An error occurred while checking

Apple has been always optimizing iOS by pushing updates. But sometimes when you update the iOS version on your iPhone/iPad, you may get a prompt saying “Unable to check for update: An error occurred while checking for a software update”. Don’t worry. You can refer to the following reasons why it happens, and find a way from the next part to solve this error.

• Not enough space for iOS update: An iOS update package is about 1-2GB. But actually, you will need some extra available space to release the package. If your iPhone storage is getting full, please free up some space.
• Unstable network conditions: A stable and strong network/Wifi condition is important, so your device can download the iOS version to your iPhone/iPad.
• Another iOS version has been downloaded: You probably tried to download the new iOS or ever install the beta version, so the new iOS update can be interrupted by the previous version.

No matter what causes leading to this problem, you can try the solution below to fix this error when updating iOS 16/15.

“An Error Occurred While Checking for a Software Update” – Causes

There are various reasons why your update failed, and you are receiving the above error message. Some of the most common ones are as follows:

How to Fix “An Error Occurred While Checking for a Software Update”

The above error message generally pops up while trying to update the iPhone. However, it can also show up on your Apple Watch. This is because Apple Watch demands the latest version of iOS to update itself. Hence, to get rid of the error message on the Apple Watch, you first have to resolve it on the iPhone. 

Also, the Apple servers can get overcrowded when many people download the updates simultaneously. So, you can wait for some hours and try downloading the update sometime later. If you want to check which Apple services are affected specifically, you can check System Status on their site.

Check if You Are Connected to the Network 

It may sound funny, but sometimes you could forget to turn on the Wi-Fi before trying to update the device. 

On the other hand, you are connected, but the network is too slow, and it takes too long to update the device. Hence, you are getting the error message.

Therefore, you should connect to a strong network while the update process is taking place. Meanwhile, close any apps using the internet for a smoother update process.

Reset Network Settings

For an update to be successfully downloaded without an error, you should be connected to a stable internet connection. However, if you are experiencing connection issues, it can act as a roadblock to the update process. So, to resolve your network issues and the update error message:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Then, navigate to General > Transfer or Reset Device.
3. Tap on the Reset option.
4. Now, choose the “Reset Network Settings” option.
5. The resetting process can take some time so wait until it finishes.
6. Finally, restart your phone and see if your problem has been resolved.

Note: Many settings will get affected after this process. To learn more about it in detail, you can refer to our article on Reset Network Settings in iPhone, Android.