Apple has just released iOS 16.3.1, a minor update that brings no new features but fixes some potentially very annoying bugs.
Those bugs address iCloud, Siri, Find My, and Crash Detection – so if those things have been working fine for you, this might not seem like the most important update.
But if you have an iPhone 14 and plan on skiing or riding a rollercoaster any time soon, you owe it to emergency services to update anyway. That’s because Crash Detection has been sending false positives in those situations, which could cause unnecessary strain on the local emergency services. iOS 16.3.1 improves the detection algorithm in a bid to make it more accurate and avoid auto-calling for help when it’s not needed.
It’s also worth updating if you’ve had trouble toggling iCloud backups, or accessing your settings in general. Siri-based Find My requests have also been patchy lately – all those things are addressed with this update.
Plus, if you haven’t updated yet in 2023, you’re also missing out on support for HomePod 2 and FIDO-certified security keys, both of which were added with iOS 16.3 in January.
You can update by following the prompts in Settings > General > Software Update. Trigging the process manually is usually the fastest way to get the latest updates – automatic updates are staggered and sometimes don’t kick in for over a week after a new update drops.