add any new features, but it’s still an important update you’ll want to download as soon as you can.

With iOS 17.4.1, Apple states that the update “provides important bug fixes and security updates and is recommended for all users.” Apple doesn’t mention any specifics of these bug fixes, but more details on what this security update addresses may be revealed at a later date.

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It’s always important to keep your iPhone software up to date, as security patches like this can address vulnerabilities from previous software versions that can lead to security exploits. Even if Apple hasn’t said exactly what bugs iOS 17.4.1 fixes, it’s still a good idea to grab the update sooner rather than later.

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To get iOS 17.4.1, just go to Settings > General > Software Update on your iPhone. The update can be applied over the air, so you don’t even need to connect your iPhone to your computer to download. For those who aren’t yet on iOS 17, Apple also released a security patch for iOS 16 users. This would be iOS 16.7.7, and it would also be available by going to Settings > General > Software Update on devices running iOS 16.

If you aren’t seeing these updates yet, it may take some time to roll out to your device. So, if it’s not showing up just yet, keep checking — it will become available shortly.

An iPhone 15 Pro showing the Podcasts Transcripts feature.
Christine Romero-Chan / Digital Trends

iOS 17.4 was a big update that brought some major changes to iOS 17. It added Stolen Device Protection, new emojis, and transcripts in the Podcasts app. It also allows users in the European Union to access third-party app stores and change default web browsers

Now that Apple has released iOS 17.4.1, we should expect the first betas for iOS 17.5 to come soon. It’s expected to drop as early as two weeks from now. And while it’s still a ways off, there may be even bigger changes coming to iOS 18 this year, which should be revealed during WWDC 2024 later this summer.

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Christine Romero-Chan
Christine Romero-Chan
Staff Writer, Mobile
Christine Romero-Chan has been writing about technology, specifically Apple, for over a decade. She graduated from California…
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