Syeda Bushra Taimur on September 13, 2025, 3:24 pm

How To Fix iOS 26 Update Requested Stuck Issue On iPhone And iPad

Here’s how to fix iOS 26 OTA Update Requested stuck issue on your iPhone or iPad the right way.

With iOS 26 here, if you’re trying to update to it immediately on release day and have your iPhone or iPad stuck on “Update Requested” screen, here are some things you can try to help fix the problem.

iOS 26

Simple Restart

Sometimes the easiest of fixes with tech stuff is to try rebooting the device and seeing if that can negate the problem. Try reboot and check for OTA update again. See if it now goes through without any problem.

Try Hard Reboot

If a simple restart didn’t fix the problem, sometimes trying hard reboot could help negate this error. To do this, press and release the Volume Up button. Then press and release the Volume Down button. Now press and hold the Power/Siri button to see the Slide to Power off prompt. Ignore it and keep holding the Power/Siri button down. Eventually you’ll see the Apple logo, at which point the hard restart will commence.

Try Update Via iTunes/Finder Instead of OTA

Instead of OTA update, you can download the IPSW file for your device and then update to it using iTunes on Windows or Finder on Mac. This could be a better way to install at the time when everyone is trying to install it via OTA update with Apple’s servers not being able to handle the load.

Have Patience

Since this is iOS 26 launch day, the issue might be related to Apple’s servers being simply overcapacity at this time. Have patience and give it a try after a few hours. Maybe the issue will resolve automatically by then.