iOS 7.1 now available for download; brings CarPlay support, Touch ID improvements, UI tweaks, and more

iOS 7.1, the first major update to Apple's revamped iOS 7, is now available as a free download over-the-air on iOS 7 devices, as well as via iTunes.

As expected, the update brings support for CarPlay, improvements for Touch ID performance in the iPhone 5s, and a bunch of other fixes and enhancements.

If you are using an iPhone 4 or later, iPod touch (5th generation) or later, iPad 2 or later, running iOS 5 or later, iOS 7.1 should be available as an over-the-air update for your device. Go to Settings > General > Software Update and iOS will automatically check for available updates. According to Apple, available updates download automatically if your device is connected to Wi-Fi and a power source. Tap Download to download the update and after the download has completed tap Install to update your iOS.

If you leave the update to download in the background, once the download has finished you will receive a notification saying an update is available for your device. Tapping Details will take you to Settings > General > Software Update. Tap Install Now to install the iOS update. If you decide to leave the installation for later Settings will display notification badge until the update has been installed.

Alternatively, you can install the update via iTunes by following the instructions at this page.

We strongly recommend you back up your iOS device to iCloud or with iTunes before installing any iOS updates.

Here's the change log of the iOS 7.1 update, as released by Apple.

CarPlay

• iOS experience designed for the car
• Simply connect your iPhone to a CarPlay enabled vehicle
• Supports Phone, Music, Maps, Messages, and 3rd-party audio apps
• Control with Siri and the car's touchscreen, knobs, and buttons

Siri

• Manually control when Siri listens by holding down the home button while you speak and releasing it when you're done as an alternative to letting Siri automatically notice when you stop talking
• New, more natural sounding male and female voices for Mandarin Chinese, UK English, Australian English, and Japanese

iTunes Radio

• Search field above Featured Stations to easily create stations based on your favorite artist or song
• Buy albums with the tap of a button from Now Playing
• Subscribe to iTunes Match on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to enjoy iTunes Radio ad-free

Calendar

• Option to display events in month view
• Country specific holidays automatically added for many countries

Accessibility

• Bold font option now includes the keyboard, calculator, and many icon glyphs
• Reduce Motion option now includes Weather, Messages, and multitasking UI animations
• New options to display button shapes, darken app colors, and reduce white point

Other

• New Camera setting to automatically enable HDR for iPhone 5s
• iCloud Keychain support in additional countries
• FaceTime call notifications are automatically cleared when you answer a call on another device
• Fixes a bug that could occasionally cause a home screen crash
• Improves Touch ID fingerprint recognition
• Improved performance for iPhone 4
• Fixes display of Mail unread badge for numbers greater than 10,000
• Continued user interface refinements