Significant progress has been achieved in terms of both theory and industrial applications of iterative learning control (ILC) in the past decade. However, the techniques of solving non-linear ILC problems are still under development. The main result of this paper is a novel non-linear ILC algorithm that utilizes the capability of the Newton method. By setting up links between non-linear ILC problems and non-linear multivariable equations, the Newton method is introduced into the ILC framework. The implementation of the new algorithm allows one to decompose a nonlinear ILC problem into a sequence of linear time-varying ILC problems. Simulations on a discrete non-linear system and a manipulator model display its advantages. Conditions for its semi-local convergence are analysed. Links of ILC with existing non-linear topics are pointed out as ways to construct new non-linear ILC schemes. Potential improvements are discussed for future work.