Apple Preparing iOS 17.3.1 Update for iPhone - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Preparing iOS 17.3.1 Update for iPhone

Apple appears to be internally testing an iOS 17.3.1 update for the iPhone, based on evidence of the software version in our website's analytics logs this week.

General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple
Our logs have revealed the existence of several iOS 17 versions before Apple released them, ranging from iOS 17.0.3 to iOS 17.2.1, so there is a good chance that Apple will follow through with releasing iOS 17.3.1.

iOS 17.3.1 should be a minor update that addresses software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. iOS 16.3.1 was released on February 13 last year, and iOS 15.3.1 was released on February 10 in 2022, so it is likely that iOS 17.3.1 will be released within the next week or so if Apple sticks to a similar timeframe as in the past few years.

A larger iOS 17.4 update remains in beta testing with many new features, including major changes to the App Store in the EU, Apple Podcasts transcripts, SharePlay for the HomePod, new emoji, preparations for the launch of next-generation CarPlay later this year, and more. In a press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 17.4 will be released in March.

Related Forums: iOS 17, iPadOS 17

Popular Stories

imac video apple feature

Apple Released Yet Another New Product Today

Friday March 20, 2026 2:39 pm PDT by
Apple has unveiled a whopping nine new products so far this March, including an iPhone 17e, iPad Air models with the M4 chip, MacBook Air models with the M5 chip, MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, the all-new MacBook Neo, an updated Studio Display, a higher-end Studio Display XDR, AirPods Max 2, and now the Nike Powerbeats Pro 2. iPhone 17e features the same overall design as...
ios 26 4 pastel

iOS 26.4: Top 10 New Features Coming to Your iPhone

Friday March 20, 2026 2:44 pm PDT by
iOS 26.4 isn't the major update with new Siri features that we hoped for, but there are some useful quality of life improvements, and a little bit of fun with an AI playlist generator and new emoji characters. Playlist Playground - Apple Music has a Playlist Playground option that lets you generate playlists from text-based descriptions. You can include moods, feelings, activities, or...
HomePod mini and Apple TV Sage

New Apple TV and HomePod Mini Remain 'Ready' to Launch

Sunday March 22, 2026 6:33 am PDT by
Apple has unveiled nine new products this month, but the wait continues for the next-generation Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini models. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said new versions of the Apple TV and HomePod mini have been "ready" since last year, but he reiterated that Apple has held off on releasing them until the more personalized version of Siri and other...

Top Rated Comments

GtrDude Avatar
28 months ago
So annoying with these endless updates.

Make some real changes Apple:


1. Bring back the Fade-In button for the alarms so the alarms can little by little get louder. Do the same with phone calls.

2. redesign the notification center. It's ridiculous. At the very least add a "Clear All" button that comes up immediately, even if there's only one notification.

3. Apple needs to change that when you tap on the phone notifications WILL NOT automatically dial back whoever called. It needs to only go into the phone app just like it does on all other apps.
All other notifications take you to the app that is notifying you.
Be consistent Apple. People are constantly dialing back spam and robo callers.

4. make it possible to dismiss Calendar and any notification from any app if you're in another app.
This goes for Calendar, News, Timers...whatever the app, you shouldn't have to go to the lock screen or be forced to tap the notification to get into the app sending it in order to simply dismiss a notification if you're in another app when it comes in just put a dismiss button there and it should be gone.

5. give us an LED visual on the front of the phone for notifications in addition to sound and vibration. Allow us to change the colors of the LED light based on what the notification app is.
The fine folks who like things the way they are can just leave this off and everything will be as is.

6. bring back the same intensity (or more) of the haptic feedback as it was when iOS 16 was first released.
Ever since then Apple has been reducing it to a point where you can barely even feel it.
Why not just make it possible for people to adjust the haptic feedback.
Right now it's almost imperceptible.
Those who are concerned with battery or simply don't like haptic feedback can leave it off.

7. make it possible to adjust volume for independent apps and settings and not this general thing they're doing.
Separate volume control for keyboard volume, music volume, ring volume, system volume, You Tube, notifications, emails.
I, for example, would love for the keyboard clicks and the lock sounds to be much louder than they are in relations with the rest of the volume in the phone and without it affecting the volume on the entire phone or the ring and notifications volume. It's silly of Apple to force it to be like this.

