Fix: Error Downloading Personal Voice Recording iOS 26

When trying to set up the Personal Voice feature on iOS 26, you may be blocked by a persistent error message stating, “Check Internet Connection. A one‑off download of 1.32 GB is required to continue.”

This can be particularly confusing when you’ve confirmed your Wi‑Fi and cellular data are working perfectly and you have plenty of free storage. As detailed in this Apple Community discussion, this is a known issue affecting many users after updating. The problem is not with your device or network but is a software bug in the initial release of iOS 26 that prevents your iPhone from successfully downloading the required voice model files from Apple’s servers. If you suspect the issue is related to the AI processing engine, you may want to fix Apple Intelligence.

In this article:

Why This Download Fails

The Personal Voice feature is an advanced accessibility tool that creates a synthesized voice that sounds like you. To accomplish this, your iPhone needs to download a large package of language and voice‑synthesis models from Apple. This 1.32 GB download is a prerequisite for the voice creation process.

In the initial version of iOS 26, a bug appears to be disrupting the connection between the iPhone and the specific Apple server that hosts this file. As a result, even with a perfect internet connection, the download fails to initiate, and the system incorrectly reports it as a network problem on your end. In some cases, underlying cellular connectivity problems can also prevent the download, so you might need to fix cellular data issues.

How to Fix the Personal Voice Download Error

While the ultimate solution will require a software update from Apple, you can take several steps to ensure your device is ready and to rule out any other potential issues.

1. Update to the Latest Version of iOS

This is the most important and most likely solution. Because this is a known bug in the initial iOS 26.0 release, Apple will almost certainly issue a fix in a subsequent patch (e.g., iOS 26.0.1 or iOS 26.1).

Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
If a new version of iOS is available, tap Download and Install. Once the update is complete, try setting up Personal Voice again.

2. Verify Your Storage and Internet Connection

Although the error is likely a bug, it’s always best to confirm the basics are covered. A large download like this requires ample free space and a stable network.

Before proceeding, ensure you can successfully create Personal Voice.
Check Storage: Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. Ensure you have at least 10 GB of free space available.
Check Wi‑Fi: Make sure you are connected to a strong, stable Wi‑Fi network. Temporarily disable any VPN or security apps that might be interfering with your connection.
Restart your Router: Unplug your Wi‑Fi router for 30 seconds and plug it back in to refresh your connection.

3. Restart Your iPhone

A simple restart can clear temporary glitches in the operating system that might be contributing to the download failure.

Press and hold the side button and either volume button until the power‑off slider appears.
Drag the slider to turn your iPhone off.
Wait 30 seconds, then press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.

4. Reset Network Settings

This step can resolve deeper underlying connectivity issues by resetting all your network configurations to their factory defaults. Be aware that this will erase all saved Wi‑Fi passwords.

Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
Tap Reset > Reset Network Settings.
Enter your passcode to confirm. Your iPhone will restart.
Reconnect to your Wi‑Fi network and attempt the download again.
If your device is running hot, consider fix iPhone overheating before retrying, as excessive temperature can interrupt large downloads.