iOS 13.6 Beta Adds Toggle for Turning Off Automatic iOS Update Downloads - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

iOS 13.6 Beta Adds Toggle for Turning Off Automatic iOS Update Downloads

The second beta of iOS 13.6 that was released this morning adds more granular control over the downloading and installing of iOS updates (via Jeremy Horwitz).

iosautomaticupdatecustom
In earlier versions of iOS, new software downloads automatically in the background and then can be installed through an Automatic Updates feature. In iOS 13.6, there are new toggles for customizing Automatic Updates.

You can now decide whether or not your iPhone or iPad can automatically download iOS updates when connected to WiFi, and when those updates are installed. There's a Download iOS Updates toggle for turning on automatic downloads over WiFi and an Install iOS Updates toggle for installing software updates overnight as an iPhone charges.

This new toggle will be a welcome change for those who do not want iOS updates to download automatically without permission, as this can eat up valuable storage space. Note that this option is enabled by default, so if you want to turn off automatic downloads, you'll need to toggle it off.

The Automatic Updates customization settings can be found by opening the Settings app, choosing the General section, tapping on Software Update, and then choosing the Customize Automatic Updates option.

This feature is limited to developers with the iOS 13.6 beta installed, but it will be available to everyone when the iOS 13.6 update is released.

Related Forum: iOS 13

Popular Stories

iOS 27 Next to iPhone

Here's When iOS 27 Rolls Out Today in Every Time Zone [Update: It's Out]

Sunday September 13, 2026 3:00 am PDT by
Update 10:04 a.m.: iOS 27 is rolling out now, though it may take a bit for all users to see it, so keep checking! Apple is about to release iOS 27, which will finally deliver more advanced Siri AI capabilities as well as a variety of other refinements, improvements, and new features to iPhones. It's Apple's biggest software update of the year, and Apple announced at Wednesday's iPhone event...
iOS 27 Icon iPhone

iOS 27 Available Now With These 8 New Features

Monday September 14, 2026 9:00 am PDT by
Update — 10 a.m. Pacific Time: Apple has released iOS 27. During its iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo event last week, Apple announced that iOS 27 will be released widely on Monday, September 14. iOS 27 should be available around 10 a.m. Pacific Time / 1 p.m. Eastern Time today via the Settings app, under General → Software Update. Below, we have highlighted eight new features and...
deep black iphone 18 pro

Apple Says iPhone 18 Pro Max Sold in U.S. Differs in One Way

Saturday September 12, 2026 3:27 pm PDT by
As noted by Nicolas Lellouche, who writes for the French tech website Numerama, Apple has updated its tech specs pages for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max to clarify which models are equipped with its new C2 cellular modem and where. Apple now says the iPhone 18 Pro has a C2 modem worldwide, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max uses the chip in every country except for the U.S. According...

Top Rated Comments

NT1440 Avatar
82 months ago

Who wouldn’t want to install updates
You just kicked the bees nest here on MR...
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
82 months ago
Everyone who jailbreaks just got a little too excited if you catch my drift.
They hate those auto download updates


Who wouldn’t want to install updates
People who jailbreak, people who don’t like to update right away, people who are very picky about when they update, people who are very picky about what’s taking up storage on the phone, and I could go on
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
phenste Avatar
82 months ago
On the flipside, I appreciate this as someone who initiates my own updates. This means they’ll be on my phone when I go to initiate the update (if I’m reading this article/the attached image properly). I know it’s heavily encouraged to update automatically, but…I like the choice.

I sound like the people I usually harp on in this forum, oh well. :p


Who wouldn’t want to install updates
Sometimes updates come out and introduce new bugs. It’s nice to be able to have an update out for a couple days and assess whether I want to actually install it or wait for the next update, where those bugs will ostensibly be fixed.
(That’s arguably a never-ending cycle, I know—I’ll happily update once I’ve assessed that a given bug isn’t going to heavily affect my everyday use.)
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kylo83 Avatar
82 months ago
Who wouldn’t want to install updates
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GubbyMan Avatar
82 months ago
Finally! After so many years of people asking for this! This is as important as changing video resolution in the camera app or blocking half the screen to show the volume. I guess iOS 14 will not have calls and Siri take up the whole screen?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
82 months ago
This really doesn't fix the Number One gripe people have with Apple's heavy handed nag screen approach that pops open a message at random intervals asking you to install an update.
Makes you hate the company and despise the device.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)