iOS 14.7 release date, news and all the new features coming to your iPhone

iPhone 12 Pro Max review
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Hot on the heels of iOS 14.6, Apple has now launched iOS 14.7, meaning that you can download it now and benefit from all the improvements it brings.

That said, there aren't any massive new features here. Rather, Apple has focused on small upgrades, but you might still find that some of these are very useful. They include support for the new MagSafe Battery Pack, combined credit limits with Apple Card Family, and more.

Below, we've taken a deep dive into all of the new features and changes, as well as looking at how to download iOS 14.7, and which handsets it's compatible with.

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? The latest small iOS update
  • When is it out? It's available now
  • How much will it cost? It's free

iOS 14.7 release date and compatibility

iOS 14.7 launched on July 19, so it's available now, and it's compatible with all iPhones from the iPhone 6S onwards, as were the other iOS 14.x releases. So if you have any version of iOS 14 on your phone, then your handset is compatible.

Interestingly, iPadOS 14.7 isn't available at the time of writing, despite new versions of that usually launching at the same time as new iOS versions, but we wouldn't expect the wait will be too long.

As for how to get iOS 14.7, you should get prompted to download it, so just tap on that prompt. Alternatively though you can go to Settings > General > Software update to manually grab it. And if it's not yet showing up, simply check again later.

iOS 14.7 features

iOS 14.7 doesn't have any headline-grabbing features, but it's still well worth downloading to grab the upgrades below.

MagSafe Battery Pack support

Apple's MagSafe Battery Pack attached to the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max

(Image credit: Apple)

One of the biggest features of iOS 14.7 is the addition of support for Apple's new MagSafe Battery Pack. This as the name suggests is a battery pack that can attach to the back of your iPhone using MagSafe.

This costs $99 / £99 / AU$139 and lets you charge your phone on the go. That said, since it relies on MagSafe it's only compatible with the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, and iPhone 12 mini. It also only has a capacity of 1,460mAh, which isn't enough for a full charge of any of those phones.

Apple Card Family improvements

iOS 14.7 has also made Apple Card Family a bit better, by allowing users to combine their credit limits. Additionally, you're also now able to share a co-owned account with an existing Apple Card user.

HomePod timers in the Home app

A HomePod mini on a table

(Image credit: TechRadar)

One new iOS 14.7 feature is the ability to manage HomePod timers from the Home app. The option can be found right below HomePod alarms in the app, and you can also name your timers, see the countdowns for them in the app, and cancel them with a tap.

Previously, timers for HomePod had to be set using Siri, so for anyone who’s lost their voice or just isn’t on speaking terms with Siri, this should be handy.

Air quality details

Apple has been displaying a rating for air quality in the Weather and Maps apps since the launch of iOS 14, but only in some countries. Now, with iOS 14.7, users in Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, South Korea, and Spain will have access to this information, giving them an indication of the quality of the air they’re breathing.

Podcasts polish

One smaller update is the ability to now choose whether to see all shows in your podcasts library, or only followed shows, the absence of which previously was probably driving some users mad.

Bug fixes

As well as new features, iOS 14.7 has also fixed some bugs. These include fixes for a missing share playlist menu option in Apple Music, plus Dolby Atmos and Apple Music lossless audio playback stopping unexpectedly, braille displays showing invalid information when writing messages in Mail, and a battery service message that might have disappeared after rebooting some iPhone 11 models.

James Rogerson

James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.

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