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I have an iPhone 13 running iOS 16.7.1, and when I go to Software Update, it shows iOS 17.2 as being available, but not 16.7.3, which is running on my older iPhone X. Shouldn't I have the options to update iOS 16 as well? The same situation occurs when I plug the phone in to my MacBook Pro and try to update from there. 13

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  • How did you get 16.7.1 on it? Last iOS for phones capable of running iOS 17 is 16.6.1 as far as I can see from ipsw.me/product/iPhone Usually, if your phone is capable of running the latest iOS, you will never get offered any further updates for the previous one.
    – Tetsujin
    Commented Dec 15, 2023 at 16:51
  • @Tetsujin 16.7.1 simply came as an upgrade to 16.7. From support.apple.com/en-us/HT214034 you can see that 16.7.3 runs on iPhone 8 and later, and on my iPhone X I remember seeing the upgrade to 16.7.3 alongside a 17.x upgrade. When you say "usually," what do you mean? 16.7.3 was released on Dec 11, almost 3 months after iOS 17 was released, so that would not appear to make sense.
    – irishwristwatch
    Commented Dec 15, 2023 at 17:13
  • I'm on an SE2020 & can't go past 16.6.1 unless I move to iOS 17 [which I never do until about Feb the following year]. This matches the info at ipsw. iPhone X can't run iOS 17, btw, which is why it can have 16.7.3.
    – Tetsujin
    Commented Dec 15, 2023 at 17:34
  • I'd love to see a screenshot of the 13 running 16.7.1, which would force me to rethink.
    – Tetsujin
    Commented Dec 15, 2023 at 17:50
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    Thanks - we figured it out in the meantime - there was a crossover period which has now expired. Covered in Ezekiel's answer below.
    – Tetsujin
    Commented Dec 15, 2023 at 18:11

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When a new major version of iOS is released, Apple offers it as an optional upgrade to people updating from the Settings app on their phone. The primary update shown is the minor version of the current OS.

People using iTunes or Finder will only be offered the latest version, which will be the new major version of iOS.

Here is a screenshot from a user on Macrumours showing what this feature looks like when it is available:

iOS 17 and iOS 16.7.1 side by side

However, Apple does not offer this dual-track upgrade process indefinitely. Apple does not allow these versions to be installed anymore and you must go to the latest version that is compatible after the dual-track upgrade process is withdrawn.

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  • That's 16.6.1, the one I'm now stuck on. I want to see evidence of a phone with 16.7.1 on it, that's capable of iOS 17.
    – Tetsujin
    Commented Dec 15, 2023 at 17:48
  • @Tetsujin I have updated my post with a screenshot from a user on Macrumours showing iOS 16.7.1 offered alongside iOS 17
    – Ezekiel
    Commented Dec 15, 2023 at 17:54
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    OK, so there was a cross-over [which I was never offered, even though I wanted it] so anyway, the answer for the OP is that offer has expired. We need one answer that just states that. We don't need all this working up to it.
    – Tetsujin
    Commented Dec 15, 2023 at 17:57
  • @Tetsujin I have cleaned up my answer to just show the single screenshot - it's a pity that the Finder upgrade process doesn't surface this process
    – Ezekiel
    Commented Dec 15, 2023 at 18:00
  • @Tetsujin I have a iP14Pro, which is capable of iOS17, but I have iOS16.7.2 on it.
    – Marc Wilson
    Commented Dec 15, 2023 at 18:12

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