The iOS 12.5.5 update is a minor point upgrade, but it may still take some time to download and install on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
Apple’s iOS 12.5.5 update comes with a short list of changes for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch models that are left behind in the company’s iOS 12 operating system.
If you’re migrating your device from iOS 12.5.4 to iOS 12.5.5, you’ll get the shortest changelog and smallest download size.
If you’re migrating your phone or tablet from an older version of iOS, the list of changes in iOS 12.5. You may also see a larger download size. This is because the features from the updates you skipped are added to your update version.
While some of you may want to delay downloading iOS 12.5.5, most people will probably want to upgrade today or in the near future.
If you decide to install iOS 12.5.5 on your device, you will want to take some time to get the job done. Switching from one version of iOS to another can cause problems, so you’ll want to monitor as the download and installation processes progress.
We cannot tell you exactly how long it will take to download and install iOS 12.5.
However, when you decide to download and install iOS 12.5.
If you’re prepared for the iOS 12.5.5 update and you’re connected to fast Wi-Fi, it will take less than 15 minutes to complete. If you are not prepared, it will take longer.
| Task | Time |
|---|---|
| Synchronization (Optional) | 5-45 Minutes |
| Backup and Transfer (Optional) | 1-30 Minutes |
| iOS 12.5.5 Download | 3 Minutes – 10 Minutes |
| iOS 12.5.5 Installation | 7 Minutes – 15 Minutes |
| Total iOS 12.5.5 Update Time | 10 Minutes – 1 Hour+ |
Pre-Installation
You will want to prepare yourself and your device before initiating the iOS 12.5.5 download. A few minutes of preparation can prevent problems and headaches.
If you don’t know how to properly prepare for iOS updates, you’ll want to check out our pre-installation guide for tips. It highlights what we typically do before installing an update of this size.
Most of you will be able to complete these steps in 30 minutes or less, but it all depends on your skill level and the current state of your device.
If you haven’t backed up your data or researched the changes in the iOS 12.5.5 update, the pre-installation process can take much longer.
You don’t need to follow every step, but we strongly recommend that you make sure all your important data is backed up before you start upgrading to iOS 12.5.5.
Data loss issues are rare these days, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
iOS 12.5.5 Download
When you’re ready, it’s time to start the iOS 12.5. Again, the exact download size will depend on your device and current iOS version.
If you are currently using iOS 12.5.4, you will still see the smallest download size. For most models it should only be a few megabytes.
If you’re on a fast Wi-Fi network, the download can be completed in less than five minutes. Our download took just under five minutes over a high-speed Wi-Fi connection.
If you are using an older version of iOS, your download will be much larger and it may take 10 minutes or more to download the firmware.
iOS 12.5.5 Installation
Once your device has finished pulling iOS 12.5.5 from Apple servers, you will need to start the installation process. This will probably take longer than the download.
If you’re upgrading from iOS 12.5 to iOS 12.5.5, it may take up to eight minutes to complete the installation. If you’re migrating from an older iOS version, it may take much longer. The setup took about eight minutes to complete on an iPhone 5.
If for some reason this is your first time upgrading from iOS 11 to iOS 12, you can expect it to take even longer to install. Maybe as long as 20-30 minutes.
Your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch may restart itself once or twice when the installation process starts to complete, but don’t worry.
This is completely normal and your device will boot normally after the installation is complete.
Post install
Once done, you may need to spend time setting up Apple Pay, logging into your iCloud account, or logging into your device’s various apps and services.
We recommend taking the time to check your important data (photos, music, etc.). Before installing iOS 12.5.5, make sure everything is in place.
We also recommend testing your core apps and services to make sure they’re working normally. Major updates have a tendency to break some apps, so you’ll want to do a little bit of tinkering to make sure they’re good. You may need to install an iOS 12 support update.
You’ll also want to track errors and monitor your device’s performance in key areas like battery life, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity.
iOS updates shouldn’t degrade your device’s performance, but there’s always the possibility that something could go wrong. If you run into an issue with iOS 12.5.5, take a look at our list of fixes for common iOS 12 issues.
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