8. add suggestions from the address book as you start entering a phone number.

9. make it possible to customize the texting app in every conceivable way. Font size, bubble size shape color etc.

10. make it possible to schedule a text message to be sent at a certain time/date. This is a basic feature. Compose your message now and schedule it to be sent out when the time is right.

11. use an OS-wide clipboard to cut or copy multiple entries each ready to paste long pressing, at least the last 10 cut/copies should be possible. Also make cut and copy not expire until we, the users, clean it.
Also stop with the auto cleaning the cache, you should be able to copy text now and paste it tomorrow if you want to.

12. in Mail give us the option to NOT go to the next email when you are deleting an email but to go back to the inbox. Those who want to keep things the way they are should be able to turn this feature off.

13. make it possible to move the icons on the desktop anywhere you want to.

14. make it absolutely mandatory for app makers that they have to have a swipe from left to right in EVERY app throughout the app to navigate back. Having a tiny arrow button at the top left to go back and being able to swype back in other apps is pure nuts.

15. and my goodness Apple... allow us to cancel snooze before it comes on if we want to, and make it possible to have any snooze time we want in the alarm. Not just 9 minutes.
Score: 42 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sbailey4 Avatar
28 months ago

So annoying with these endless updates.

Make some real changes Apple:


1. Bring back the Fade-In button for the alarms so the alarms can little by little get louder. Do the same with phone calls.

2. redesign the notification center. It's ridiculous. At the very least add a "Clear All" button that comes up immediately, even if there's only one notification.

3. Apple needs to change that when you tap on the phone notifications WILL NOT automatically dial back whoever called. It needs to only go into the phone app just like it does on all other apps.
All other notifications take you to the app that is notifying you.
Be consistent Apple. People are constantly dialing back spam and robo callers.

4. make it possible to dismiss Calendar and any notification from any app if you're in another app.
This goes for Calendar, News, Timers...whatever the app, you shouldn't have to go to the lock screen or be forced to tap the notification to get into the app sending it in order to simply dismiss a notification if you're in another app when it comes in just put a dismiss button there and it should be gone.

5. give us an LED visual on the front of the phone for notifications in addition to sound and vibration. Allow us to change the colors of the LED light based on what the notification app is.
The fine folks who like things the way they are can just leave this off and everything will be as is.

6. bring back the same intensity (or more) of the haptic feedback as it was when iOS 16 was first released.
Ever since then Apple has been reducing it to a point where you can barely even feel it.
Why not just make it possible for people to adjust the haptic feedback.
Right now it's almost imperceptible.
Those who are concerned with battery or simply don't like haptic feedback can leave it off.

7. make it possible to adjust volume for independent apps and settings and not this general thing they're doing.
Separate volume control for keyboard volume, music volume, ring volume, system volume, You Tube, notifications, emails.
I, for example, would love for the keyboard clicks and the lock sounds to be much louder than they are in relations with the rest of the volume in the phone and without it affecting the volume on the entire phone or the ring and notifications volume. It's silly of Apple to force it to be like this.

8. add suggestions from the address book as you start entering a phone number.

9. make it possible to customize the texting app in every conceivable way. Font size, bubble size shape color etc.

10. make it possible to schedule a text message to be sent at a certain time/date. This is a basic feature. Compose your message now and schedule it to be sent out when the time is right.

11. use an OS-wide clipboard to cut or copy multiple entries each ready to paste long pressing, at least the last 10 cut/copies should be possible. Also make cut and copy not expire until we, the users, clean it.
Also stop with the auto cleaning the cache, you should be able to copy text now and paste it tomorrow if you want to.

12. in Mail give us the option to NOT go to the next email when you are deleting an email but to go back to the inbox. Those who want to keep things the way they are should be able to turn this feature off.

13. make it possible to move the icons on the desktop anywhere you want to.

14. make it absolutely mandatory for app makers that they have to have a swipe from left to right in EVERY app throughout the app to navigate back. Having a tiny arrow button at the top left to go back and being able to swype back in other apps is pure nuts.

15. and my goodness Apple... allow us to cancel snooze before it comes on if we want to, and make it possible to have any snooze time we want in the alarm. Not just 9 minutes.
All of that should be addressed in 17.3.1! Stay tuned. :)
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
28 months ago

So annoying with these endless updates.

