How Apple Devices Update
Apple periodically releases new versions of its mobile operating systems. By design, these updates affect only the core operating system of the device and do not modify user data. Therefore, you can be confident that an iOS, iPadOS, or WatchOS upgrade will not remove your photos, music, or other data.
Potential for Data Loss
Although upgrades don’t affect user data, it’s not unheard-of for an update to fail for some reason. The most common culprit arises from a power interruption during the update process. Often, a botched upgrade renders the whole device useless unless you undertake a complex recovery process or bring it to a Genius Bar for in-person attention by Apple techs.
Best Practices for Upgrades
You’ll guarantee that you’ll never lose your data by backing up your iPad or iPhone before you begin an update. Backups can take a few minutes, so they’re often set aside as being an inconvenience, but backups mean that if your upgrade fails and you must reinstall iOS or iPadOS from scratch, you’ll restore it with your data without any loss or corruption.
