The iOS and iPadOS upgrade process is designed to be seamless. These upgrades do not delete or change your data.

Apple periodically releases new versions of its mobile operating systems. By design, these updates only affect the core operating system of the device and do not modify user data. Therefore, you can rest assured that an iOS, iPadOS, or WatchOS upgrade will not delete your photos, music, or other data.

While upgrades don’t affect user data, it’s not unheard of for an update to fail for one reason or another. The most common culprit is a power outage during the update process. Often, a failed upgrade will render the entire device inoperable unless you perform a complex restore process or take it to a Genius Bar for personal attention by Apple technicians.

You can ensure you never lose your data by backing up your iPad or iPhone before starting an update. Backups can take a few minutes, so they’re often dismissed as an inconvenience, but backups mean that if your upgrade fails and you need to reinstall iOS or iPadOS, you can restore it with your data without loss or corruption.