What to do when your iOS Public Beta installation gets stuck

How to fix a frozen iOS Public beta installation.

Whether they actually want to be helpful beta testers or they just can't wait to see all the newest iOS features, many iPhone and iPad users have joined the Apple Beta Software Program, which allows for early access to new iOS versions. As with any software, beta versions of iOS can be extremely buggy, causing your iPhone to slow down, crash or misbehave in a variety of other ways (which is why it is always advisable to make an archived backup of your device before installing any iOS public betas).

Aside from the software itself having issues, you can run into problems just trying to download it. Currently there are reports of iOS 11 Public Betas stalling during the both the download and installation portions. Restarting the settings app or rebooting the phone doesn't do the trick either. If you are stuck with a beta installation, there is a simple fix that will let you start over. Here's what to do:

  1. Head to Settings -> General -> iPhone Storage and wait for the information to load.
  2. How to fix a frozen iOS Public beta installation.
  3. Scroll down and look for either iOS OTA or iOS xx Public beta x (in this case, iOS 11 Public beta 7) and tap on it.
  4. How to fix a stuck iOS Public beta installation.
  5. Tap "Delete update," then confirm.
  6. How to fix a stalled iOS Public beta installation.
  7. Now you are ready to start over. Head to Settings -> General -> Software Update and tap "Download and Install." To minimize the risk of a bad installation, make sure your iPhone or iPad is plugged in and has a strong Wi-Fi signal, and don't use it while it is downloading the software.
  8. How to fix a stalled iOS Public beta install.