Make some real changes Apple:


1. Bring back the Fade-In button for the alarms so the alarms can little by little get louder. Do the same with phone calls.

2. redesign the notification center. It's ridiculous. At the very least add a "Clear All" button that comes up immediately, even if there's only one notification.

3. Apple needs to change that when you tap on the phone notifications WILL NOT automatically dial back whoever called. It needs to only go into the phone app just like it does on all other apps.
All other notifications take you to the app that is notifying you.
Be consistent Apple. People are constantly dialing back spam and robo callers.

4. make it possible to dismiss Calendar and any notification from any app if you're in another app.
This goes for Calendar, News, Timers...whatever the app, you shouldn't have to go to the lock screen or be forced to tap the notification to get into the app sending it in order to simply dismiss a notification if you're in another app when it comes in just put a dismiss button there and it should be gone.

5. give us an LED visual on the front of the phone for notifications in addition to sound and vibration. Allow us to change the colors of the LED light based on what the notification app is.
The fine folks who like things the way they are can just leave this off and everything will be as is.

6. bring back the same intensity (or more) of the haptic feedback as it was when iOS 16 was first released.
Ever since then Apple has been reducing it to a point where you can barely even feel it.
Why not just make it possible for people to adjust the haptic feedback.
Right now it's almost imperceptible.
Those who are concerned with battery or simply don't like haptic feedback can leave it off.

7. make it possible to adjust volume for independent apps and settings and not this general thing they're doing.
Separate volume control for keyboard volume, music volume, ring volume, system volume, You Tube, notifications, emails.
I, for example, would love for the keyboard clicks and the lock sounds to be much louder than they are in relations with the rest of the volume in the phone and without it affecting the volume on the entire phone or the ring and notifications volume. It's silly of Apple to force it to be like this.

8. add suggestions from the address book as you start entering a phone number.

9. make it possible to customize the texting app in every conceivable way. Font size, bubble size shape color etc.

10. make it possible to schedule a text message to be sent at a certain time/date. This is a basic feature. Compose your message now and schedule it to be sent out when the time is right.

11. use an OS-wide clipboard to cut or copy multiple entries each ready to paste long pressing, at least the last 10 cut/copies should be possible. Also make cut and copy not expire until we, the users, clean it.
Also stop with the auto cleaning the cache, you should be able to copy text now and paste it tomorrow if you want to.

12. in Mail give us the option to NOT go to the next email when you are deleting an email but to go back to the inbox. Those who want to keep things the way they are should be able to turn this feature off.

13. make it possible to move the icons on the desktop anywhere you want to.

14. make it absolutely mandatory for app makers that they have to have a swipe from left to right in EVERY app throughout the app to navigate back. Having a tiny arrow button at the top left to go back and being able to swype back in other apps is pure nuts.

15. and my goodness Apple... allow us to cancel snooze before it comes on if we want to, and make it possible to have any snooze time we want in the alarm. Not just 9 minutes.
https://www.apple.com/feedback/
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
28 months ago

So annoying with these endless updates.

Make some real changes Apple:

12. in Mail give us the option to NOT go to the next email when you are deleting an email but to go back to the inbox. Those who want to keep things the way they are should be able to turn this feature off.

In Mail, enable us to see the raw actual email addresses of senders as well as recipients — also for emails stored in some record in the contacts: many contacts have multiple email addresses, and it matters exactly which email address a message is from or sent to (not to mention fake email addresses hidden behind “good” names).
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Realityck Avatar
28 months ago

Our logs have revealed the existence of several iOS 17 versions before Apple released them, ranging from iOS 17.0.3 ('https://www.macrumors.com/2023/10/03/apple-preparing-ios-17-0-3/') to iOS 17.2.1 ('https://www.macrumors.com/2023/12/18/apple-preparing-ios-17-2-1/'). It is therefore likely, but not guaranteed, that Apple will follow through with releasing iOS 17.3.1.
Likely but not guaranteed. They cover their bets well. :eek:;)
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
28 months ago

Also enable multiple "folders" of different priority
Same , I always feel like « wow my iPhone will be much better after that! » and then it restarts and…yeah same than before 🙁
But wait until the next one ! 😆
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)