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iOS 7 How-to: Set up Automatic App Updates

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In earlier versions of iOS, the system would notify users of available App Store updates with a badge on the icon (seen above).

You had to open up the App Store, press the Update button, then press Update All. It was rather annoying to keep up with all the apps that needed updating. Sometimes by the time you finished updating, more apps would need updating.

Now with iOS 7, the apps will now automatically update. To make sure that the apps are set to automatically update, go into Settings and scroll until you see iTunes and App Store.

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Tap on iTunes & App Store. Then scroll all the way down towards the bottom until see Automatic Downloads.

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To turn on automatic app updates, tap in the white oval next to Updates. The apps will now update automatically. Apple even asks you how often you want the apps to automatically update, whether to occur only when you’re on Wi-fi or if it can occur when you’re on a Cellular network. This is great because not everyone might have a data plan that can support automatically updating the apps on a Cellular connection.

If you have automatic app updates turned on, and happen to be curious as to which apps updated, you have two places to find the same information. If you go to the App Store and press on Updates, it will show you when apps last updated. Also, Notification Center can even show you (in the “All” tab) which apps were automatically updated.

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Comments

  1. Great feature but I have a question thou. I have my account on which I buy my apps – so everything’s cool. But what if I download an app from my friends’ account and log-in back to mine acc. Won’t it still try to update the app – battery life getting worse (I know it’s not possible to update that app until I give it my friends’ login info)?

    • Sarah Guarino - 11 years ago

      great question! when it tries to update that app, it will want your friend’s password. granted it could be annoying. not sure how often it will prompt you.

  2. dhodnett0623 - 11 years ago

    My settings are all correct, but how often do they actually update? I’m on a wifi network, and my app store badge count has been sitting at 2 for a few hours. Resisting the urge to just push “update all” is nearly impossible.

  3. Anthony Short - 11 years ago

    I’m curious to see how this works because as far as I can tell… It doesn’t work.
    I’ve got 16 Updates listed in the icon and it’s not updating and the auto update is switched on.
    Also struggling to resist the urge to update.

    • Adam Johns - 10 years ago

      Yes, I concur that this feature flat out does not work. How are there no news sources reporting on this fact?

  4. Andrew Hansen - 10 years ago

    I find that it only finds new updates when I open the App Store, then magically it sees there are new updates and starts to auto download them.

  5. Noyb (@arrest_obama) - 10 years ago

    Wow, autoUpdate. A feature android has had for many years. But Android also let’s you choose which apps to autoUpdate and which to manually update on a per-app basis.

    What really pissed me off was that I had a handful of apps I DID NOT WANT TO UPDATE when I was still on ios6. When I upgraded to ios7, the stupid thing auto updated all my apps before the first boot of ios7. So I turn on my phone (and iPad) after the ups rage only to find my carefully controlled versioning of certain apps totally mowed over with the latest versions. NOT COOL!!! Was so angry I nearly threw the things against the wall and was wondering if my lawyer was interested in perusing a law suit.

    SHAME ON YOU, APPLE!!!

    • Noyb (@arrest_obama) - 10 years ago

      Auto-correct fail… “(and iPad) after the ups rage only to find” should read “(and iPad) after the upgrade only to find”

  6. diane jennings - 10 years ago

    Loosestrife under Automatic Updates What is the difference between Apps and Updates?

  7. Apps Addict - 10 years ago

    I am happy the option still exists on iOS 7 to disable it. You can expect after a couple of new iOS releases, such like feature be permanent and then we will be at the mercy of cellular companies.

  8. fofer - 10 years ago

    Most folks think Automatic App Updates will happen over cellular if “Use Cellular Data” is enabled (as that’s what the UI and wording in Settings seems to imply) and then they decide to leave Automatic App Updates off (or block the iTunes Store app from using cellular data entirely.)

    I’ve done some testing with WiFi off, and have corroborated the same findings with friends who have done the same. I am confident now to share the conclusion: Automatic App Updates do *not* happen over cellular data, even with “Use Cellular Data” turned on. Automatic App Updates only occur over WiFi. This is good news, and I’m surprised it hasn’t been shared more widely.

  9. Ann Strosnider - 9 years ago

    This seems to have stopped working on my iPhone. It’s gone back to having the little red number showing how many apps need to be updated. But when I try to update the apps just turn black and never seem to come back to updated status. The auto update is turned on.

  10. Mirshad Aziz - 9 years ago

    i have two apple accounts. almost all applications i have installed from my first account. but unfortunately i have forgot my first id password. then i created one new id.now the problem is i can’t update some application from my new account and password. if i trying to update the apps, its asking my old password.how i can update these apps from my new accounts?

  11. When I try and update my apps, it makes me enter a password that I do not know, Its under an old email that I cant remember. Is there any other way I can change this? I also do not remember the security questions either.