Can't Download iOS 8? Be Patient

Apple's new operating system for iPhones and iPads, iOS 8, launched Wednesday.

But there's a good chance you're having problems downloading it.

Here's what's going on.

Storage Issues

Depending on the device you're using, you may need 5 GB or more of free space before your iThing even lets you download iOS 8.

But wait! If iOS 8 is only about 1 GB, why do you need so much free space? It's because when iOS 8 installs, it needs to shuffle some files around in the background, a process that requires a good chunk of free space.

This is going to be a big problem for people who own iPhones and iPads with just 16 GB of storage. Between messages, music, photos, and videos, there's probably a slim chance many of you have enough space to download and install iOS 8.

One thing you can do is back all your photos and videos in your camera roll to a cloud storage service and then delete them from your phone. I'd recommend using Google+. (No, seriously.)

You can also remove all your music, movies, and TV shows and sync it back with iTunes after iOS 8 installs.

Finally, delete some of your bigger apps and download them again after you get the update. Apps like Facebook take up relatively little space, so concentrate on games and apps that store a lot of content, like podcast apps.

Apple's Servers Are Getting Slammed

It's the same story every year. A new version of iOS launches, and a zillion people rush to download it at once. Download times could be an hour or more. You might get an error message. It's chaos.

This happens because Apple's servers are straining to deliver the update to everyone at once.

The best thing to do is wait. Go outside. Call your mom. Eat a burrito.

I usually tell people to wait several hours before attempting to download a new version of iOS on launch day. Apple's servers simply can't handle the mad rush. Just wait for it to die down.

Be patient.