5 things to know about the iOS 16.5.1 update

Apple has released a new iOS 16.5.1 update for iPhone and the software is a small update that fixes persistent problems.

iOS 16.5.1 is a partial release and is focused on improving iOS 16. It does not offer any outward facing features to iPhone users and is a much smaller update than the previous version of iOS 16 (iOS 16.5). That said, it’s still a major update and one that iPhone owners should investigate.

With that in mind, we want to walk you through everything you need to know right now about Apple’s iOS 16.5.1 update for iPhone.

In the walkthrough below we will walk you through iOS 16.5.1 changes, software performance, current list of iOS 16.5.1 issues, iOS 16 Jailbreak status, and more. We’ll start with a few brief insights into iOS 16.5.1’s performance so far.

iOS 16.5.1 review

If your iPhone is currently running iOS 16.5, you will see the iOS 16.5.1 download size smaller. Unless your device is very low on storage, you won’t have to make room for the download.

The download size of iOS 16.5.1 depends on the iPhone model and iOS version you are currently running. If your iPhone is running a very old version of iOS, you might see a big download. This is because iOS 16.5.1 brings the changes from the updates you skipped.

If you’re upgrading from iOS 16.5, the iOS 16.5.1 installation process should take about 10 minutes to complete. For more information on downloading and installing iOS 16.5.1, check out our walkthrough.

We’ve been using iOS 16.5.1 on an iPhone 12 Pro for several days and here’s what we learned about the software’s performance.

Battery life and connectivity

• iOS 16.5.1 battery life is stable at the moment.
• Wi-Fi connectivity is fast and reliable.
• Bluetooth works normally.
• GPS and cellular data are also working fine.

App performance

• Third-party apps including Netflix, Twitter, Slack, Gmail, Chrome, and Spotify all work fine.
• Proprietary apps like Safari, Podcasts, and Calendar also work fine.

Speed

• iOS 16.5.1 feels fast, and we haven’t experienced any lags, freezes, or crashes.

If you’re dealing with bugs and/or performance issues on iOS 16.5 or an earlier version of iOS, you might want to install the iOS 16.5.1 update on your iPhone today.

If you need help making up your mind, check out our reasons to install and not install the latest version of iOS 16 right now.

Problems with iOS 16.5.1

iOS 16.5.1 has been tested behind the scenes, but is causing problems for some iPhone users.

The current list of iOS 16.5.1 issues includes abnormal battery drain, Bluetooth issues, Wi-Fi issues, installation issues, Exchange issues, issues with first-party and third-party apps, and more.

If you’re having a problem with iOS 16.5.1, check out our list of fixes for the most common iOS 16 problems. We’ve also released tips that may help you improve your phone’s performance, and some tips that may help you fix abnormal battery consumption.

Apple stopped signing on iOS 16.5, which means you can’t roll back your iPhone software to a previous software if iOS 16.5.1 starts causing problems on your iPhone. You cannot downgrade to iOS software older than iOS 16.5.

For more information on the downgrade process, check out our guide.

Features iOS 16.5.1

Apple points (xxx) updates are typically focused on fixing issues and that’s what iOS 16.5.1 aims to do. Here’s what’s on board iOS 16.5.1:

• Fixes an issue that prevents charging with the Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter

iOS 16.5.1 also includes security patches that fix vulnerabilities on your device. There are two vital patches on board the software, and Apple has detailed them on its security site.

iOS 16.5.1 Jailbreak

If you still jailbreak, avoid the iOS 16.5.1 update.

The developers havereleased a new jailbreak which works with older versions of iOS. Unfortunately, Jailbreak doesn’t work with iOS 16.5.1. Not yet at least.

Well, I’ll let you know if it changes.

What’s next

Apples are working on a new iOS 16.6 update and the software will arrive later this year. We expect the software to arrive in July.

For more information on updating to iOS 16.6, check out our walkthrough. For more information on the iOS 16.6 release date, check out our guide.

Apple will also release iOS 17 for iPhone later this year. The final version will arrive in the fall, but you can try the software right now through the company’s beta program.

For more information on iOS 17 and its features, check out our guide.

4 reasons not to install iOS 16.5.1 and 11 reasons why you should

Install iOS 16.5.1 for better security

If security is important to you, consider installing Apple’s iOS 16.5.1 update on your iPhone now. iOS 16.5.1 offers two security patches to iPhone users, and they’re important if you want to protect your iPhone from harm. If you want to know more, go to the Apple website. As for the older software, iOS 16.5 brought a lot of security patches to iPhone. You can learn more about them on Apple’s security site. iOS 16.4.1 included two security updates. You can learn more about the couple right here. The company’s iOS Security Response 16.4.1(a) update also included security updates, but Apple hasn’t disclosed those yet, and it’s unclear whether it will. Apple’s iOS 16.4 update had a substantial number of patches on board. You can read about them in detail on Apple’s security site. The iOS 16.3.1 update included three security patches, including one for an actively exploited vulnerability. For more information on the security content of iOS 16.3.1, see Apple’s security page. iOS 16.3 introduced over 10 new security patches, and you can learn more about them all right here. Additionally, the software included support for physical security keys for the Apple ID. These will strengthen the security of your account by requiring a physical security key as part of the two-factor authentication login process. Learn more about the change right here. If you skipped iOS 16.2, you will get its changes with iOS 16.5.1. iOS 16.2 brought with it a bunch of important security patches, and you can read more about the details on Apple’s security site. The update also introduced end-to-end encryption on iCloud, iMessage, iPhone backups, notes, photos, and more. If you want to know more, go to Apple’s guide. If you’ve decided to miss out on iOS 16.1.2, you’ll get its lone security patch with your update. Find out more about it right here. If you skipped iOS 16.1.1, you will receive related security patches during the update. You can learn more about them right here. If you missed iOS 16.1 update, it brought 19 security patches to iPhone, and you can know the details of those on Apple’s website. If you were unable to download iOS 16.0.3, it had a built-in security patch, a fix for a potential exploit within the Mail app. For more information about the fix, check out Apple’s security site. If you’re still using iOS 15 on your iPhone, you’ll get a bunch of other patches during the update. iOS 16.0 brought a lot of security patches to iPhone. If you’re interested in the exact nature of these improvements, you can read about them on Apple’s security website. In addition to these patches, iOS 16 brings some additional privacy and security improvements, including Safety Check which, according to Apple, will help “people experiencing domestic or intimate partner violence situations review and reset the access they have granted to others”. The feature also resets system privacy permissions for apps and restricts Messages and FaceTime to the device at hand. Apple has also made some improvements to passkeys in Safari. iOS 16 offers a brand new sign-in method that is end-to-end encrypted and protected against phishing and data leaks.