Apple has rolled out the iOS 10 Gold Master (GM) release with build number 14A403 for developers and beta-testers, just a few days ahead of its public release. In its recent announcement at the iPhone 7 launch event, the company has confirmed the iOS 10 public release for 13 September.
Those who missed the iPhone 7 and Apple Watch 2 launch events or just want to get a recap of the product keynote can check out the recorded video of the live-streaming event via Apple's website. Note: You will need QuickTime player or any other media player that supports QuickTime files to watch this video uninhibited.
GM is the final build of Apple's beta software for iOS 10 before it is publicly released with the same build number found on the latest iPhones. Developers and beta-testers will evaluate the GM release to discover any hidden bugs and broken features, before Apple can release a bug-free and stable version of iOS 10 to the public.
iOS fanatics who are eager to get a taste of the new mobile operating system can go ahead and follow the step-by-step instructions provided below to install iOS 10 GM on their iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch.
As iOS 10 GM and GM versions are prone to bugs and broken features, the users are advised to backup their important data via iTunes or iCloud, before installing iOS 10 GM on their device.
Before you proceed, ensure that you have downloaded and installed Xcode 8 beta from the Apple Developer website.
How to download and install iOS 10 GM on iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch
Step 1: Register for the Apple Developer Program at https://developer.apple.com/programs/ . If you already have a registered developer account, simply skip to step 2.
Step 2: Use your Apple ID to login to the account section of Apple Developer Program: http://developer.apple.com/account/
Step 3: You must register your device's UDID with Apple before you can actually install the iOS 10 GM on it. Here are the steps to locate your device's UDID:
- Simply connect your device via iTunes and choose the mounted drive. Now select the serial number for the chosen device in iTunes (as shown in the screenshot below) in order to uncover the device's UDID.
- Finally, copy the UDID number by tapping 'Ctrl + C' on windows or 'Command + C' on Mac.
Step 4:Select Certificates, Identifiers and Profiles in the main Account section of the page. In the Devices section on the left panel, just click All. Then navigate to the right-hand panel and hit '+' and then enter the UDID of your iOS device.
Step 5: After adding the UDID information, go to Resources > iOS > Download section and now you can access the download page at https://developer.apple.com/download/. You can now select your device model name from the drop down list and start downloading the appropriate iTunes-restorable firmware file for iOS 10 GM.
Alternatively, it is possible to install iOS 10 GM via OTA update. Just go to the same download page mentioned earlier on your iOS device and then select the Download option under iOS 10 GM along with the Configuration Profile. Wait until both the operating system and the profile are installed correctly.
Now go to General > Settings > Software Update on your iOS device and wait until the prompt to download and install the beta OTA update appears on the screen. Now hit Download and Install to get the latest iOS firmware installed.
Step 6: In case you are using the iTunes method, wait until the firmware is downloaded and then simply extract the .zip file to get the IPSW file for installation.
Step 7: Ensure that you have installed the latest version of iTunes on your Windows PC or Mac before you begin the restore process. Now, open iTunes and connect your iOS device to the computer.
Step 8: To start the iOS 10 GM installation, just hold the Shift key (Windows) or Alt key (Mac) and then click the Restore iPhone button.
Step 9: You should now receive a prompt to choose the ipsw file. Just select the iOS 10 GM file which you downloaded earlier for your device.
Step 10: iTunes will start installing iOS 10 GM on your device and the time taken for installation will depend on your device's processing speed. Wait until the firmware installation process completes and then your device should reboot automatically. Once the device has rebooted successfully, you will see the Hello screen in iOS 10.
Also, check out our troubleshooting guide to fix 'error 14' after installing iOS 10 GM on your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch.
