iOS 8 has been released – download the update now!

iOS 8  download the update now!

After months filled with jealousy as you watched developers (and anyone else with a $99 developer account) download each new iOS 8 beta update, the wait is finally over: iOS 8 has been released to the public and is now available for download. Users with compatible iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices can now download the final version of iOS 8, which has thankfully been stripped of all — or at least most — of the bugs that plagued early adopters over the summer as they hopped from beta to beta. Their pain is now your gain, and Apple’s new feature-packed mobile software is ready for primetime.

First things first. Here is a list of every iPhone, iPad and iPod touch that is compatible with Apple’s new iOS 8 software:

• iPhone 5s
• iPhone 5c
• iPhone 5
• iPhone 4s
• iPod touch (fifth-generation only)
• iPad Air
• iPad mini
• iPad mini with Retina display
• iPad (third-generation and fourth-generation)
• iPad 2

Do you see your device listed above? If so, you have two options for downloading and installing the iOS 8 update.

The easiest way is to download the new software as an over the air (OTA) update. On your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, simply open the Settings app and tap General, then Software Update. Now, just follow the instructions to install iOS 8.

Alternatively, you can connect your iOS device to your Windows or Mac computer to download and install the new software through iTunes.

Of course, be sure that you back up your iOS device using iCloud or iTunes before installing iOS 8. You shouldn’t lose any data during the upgrade process, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

And last but not least, be patient. Millions upon millions of people are trying to download iOS 8 from Apple’s servers right now, so things are bound to get bogged down for a while.