Apps and defaults
App Updates
Most people call this keeping installed apps current.
This switch decides whether apps update themselves in the background or wait for you to update them in the App Store.
Available
This setting is present on your iPhone.
- We have this path on file but have not yet confirmed it against an official source.
Where to find it - iOS 13 and later
- Settings
- App Store
- App Updates
What it does
Updates download when the phone is on Wi-Fi and idle. The cellular switch below controls whether they are allowed over mobile data, with a prompt for large ones.
What changes
When it is on
Apps update themselves quietly.
When it is off
You update them manually in the App Store.
Should you turn it on?
Good reasons to turn it on
- Security fixes in apps arrive without effort.
Good reasons to turn it off
- An update can change an app you rely on.
- Large updates over cellular cost data.
Battery
No real change
Privacy
No real change
Performance
No real change
Cellular data
Costs you something
Storage
Costs you something
Out of the box: On.
Questions people actually ask
- How do I update apps manually?
- Open the App Store, tap your account picture, then pull down to refresh the list of pending updates.
If it is not working
- Updating manually is done by pulling down on your account page in the App Store.
- Updates pause when storage is low or Low Data Mode is on.