iOS 12 to iOS 15 update on an iPhone 7 - are there any risks it could go wrong?

[Cern]

I have an old iPhone 7 (yeah yeah, I know) running iOS 12.3.1. I am able to update this to iOS 15.7.3, which I would like to do because so many apps now don't support older versions of iOS, understandably. But I'm worried such a large leap in iOS versions might brick my phone if the update process goes wrong.

I realise I'm probably over-thinking this, but I rely on my phone for so many things and can't afford a new one just now. So, what are the risks (if any) of such a large iOS update? Is there anything I can do to ensure the update goes smoothly, beyond the obvious such as cloud backup and keeping the phone mains powered during the update? Will it help if I purge my seldom used apps etc (although storage space is not a problem, 60GB+ free)?

I'd welcome any advice, thanks.

 

[Deleted member 77746]

iOS 12 to iOS 15 update on an iPhone 7 - are there any risks it could go wrong?​

no

 

[MrRockliffe]

It can do. I recently updated my iPhone 14 PM, from 16.1 to 16.2, and it bricked the phone.


But it’s the first time it has happened to me.


I suspect you’ll probably be fine, but I would ALWAYS back stuff up

 

[Minstadave]

I'd check how well it runs. Apple have a habit of turning perfectly functional hardware into a something sluggish and unpleasant to use with iOS updates.

 

[ic1male]

The only things I'd make sure -

1) You have plenty of storage space left
2) Any two factor authentication app you might use is either backed up or you have the backup codes for the sites you use.

 

[Feek]

backup codes

You’re making me feel warm and fuzzy inside

 

[Deleted member 77746]

You’re making me feel warm and fuzzy inside

oh kinky.

 

[visibleman]

Yes/No/Maybe.

But i would just make sure you have backups (iTunes/Finder + iCloud etc) before updating and similar to what @Minstadave says, it's worth having a quick Google to see if others have had issues with that iteration of hardware and OS version.

 

[Cern]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Good point about the two factor auth stuff, definitely need to make sure I have that all properly backed up.

Yes/no/maybe seems par for the course from what I can glean from Google.

I assume if it does brick during the update I can still do a factory reset and essentially a clean install? Then restore some stuff (but of course not everything) from backups?

 

[VaderDSL]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Good point about the two factor auth stuff, definitely need to make sure I have that all properly backed up.

Yes/no/maybe seems par for the course from what I can glean from Google.

I assume if it does brick during the update I can still do a factory reset and essentially a clean install? Then restore some stuff (but of course not everything) from backups?

Bricked, I believe, means non functional. As in it tries to write the firmware to the flash storage etc., something goes funny and it ends up unrecoverable and un usable.

 

[Deleted member 77746]

I assume if it does brick

If it becomes bricked then you out of luck and you won't ever get in that phone again.

 

[Cern]

Bricked, I believe, means non functional. As in it tries to write the firmware to the flash storage etc., something goes funny and it ends up unrecoverable and un usable.

If it becomes bricked then you out of luck and you won't ever get in that phone again.

Ah ok. This is what I've been worried about and why I've put things off. Will have to give it some serious thought.

 

[Deleted member 77746]

Ah ok. This is what I've been worried about and why I've put things off. Will have to give it some serious thought.

What choice do you have? Just back stuff up and go update it.

 

[Cern]

What choice do you have? Just back stuff up and go update it.

My iPhone 7 is working fine and does most of what I need. But there's an increasing amount of apps which won't install or update on older versions of iOS. So steadily the range of things I can do on a phone running iOS 12 is diminishing. I get the reasons why this is and I get the importance of updating. But I can't really afford to replace the phone right now if something goes wrong during the update. Hence the dilemma.

 

[Feek]

I’d just go for it.

 

[visibleman]

I assume if it does brick during the update I can still do a factory reset and essentially a clean install? Then restore some stuff (but of course not everything) from backups?

If the OTA update screws then you would typically attempt a 'restore' via iTunes/Finder which will try and install a fresh copy of iOS.
And if that doesn't work, you have DFU mode to try and restore the device.
Failing both of those, it's an Apple tech although you're likely looking an expensive paperweight aka "bricked".

There is always risks with updates and iOS updates do fudge themselves from time-to-time but as long as you have backups then most of time you're OK.

 

[Deleted member 77746]

There is always risks with updates and iOS updates do fudge themselves from time-to-time but as long as you have backups then most of time you're OK.

There's a risk with any piece of hardware when upgrading OS/BIOS/Software e.t.c anyway.

 

[Feek]

I don't think there's any more risk than a normal update really. As said, just make sure you've got a backup beforehand.