You can go ahead and download the full and final version of iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 onto your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. You will also find the complete changelog here.
iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 Arrives with Brand New and Tons of Changes, Including the Ability to Bypass Face ID if you are Wearing a Mask
With so many betas being seeded to developers and public beta testers, it was only a matter of time the final version of iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 would arrive for the public. It is now here and you can take it for a spin immediately as long as you have a supported device.
What is New in iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5?
There are a ton of changes in iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5. We will go as far as saying that this feels like a major update which Apple releases with new iPhones. You do not have to take our word for it, but at least let the changelog for the update speak for itself:
Unlock iPhone with Apple Watch
Ability to unlock your iPhone X and later with Apple Watch Series 3 and later when you attempt to use Face ID while wearing a face mask
AirTag and Find My
Support for AirTag to keep track of and find your important items like your keys, wallet, backpack and more, privately and securely in the Find My app
Precision Finding uses visual, audible, and haptic feedback to guide you directly to your nearby AirTag using Ultra Wideband provided by the U1 chip on iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 models
AirTag can be located by playing a sound via the built-in speaker
The Find My network with hundreds of millions of devices can help you find your AirTag, even when it isn’t nearby
Lost Mode notifies you when your AirTag is found, and you can enter a phone number where you can be contacted
Emoji
Support for separate skin tones for each individual in all variations of the couple kissing emoji and couple with heart emoji
New face emojis, heart emojis, woman with a beard emoji
Siri
Siri now includes more diverse voice options
Incoming calls can be announced with Siri, including who is calling, when you’re wearing your AirPods or compatible Beats headphones, and you can answer hands-free
Group FaceTime calls are supported by asking Siri to FaceTime a list of contacts or a group name from Messages
Emergency contacts can be called by asking Siri
Privacy
App Tracking Transparency lets you control which apps are allowed to track your activity across other companies’ apps and websites for ads or sharing with data brokers
Apple Music
Share your favorite lyrics using Messages, Facebook, and Instagram Stories, and subscribers can play the snippet in Messages without leaving the conversation
City charts showcase what’s popular in over 100 cities from all over the world
Podcasts
Podcasts Show Pages are redesigned to make it easier to start listening
Option to save and download episodes, automatically adding them to your Library for quick access
Download behavior and notification settings can be customized on a show-by-show basis
Top Charts and popular categories in Search help you discover new shows
5G improvements
Dual SIM support enables 5G connectivity on the line that’s using cellular data on iPhone 12 models
Smart Data Mode improvements further optimize your experience on 5G networks for better battery life and data usage on iPhone 12 models
5G international roaming enabled on supported carriers on iPhone 12 models
News
Redesigned News+ tab enables Apple News+ subscribers to quickly find, download, and manage magazine and newspaper issues
All-new Search experience that helps you find relevant topics, channels, and stories
Maps
Accidents, hazards, or speed checks along your route can be reported by telling Siri on your iPhone or on CarPlay
Estimated time of arrival (ETA) can be shared when cycling or walking, in addition to driving, by asking Siri or tapping on the route card at the bottom of the screen, then tapping Share ETA
Reminders
Ability to sort reminders by Title, Priority, Due Date, or Creation date
Option to print your reminder lists
Translate
Translation playback speed can be adjusted by long pressing the play button
Gaming
Xbox Series X|S Wireless Controller or Sony PS5 DualSense™ Wireless Controller support
Fitness+
Ability to stream audio and video content from Apple Fitness+ workouts to AirPlay 2-enabled TVs and devices
CarPlay
ETA in Apple Maps can be easily shared while driving with new Siri or keyboard controls in CarPlay
This release also fixes the following issues:
Messages at the bottom of the thread may be hidden by the keyboard under certain circumstances
Deleted messages may still appear in Spotlight search
Messages may persistently fail to send texts in some threads
Mail would not load new emails for some users until restarting the device
Call blocking and identification section may not appear in Phone settings
iCloud Tabs may not appear in Safari
iCloud Keychain could be prevented from turning off
Reminders created via Siri may be unintentionally set for early morning hours
Battery health reporting system will recalibrate maximum battery capacity and peak performance capability on iPhone 11 models to address inaccurate estimates of battery health reporting for some users (https://support.apple.com/HT212247)
Optimization to reduce the appearance of a dim glow that may appear at reduced brightness levels with black backgrounds on iPhone 12 models
AirPods audio routing to incorrect device for Automatic Switching
AirPods Automatic Switching notifications might be missing or duplicated
For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222
Download iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 Over the Air
The newly available update can be grabbed over the air. Follow the steps exactly as outlined below:
- Connect to Wi-Fi by going to Settings > Wi-Fi
- Make sure you are also connected to a power outlet
- Navigate to Settings > General > Software Update
- Tap on Download and Install when the new update shows up
Clean Installation is Also an Option
You can, if you like, perform a clean installation of the newly released update. And yes, it will wipe your device clean which means you will lose your files and settings, therefore take a backup before going forward with it. Backup everything to iTunes, Finder or iCloud.
First and foremost, you will need to download the correct IPSW file for your device from one of the links below. You can check which device you have by going to Settings > General > About.
Download iOS 14.5 / iPadOS 14.5 IPSW Files
- iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 12 mini
- iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XS
- iPhone 11, iPhone XR
- iPhone X
- iPhone 8, iPhone 7
- iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 7 Plus
- 2020 iPhone SE 2
- iPhone SE
- iPhone 6s
- iPhone 6s Plus
- iPod touch seventh-generation
- iPad Air 4
- 10.2-inch iPad 8
- 11-in. iPad Pro (1st and 2nd generations), 12.9-in. iPad Pro (3rd and 4th generations)
- 10.5-inch iPad Pro (1st generation), 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2nd generation)
- iPad (5th generation), iPad (6th generation)
- iPad mini (5th generation), iPad Air (3rd generation)
- 10.2-inch iPad (7th generation)
- iPad mini 4, iPad Air 2
- 9.7-inch iPad Pro (1st generation)
- 12.9-inch iPad Pro (1st generation)
Save the file to the desktop and the follow the tutorial below on how to perform a clean install, it is that easy:
Looking to downgrade back to iOS 14.4.2 instead? Check out the tutorial below:
Read more below: