Apple Releases iOS 16.6.1, iPadOS 16.6.1, and watchOS 9.6.2 With Bug Fixes

Apple's WWDC 2025 Keynote: Follow along with our live blog.

Apple today released iOS 16.6.1, iPadOS 16.6.1, and watchOS 9.6.2, minor updates for the iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS operating systems that came out last September. The launch of iOS 16.6.1 comes over a month after the release of iOS 16.6, an update that brought bug fixes.

iOS 16
‌‌iOS 16‌‌‌.6.1 and iPadOS 16.6.1 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. It can take a few minutes for the updates to propagate to all users because of demand.

watchOS 9.6.2 can be downloaded for free through the Apple Watch app on the iPhone by opening it up and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it needs to be placed on a charger, and it needs to be in range of the ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌iPhone‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌.

According to Apple's release notes for the updates, they includes unspecified bug fixes and security improvements.

Related Forum: iOS 16

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Top Rated Comments

greenbreadmmm Avatar
23 months ago

The iPhone 8 and iPhone X are not getting iOS 17.
Nor is everyone upgrading to the .0 release
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jz0309 Avatar
23 months ago
Keep the bug fixes and security updates coming!!
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
23 months ago
Keep up the good work Apple. Loving these updates. Thank you!
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vegetassj4 Avatar
23 months ago
No new emojis? Major disappointment.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JosephAW Avatar
23 months ago
Wisdom says to wait a day or two just to see if there's any bricking going on. :rolleyes:
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
EM2013 Avatar
23 months ago

What's weird is they had all the automatic updates turned on but yet it did not apply updates since May.
My phone has automatic updates and never updates. I have to do it myself.

Yet before this setting was available, it would update on its own and I’d have that pesky settings notification lol
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)