iOS 16.5.1 (a) and macOS 13.4.1 (a) security updates are discontinued

Update July 11, 2023: Apple has withdrawn the iOS / iPadOS 16.5.1 (a) and macOS 13.4.1 (a) security measures. After users installed the update, they started receiving error messages from certain websites saying that the browser is no longer supported. Sometimes you stay with an error message, but some sites have stopped working properly. This concerns, for example, Instagram and the web version of WhatsApp. This is probably because the Safari version number also got (a), so it wasn’t recognized correctly.

Users who have already installed the update can also uninstall it. Do it like this:

1. go to Settings > General > About.
2. Click on the current version number.
3. At the bottom you will see a quick pinned security measure. push the button Remove security measures and confirmation.

We expect Apple to release a new version soon that fixes issues with some websites.

Below is the original article dated July 10, 2023
In addition to regular iOS updates, Apple may also release short, quick security updates. These focus specifically on a security issue and are much faster to install than a full iOS update. The installation and reboot are much faster, so you can put the update on your device in no time. It’s also easier to install these updates automatically. These are also called Automatic and Rapid Security Updates (also known as Security Response in English). This time it is iOS 16.5.1 (a) and macOS Ventura 13.4.1 (a).

Rapid Security Update for iOS 16.5.1 (a) and macOS Ventura 13.4.1 (a)

On the private page Apple says the updates patch a security vulnerability in WebKit, the Safari engine. With new updates, Apple prevents certain web content from executing malicious code on your device. Apple is aware that this vulnerability has been actively exploited, so it is important to install the update as soon as possible. Therefore, these updates are mainly aimed at closing security vulnerabilities more quickly, for example if they are known to be used in wildlife. As a result, Apple does not have to internally test and release a complete new iOS version.

The update will install automatically, but you can also force it yourself. On your iPhone and iPad, do the following:

1. go to Settings > General > Software Update.
2. A notification appears that a security measure is available, in this case, iOS / iPadOS 16.4.1 Security Measure (a). tap on Download and install.
3. After a quick download, the update is installed and the device reboots briefly.

For Mac, follow these steps:

1. go to System Settings > General > Software Update.
2. A notification appears that a security measure is available, in this case the macOS 13.3.1 Security Measure (a). Click Apply now.
3. After a quick download, the update is installed and the device reboots briefly.

To see the updates, you must be running iOS 16.5.1 or macOS Ventura 13.4.1, respectively.

Also look at

Automatic Security Updates for iPhone and Mac: This is how you install them

With Rapid Security Response, Apple can deliver rapid security updates to all of your devices, without having to update manually. These minor security updates are installed automatically and in this tip we explain how this works and you can read all about the latest updates.