All Devices Use Personal Hotspot from an iOS device to install iOS updates on another.

[macrlz9]

Is this no longer possible? My grandmother does not have a home (“real”) internet connection & just pays for cellular on both iPad and iPhone. For years she would just use the hotspot on one to update the other and then do the reverse to install iOS updates.

I tried searching the forum and Google to find out if this is restricted but couldn’t find anything definitively saying iOS updates are blocked. This Apple Support article does mention “Certain apps and features that require a Wi-Fi connection might not work while using a Personal Hotspot. For example, you might not be able to make an iCloud backup or upload photos to iCloud Photo Library or Photo Stream.”

How to set up a Personal Hotspot on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

A Personal Hotspot lets you share the cellular data connection of your iPhone or iPad (Wi-Fi + Cellular) when you don't have access to a Wi-Fi network.

support.apple.com

Side note: It seems silly to me that you can allow Photos to have unlimited syncing over cellular & apps seem to update without issue but you still can’t install iOS updates or make an iCloud Backup (which is comparatively small considering that Photos Library & Messages are no longer included in the iCloud backup)

 

[christian.terra]

I have not tried to do this in a while, but I know for sure that it was possible.

 

[macrlz9]

I have not tried to do this in a while, but I know for sure that it was possible.

Same here. I know for sure that it was possible... I guess I’ll have to wait until the next update & try it myself. It’s just not something I think of really. I understand it’s a bit of a unique situation.

 

[Shirasaki]

The tried and true way of using cellular for various WiFi-only use is by using a Mac to share iPhone connection as WiFi, and use the same device connect that WiFi. Haven’t tried doing so downloading iOS update as I just missed the chance of updating to iOS 13.6 DB2.

PS: Some people also uses this feature to prevent Apple from downloading iOS updates. Just FYI.

 

[uandme72]

I have tried this and found iOS updates OTA do not download on hotspot from another iOS device.
Instead I get a message, waiting for WiFi.

 

[macrlz9]

The tried and true way of using cellular for various WiFi-only use is by using a Mac to share iPhone connection as WiFi, and use the same device connect that WiFi. Haven’t tried doing so downloading iOS update as I just missed the chance of updating to iOS 13.6 DB2.

PS: Some people also uses this feature to prevent Apple from downloading iOS updates. Just FYI.

She doesn’t have a computer so in this case, that is not an option. Interesting workaround though

I have tried this and found iOS updates OTA do not download on hotspot from another iOS device.
Instead I get a message, waiting for WiFi.

Thanks for checking! Ugh it’s so strange to me that Apple took steps to block this. I feel Personal Hotspot should have the option of being treated like a regular WiFi connection. At the bare minimum, it should be documented exactly what is restricted over Personal Hotspot.

 

[Shirasaki]

She doesn’t have a computer so in this case, that is not an option. Interesting workaround though



Thanks for checking! Ugh it’s so strange to me that Apple took steps to block this. I feel Personal Hotspot should have the option of being treated like a regular WiFi connection. At the bare minimum, it should be documented exactly what is restricted over Personal Hotspot.

Instead, I’d believe when Apple originally designed personal hotspot, they didn’t do enough work to limit PH uses and treated somewhat like a normal wifi connection generated by wifi router. But whatever the reason is, PH was indeed used to be more like a traditional WIFI than what it is now.

Given apples nature, expecting them to document these stuff is a bit unrealistic. And as time goes on, we will gradually receive fewer of such information as a result. Not ideal imo but that’s life.

 

[ThePhoneTechDoc]

iso updates require wifi connections only

 

[26139]

Side note: It seems silly to me that you can allow Photos to have unlimited syncing over cellular & apps seem to update without issue but you still can’t install iOS updates or make an iCloud Backup (which is comparatively small considering that Photos Library & Messages are no longer included in the iCloud backup)

Feels like that because Photos are a bunch of individual files and the updates are one large file, that a single corruption in Photos may not be as detrimental as a single corruption in backups or iOS updates.

 

[C DM]

Feels like that because Photos are a bunch of individual files and the updates are one large file, that a single corruption in Photos may not be as detrimental as a single corruption is backups or iOS updates.

There's that and there's also the load on wireless carriers (which might not be as much of an issue these days, but has certainly been something in consideration over the years).

 

[macrlz9]

Anyone know if this is possible now with iOS 15 and 5G enabled devices? For example, can I use Personal Hotspot on my iPhone 13 to update an iPad?