iOS 18 is now here, but Apple will continue to issue security updates for iOS 17. Here’s what you need to know about the latest version of iOS 17.
iOS 17 was made available to all iPhones from the iPhone XR up on Monday, September 18, 2023. New features in iOS 17 included contact posters, NameDrop, StandBy, Live Voicemail, FaceTime video voicemail, a whole new Siri voice recognition model, huge improvements to autocorrect and dictation, and a lot more.
iOS 17 has now been replaced by iOS 18 which arrived on September 16, 2024, but the development of iOS 17 will continue with security updates issued when necessary.
In this article you can find the information about the latest version of iOS 17, and why you should install the updates Apple issues to iOS 17 if you can’t upgrade to iOS 18.
For information about iOS 18 see:
iOS 18 superguide: Latest version and new features
iOS 18 compatibility: Can your iPhone run iOS 18?
iOS 17 vs iOS 18: How iOS 17 and iOS 18 compare
Update September 16: Apple has released iOS 17.7, which includes important security updates.iOS 17: Latest version
The initial iOS 17 release was on September 18, but that release was followed by subsequent releases that added new features. Following the arrival of iOS 18 in September 2024 all updates to iOS 17 will be security-focused so installation is recommended if you don’t want to update to iOS 18. iOS 16 is also still receiving security updates for now, but that is likely to end in fall 2025). See: How long does Apple support iPhones.
The latest version is iOS 17.7, which arrived on September 16 2024 with 16 important security fixes.
iOS 17.6 was released on July 29, and includes only bug fixes and security updates. There have been no significant new features or interface changes discovered.
iOS 17.5 arrived on May 13. It included tracker detection, News app updates, and lots of security fixes. New for News+ subscribers is an Offline mode, Quartiles – a new daily word game, and Scoreboard that displays your mini-game, crossword and Quartiles data. There is also Cross-Platform Tracking Detection, which will alert users is a (compatible) Bluetooth tracker is with them, similar to how an alert is shown if an AirTag is detected near you, allowing you to block it.
Apple released iOS 17.4 on March 5, just before the deadline to comply with the Digital Markets Act in the EU. It included mandated changes to allow app developers to distribute apps outside of Apple’s App Store and use payment systems other than Apple’s. These changes come with a new fee and commission structure that developers say are meant to force developers into continuing to use Apple’s App Store and payments. It also adds transcriptions to podcasts in the Podcasts app, improved iMessage encryption, new emojis, and more.
On January 22 Apple released iOS 17.3. The update includes a new Stolen Device Protection feature that should make it harder for thieves to mess up your digital life using a stolen passcode. iOS 17.3 also includes an important security patch for a zero-day vulnerability that may have been exploited.
iOS 17.2 arrived on December 11 and included the Journal app, new Weather and Clock widgets, and Stickers for Message reactions.
iOS 17.1.2 on November 30 fixed a couple of WebKit security vulnerabilities that have been exploited in the wild. WebKit being the browser engine used by Safari.
iOS 17.1.1 was a minor update fixing a couple of bugs. One bug related to Apple Pay and other NFC features becoming unavailable on iPhone 15 models after wireless charging in BMW cars, the other bug related to the Weather Lock Screen widget which might not correctly display snow.
iOS 17.1 arrived on October 25. New features include improvements to AirDrop (file transfers continue over the internet when you are out of range), new StandBy options, Favorites in Music and a number of bug and security fixes.
iOS 17.0.3 arrived on October 4 with a fix for a problem that was causing iPhones to overheat–specifically the iPhone 15 Pro. There are also two security fixes, more here: iOS 17.0.3 is out with iPhone 15 Pro overheating fix and security updates.
A iOS 17.0.2 update for iPhone 15 models fixed a bug for new iPhone buyers. Some users who bought new iPhone 15 models discovered that they were not able to transfer data from an old iPhone during the new iPhone setup process. This same fix was then issued for other iPhones on September 27.
Just days after the arrival of iOS 17, on September 21, Apple issued iOS 17.0.1 with three zero-day security patches that “may have been actively exploited”. More information here: Apple pushes out critical iOS 17.0.1 update just days after iOS 17 release.iOS 17 Compatibility: Which phones can run iOS 17?
iOS 17 does not support the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, or the iPhone X. They are all able to run iOS 16 though, so they should get support through security updates for at least another year. iOS 18 supports the same phones as iOS 17 did.
The following iPhones get support for iOS 17, although some won’t support all of the new features:
iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max
iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max
iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max
iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max
iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max
iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max
iPhone XR
iPhone SE(2nd gen or later)
Even if your chosen device is granted another year of software support, it’s worth noting that older iPhones may not get the full range of new features. In 2022, for example, the iPhone 8 and iPhone X missed out on a bunch of cool stuff due to their older processor. For more information take a look at every version of iOS released so far and find out which version of iOS your iPhone supports. iOS 17: Bugs and problems
Overheating: Apple has addressed a problem that was causing the iPhone 15 Pro to overheat. The iOS 17.0.3 update is designed to fix this problem.
Security: Apple issued an update to iOS 17 on September 21 to address some security flaws. Another security fix came on October 4.
Wi-Fi: Another issue people sometimes encounter after updating the iOS is that their iPhone struggles to stay connected to Wi-Fi networks. Again, it’s worth restarting the iPhone if this happens. Alternatively, look at: How to stop an iPhone dropping Wi-Fi connection.
Standby won’t show the correct time zone: We encountered this issue (the clock was stuck in Cupertino). The fix was as follows: All the features in iOS 17
Below you will find the features added in each update to Sonoma, as well as those available at launch. iOS 17.5 New features
Along with updates to the News app for News+ subscribers (including a new word game), there are 15 security updates in iOS 17.5. The security updates cover frameworks like AppleAVD (the audio and video decoder), FindMy, Maps, Notes, screenshots, WebKit, and more.iOS 17.4 New features
Here are the new features in iOS 17.
