There are many reasons why you should keep your phone’s software up to date. Firstly, these updates include important security features that fix any vulnerabilities. Secondly, updates also include new features available on the latest version of your phone’s operating system (OS).
But phone makers differ in terms of when updates become available. Depending on your settings, these updates also don’t always download automatically or provide a notification.
Then there are apps, whose developers roll out updates whenever needed. These can include important fixes and new functionality, but don't follow any scheduled timelines.
So how can you check that your phone is up to date? It’s pretty simple…
1. Check your OS version
Unless prompted, you will need to visit your phone settings to check for an OS update. Depending on the make of your phone, the exact name of the menu may differ. However, all Android phones have the software version and option to check for updates within their Settings menu.
On Huawei phones, you can check for updates under the ‘System’ menu. On Samsung phones, the menu is named ‘Software update’.
Make sure to check through your settings and find the relevant menu. Here you will be able to choose the ‘Check for Updates’ option. Your phone will then tell you whether the software is up to date. If you're not on the latest version of the OS, you will have the option to download and install the new version.
2. Check whether apps need updating
It’s easy to check whether you need to update apps on Android thanks to the Google Play Store. To check whether apps need updating, simply visit the Google Play Store and go to the ‘My apps & games’ menu. Here you will find a list of all the apps you have installed, as well as the ones which have updates available. You can choose to either update them all, or select which specific apps you would like to update.
You can choose to turn on automatic updates, but this isn't advisable since it can use up your phone's battery and consume data.
Get more handy tips
Check out our useful articles that will help you make the most of your phone, plus a series of articles to help you with everyday Vodacom tasks, like finding your PUK.
