Update Your iPhone or Android Phone So Work Apps Keep Working

TL;DR — If your work apps suddenly stop signing in, fail device checks, or show security warnings, the most likely fix is to update your phone to the latest available iOS or Android version and then restart it. Phone updates matter because work apps often require current security patches, newer web standards, and up-to-date device management checks. Reading time: ~5 min

Goal

When you finish, your phone will be running the latest available operating system update, it will have restarted successfully, and your work apps will open, sign in, and pass device security checks without update-related errors.

Prerequisites

• Your phone charged to at least 50%, or connected to power
• A Wi-Fi connection (recommended for faster downloads and to avoid mobile data charges)
• Your phone passcode, PIN, password, Face ID, or fingerprint available
• Enough free storage space for the update: aim for at least 5 GB free
• Your Apple ID or Google account password if the phone asks for it during or after the update
• Access to your work app sign-in method, such as your password and multi-factor authentication (MFA, an extra sign-in code or approval)
• If your company uses mobile device management (MDM, software that checks and manages work devices), keep your authenticator app or backup sign-in method nearby

Steps

Step 1: Check your current phone version

On iPhone, open:

Settings → General → About → iOS Version

On Android, open one of these common paths in your phone maker's Settings app:

Settings → About phone → Android version

Settings → System → About phone → Android version

What you should see: a screen that shows your current iOS version or Android version number.

Step 2: Connect to power and Wi-Fi

Open your phone settings and join your normal Wi-Fi network if you are not already connected.

On iPhone:

Settings → Wi‑Fi → select your network

On Android:

Settings → Network & internet → Internet → select your Wi‑Fi network

Then connect your phone to a charger.

What you should see: the Wi-Fi icon is visible, and the battery screen shows charging.

Step 3: Check available storage

On iPhone:

Settings → General → iPhone Storage

On Android:

Settings → Storage

If free space is under 5 GB, delete or offload enough content to reach at least 5 GB.

Common places to free space:

Photos app → delete large videos you do not need
Settings → Apps → uninstall apps you no longer use
Files/My Files app → delete downloaded files you no longer need

What you should see: at least 5 GB free before starting the update.

Step 4: Install the phone update

⚠️ Do not power off the phone during the update. Interrupting an operating system update can leave the phone temporarily unusable until recovery finishes.

On iPhone, open:

Settings → General → Software Update

Then tap the literal button shown, usually one of these:

Download and Install

Update Now

On Android, open one of these common paths:

Settings → System → Software update

Settings → Security & privacy → System & updates → Software update

Settings → About phone → Software update

Then tap the literal button shown, usually one of these:

Check for updates

Download and install

If the phone offers a security update and a full OS update, install the newest available update offered by the phone.

What you should see: a progress bar for downloading, then a prompt to install or restart.

Step 5: Restart and unlock the phone after the update

If the phone does not restart itself, tap the literal button shown:

Restart

or

Install now

After restart, unlock the phone with your passcode or PIN. Some phones require the full passcode after an update even if you normally use Face ID or fingerprint.

What you should see: the home screen loads normally and the phone is responsive.

Step 6: Update your work apps from the app store

Phone updates and app updates often need to be installed together.

On iPhone, open:

App Store → your profile picture → scroll to Available Updates → Update All

On Android, open:

Google Play Store → profile picture → Manage apps & device → Updates available → Update all

If your work app came from your company portal or MDM app, open that app and install any pending app updates it shows.

What you should see: your work apps no longer show an Update button in the store.

Step 7: Open your work apps and complete any re-checks

Open your main work apps one by one, especially:

Email app
Chat app
VPN app
Authenticator app
Company portal or device management app
Business app provided by your employer

If prompted, sign in again and approve MFA.

What you should see: the apps open without "OS version not supported," "device not compliant," certificate, or browser security errors.

[Phone Update] ---- 1. install OS update ----> [Phone Restart]
[Phone Restart] ---- 2. run security checks ----> [MDM/Work Apps]
[MDM/Work Apps] ---- 3. allow sign-in ----> [Work Account]

Verify it works

Use these checks to confirm the update solved the problem end to end:

1. Re-open the version screen.

On iPhone:

Settings → General → About → iOS Version

On Android:

Settings → About phone → Android version

Expected result: the version number is newer than before, or the update screen says the phone is up to date.

1. Re-open the update screen.

On iPhone:

Settings → General → Software Update

On Android:

Settings → System → Software update

Expected result: a message like "iPhone is up to date" or "Your system is up to date."

1. Open your work app and sign in.

Expected result: the app opens normally, accepts your sign-in, and does not show a compliance or unsupported-version warning.

1. If your company uses a device management app, open it.

Expected result: the device status shows compliant, secure, or no action required.

Common pitfalls

Not enough free storage

Mistake: starting the update with too little storage space.

Symptom: the update download fails, pauses, or says there is not enough space.

Fix: free at least 5 GB, then return to:

Settings → General → Software Update

or

Settings → System → Software update

Updating apps but not the phone OS

Mistake: only updating the work app in the app store.

Symptom: the app still says the device is unsupported or fails a security check.

Fix: install the phone OS update first from:

Settings → General → Software Update

or

Settings → System → Software update

Using mobile data on a large update

Mistake: trying to download a major update over a weak mobile connection.

Symptom: the update is very slow, fails repeatedly, or never starts.

Fix: connect to Wi‑Fi, connect the charger, and run the update again.

Forgetting the passcode after restart

Mistake: starting the update without knowing the phone passcode or PIN.

Symptom: after restart, the phone will not accept Face ID or fingerprint until the full passcode is entered.

Fix: stop before the update if you do not know the passcode; recover the passcode through your normal account recovery process first.

Work device management has not re-checked yet

Mistake: opening the work app immediately and assuming the update failed.

Symptom: the app still shows "device not compliant" for a few minutes after the update.

Fix: open the company portal or device management app, wait 5-10 minutes on Wi‑Fi, then open the work app again.

Phone is too old for the required version

Mistake: expecting an older phone to receive a version it no longer supports.

Symptom: the update screen says the phone is up to date, but the work app still says the OS version is too old.

Fix: compare the phone's current version with the minimum version required by your employer's app policy; if the phone cannot update further, use a supported device.

This article was written by an AI system and published pending human review. Verify anything you intend to act on.