How to Check Your Version of iOS and iPadOS

Quick and easy steps to find out your version of iOS & iPadOS

By
Daniel Nations
Daniel Nations
Daniel Nations
Writer
  • University of Texas at Arlington
Daniel Nations has been a tech journalist since 1994. His work has appeared in Computer Currents, The Examiner, and other publications. He is a developer who has published apps in the Apple App Store, Google Play marketplace and Amazon Appstore; he also has worked as a data analyst and DB administrator.
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Updated on March 27, 2020

What to Know

  • For iOS and iPadOS, select Settings app > General > About > Software Version.
  • To check for updates, Settings > General > Software Update.
  • You can also turn Automatic Updates on or off under Software Update.

This article explains how to check your version of iOS and iPadOS. Instructions apply to most iOS and iPad devices.

How to Find Your iOS Version

Here's how you can find out what version of iOS your device is running:

  1. From the main menu on your iOS device, select the Settings app.

  2. Scroll down and select General.

  3. Select About. On the next screen, next to Software Version, you will find the version number of iOS currently downloaded on your device.

    If your device is below 50% battery power, plug it in before starting the update process, as it will consume a lot of power.

  4. If you're unsure if this is the most up to date version of iOS, return to the General menu and select Software Update. If your version if up to date it will say so here. If it is not you can download the newest version. You can also use this screen to toggle Automatic Updates on or off.

    Software update info on iOS.

How to Find Your iPadOS Version

The instructions for finding the version number, checking the availability of updates, and turning Automatic Updates on and off is nearly identical on the iPadOS. Here's how to do it:

  1. From the main menu on your iOS device, select the Settings app.

  2. Scroll down and select General.

    The General option on iPadOS.

  3. Select About. On the next screen, next to Software Version, you will find the version number of iOS currently downloaded on your device.

    The location of the software version information on iPadOS.

  4. If you're unsure if this is the most up to date version of iOS, return to the General menu and select Software Update.

    The location of the Software Update option on iPadOS.

  5. If your version if up to date it will say so here. If it is not you can download the newest version. You can also use this screen to toggle Automatic Updates on or off.

    How to tell if your iPadOS is the current version.

Why Is It Important to Update to the Newest Version of iOS and iPadOS?

In addition to squashing bugs and tuning performance, iOS and iPadOS updates include security fixes. It is difficult for malware to find its way onto an iPhone or iPad unless you jailbreak it, but there are other vulnerabilities hackers can use to get to the information stored on your device. Security updates protect your device from these vulnerabilities.

Outdated or obsolete iOS devices may not be able to download the most recent version of iOS. This is because older devices may not have the memory or processing power needed to run the latest version of the operating system.

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