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

iphone 17 models

No iPhone 18 Launch This Year, Reports Suggest

Thursday January 1, 2026 8:43 am PST by
Apple is not expected to release a standard iPhone 18 model this year, according to a growing number of reports that suggest the company is planning a significant change to its long-standing annual iPhone launch cycle. Despite the immense success of the iPhone 17 in 2025, the iPhone 18 is not expected to arrive until the spring of 2027, leaving the iPhone 17 in the lineup as the latest...
apple intelligence black

Report: Apple's AI Strategy Could Finally Pay Off in 2026

Tuesday December 30, 2025 9:01 am PST by
Apple's restrained artificial intelligence strategy may pay off in 2026 amid the arrival of a revamped Siri and concerns around the AI market "bubble" bursting, The Information argues. The speculative report notes that Apple has taken a restrained approach with AI innovations compared with peers such as OpenAI, Google, and Meta, which are investing hundreds of billions of dollars in data...
apple fitness 2026 1

Apple Teases 'Something Big' Coming Soon to Apple Fitness+

Tuesday December 30, 2025 2:11 pm PST by
The Apple Fitness+ Instagram account today teased that the service has "big plans" for 2026. In a video, several Apple Fitness+ trainers are shown holding up newspapers with headlines related to Apple Fitness+. What's Apple Fitness+ Planning for the New Year? Something Big is Coming to Apple Fitness+ The Countdown Begins. Apple Fitness+ 2026 is Almost Here 2026 Plans Still Under ...
iphone 17 pro dark blue 1

iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max Users Report Static Speaker Noise While Charging

Tuesday December 30, 2025 10:39 am PST by
iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max owners are having trouble with the speakers of their devices, and have complained about a static or hissing noise that occurs when the iPhone is charging. There are multiple discussions about the issue on Reddit, the MacRumors forums, and Apple's Support Community, where affected users say there is a noticeable static noise "like an old radio." Some people report...
maxresdefault

Hands-On With a Rough iPhone Fold Mockup

Monday December 29, 2025 10:55 am PST by
Apple is rumored to be introducing a foldable iPhone in September 2026, and since it will bring the biggest form factor change since the iPhone was introduced in 2007, curiosity about the design is high. A 3D designer created an iPhone Fold design based on rumors, and we printed it out to see how it compares to Apple's current iPhones. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more ...
maxresdefault

Where's the New Apple TV?

Monday December 22, 2025 11:30 am PST by
Apple hasn't updated the Apple TV 4K since 2022, and 2025 was supposed to be the year that we got a refresh. There were rumors suggesting Apple would release the new Apple TV before the end of 2025, but it looks like that's not going to happen now. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said several times across 2024 and 2025 that Apple would...
Mac Pro Feature Blue

What's Happening With the Mac Pro?

Wednesday December 31, 2025 9:59 am PST by
Apple hasn't updated the Mac Pro since 2023, and according to recent rumors, there's no update coming in the near future. In fact, Apple might be finished with the Mac Pro. Bloomberg recently said that the Mac Pro is "on the back burner" and has been "largely written off" by Apple. Apple apparently views the more compact Mac Studio as the ideal high-end pro-level desktop, and it has almost...
macbook air march 2020

Apple Says Final Intel MacBook Air and Apple Watch Series 5 Now 'Vintage'

Wednesday December 31, 2025 8:39 am PST by
Apple today added the final 13-inch MacBook Air powered by Intel processors, the Apple Watch Series 5, and additional products to its vintage products list. The iPhone 11 Pro was also added to the list after the iPhone 11 Pro Max was added back in September. The full list of products added to Apple's vintage and obsolete list today: MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) iPhone 8 Plus 128GB ...

Top Rated Comments

eveluvsrainbows Avatar
22 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
22 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
22 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
22 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
22 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
22 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)