Apple Releases iOS 17.5 With Cross-Platform Tracking Detection, EU App Downloads From Websites and More

Apple today released iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5, major updates to the iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 operating system updates that came out last September. The 17.5 updates come more than two months after the launch of iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4.

iOS 17
iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update.

In the European Union, iOS 17.5 brings support for web-based app distribution. iPhone users can download apps directly from developer websites, without the need to use the App Store.

There are new features for Apple News+, such as an offline mode, and tracking notifications are now available cross-platform for alerts about Bluetooth trackers regardless of platform. Apple's full release notes:

Apple News
- Offline mode in Apple News+ gives you access to the Today feed and News+ tab, even when you don't have an internet connection
- Quartiles is a new and original daily word game that is now available in Apple News+
- Scoreboard in News+ Puzzles gives you access to new player data for Crossword, Mini Crossword and Quartiles, including stats and streaks

Tracking Notifications
- Cross-Platform Tracking Detection delivers notifications to users if a compatible Bluetooth tracker they do not own is moving with them, regardless of what operating system the device is paired with

Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222

More information on the new features in iOS 17.5 can be found in our iOS 17.5 features guide.

Related Forums: iOS 17, iPadOS 17

Popular Stories

Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock Light

iOS 19 Leak Reveals All-New Design

Friday January 17, 2025 2:42 pm PST by
iOS 19 is still around six months away from being announced, but a new leak has allegedly revealed a completely redesigned Camera app. Based on footage it obtained, YouTube channel Front Page Tech shared a video showing what the new Camera app will apparently look like, with the key change being translucent menus for camera controls. Overall, the design of these menus looks similar to...
2024 App Store Awards

Apple Explains Why It Removed TikTok From the App Store in the U.S.

Sunday January 19, 2025 6:58 am PST by
Apple on late Saturday removed TikTok from the App Store in the U.S., and it has now explained why it was required to take this action. Last year, the U.S. passed a law that required Chinese company ByteDance to divest its ownership of TikTok due to potential national security risks, or else the platform would be banned. That law went into effect today, and companies like Apple and Google...
2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

Apple Changes Trade-In Values for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and More

Thursday January 16, 2025 6:45 am PST by
Apple today adjusted estimated trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models in the U.S., according to its website. Some values increased, while others decreased. The changes were not too significant, with most values rising or dropping by $5 to $50. We have outlined some examples below: Device New Value Old Value iPhone 15 Pro Max Up to $630 U ...
Generic iOS 18

Everything New in iOS 18.3 Beta 3

Thursday January 16, 2025 12:39 pm PST by
Apple provided the third beta of iOS 18.3 to developers today, and while the betas have so far been light on new features, the third beta makes some major changes to Notification Summaries and also tweaks a few other features. Notification Summary Changes Apple made multiple changes to Notification Summaries in response to complaints about inaccurate summaries of news headlines. For...
iOS 19 Roundup Feature

iOS 19 Rumored to Be Compatible With These iPhones

Saturday January 18, 2025 10:28 am PST by
iOS 19 will not drop support for any iPhone models, according to French website iPhoneSoft.fr. The report cited a source who said iOS 19 will be compatible with any iPhone that can run iOS 18, which would mean the following models: iPhone 16 iPhone 16 Plus iPhone 16 Pro iPhone 16 Pro Max iPhone 15 iPhone 15 Plus iPhone 15 Pro iPhone 15 Pro Max iPhone 14 iPhon...
airtag 4 pack blue

AirTag 2 Launching This Year With These 3 New Features

Sunday January 19, 2025 8:11 am PST by
After a four-year wait, a new AirTag is finally expected to launch in 2025. Below, we recap rumored upgrades for the accessory. A few months ago, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple was aiming to release the AirTag 2 around the middle of 2025. While he did not offer a more specific timeframe, that means the AirTag 2 could be announced by the end of June. The original AirTag was announced...
iPad Pro vs iPhone 17 Air Feature

Here's How Thin the iPhone 17 Air Might Be

Friday January 17, 2025 3:38 pm PST by
For the last several months, we've been hearing rumors about a redesigned version of the iPhone 17 that Apple might call the iPhone 17 "Air," or something along those lines. It's going to replace the iPhone 17 Plus as Apple's fourth iPhone option, and it will be offered alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. We know the iPhone 17 Air is going to be super slim, but...
apple power beats pro 2

Powerbeats Pro 2 Coming Soon: Apple to Announce Them 'Imminently'

Sunday January 19, 2025 8:25 am PST by
In September, Apple said that it would be launching Powerbeats Pro 2 in 2025, and it appears the wireless earbuds are coming very soon. Powerbeats Pro 2 images found in iOS 18 code In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the Powerbeats Pro 2 are "due imminently." In addition to Apple filing the Powerbeats Pro 2 in regulatory databases last month, Gurman said Apple is...

Top Rated Comments

Evelyn Harthbrooke Avatar
9 months ago

Lol still need to enter my pin / password after a reboot / update. Isn’t touchID / faceID suppose to be secure? This company is a joke.
ummm..that's kind of the point of security? you need to use your passcode to be able to unlock the secure enclave which is where your face / fingerprint data is stored. you basically wanting apple to reduce security just because you don't want to enter your passcode after a restart is honestly quite silly.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Realityck Avatar
9 months ago

Not much of interest outside the EU.
Actually I found 17.5 more solid in daily usage them earlier releases.

Released today

* iOS 17.5 (21F79) - May 13, 2024
* iPadOS 17.5 (21F79) - May 13, 2024
* macOS 14.5 (23F79) - May 13, 2024
* tvOS 17.5 (21L569) - May 13, 2024
* watchOS 10.5 (21T576) - May 13, 2024
* iOS 16.7.8 (20H343) - May 13, 2024
* iPadOS 16.7.8 (20H343) - May 13, 2024
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mrat93 Avatar
9 months ago

thank god they still kept in the core technology fee. good move.
Thank god that Apple came up with the Core Technology Fee. This per-download fee is fundamental to iOS security in the EU. I get sick thinking about an EU without the Core Technology Fee. ?
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
morphineseason Avatar
9 months ago
I remember when .5 releases used to be pretty significant. Now we get a pride wallpaper and updates for an app that nobody uses. Hopefully there's some solid bug fixes under the hood.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ApplesAreSweet&Sour Avatar
9 months ago
Is it possible to revert to 17.4.1 from 17.5 after installing an app from something like altstore.io?


..just asking for a friend.

?

Attachment Image
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
UliBaer Avatar
9 months ago

Well, despite me turning off the developer beta check mark, phone won’t see update.
...because the release is the same build as the RC.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)