Hear up, iPhone homeowners! iOS 26 is lastly out there to obtain, in addition to all of Apple's different new working methods. The very first thing you'll discover after the set up is a brand new clear design language Apple dubs Liquid Glass. The translucent look might be discovered inside apps in addition to your lock and residential screens. The overhaul is certainly one of a number of huge modifications that include iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS and the remainder of Apple's software program suite.
You'll additionally see a number of helpful additions within the Cellphone and Messages apps. For example, the flexibility to weed out spam texts or unknown senders and an choice to carry your spot on a cellphone name if you've been ready for a consultant to select up. And for enjoyable, now you can create polls in group texts. Different new enhancements coming embody a confirmed AirPods reside translation function, and a brand new bouncy animation on the passcode display and within the Management Heart.
If you happen to don't have a appropriate cellphone however plan to improve, Apple unveiled a number of new fashions at its iPhone 17 occasion — that features the brand new iPhone 17 lineup and the all-new ultra-thin iPhone Air. If you happen to missed the keynote, you may compensate for every little thing Apple introduced right here or rewatch the complete iPhone 17 launch. The corporate rounded out its bulletins with three new Apple Watch fashions, in addition to the brand-new AirPods Professional 3.
Most newer iPhone fashions are eligible to obtain iOS 26. We've rounded up a full checklist of latest options you'll have to take a look at.
What’s iOS 26?
As an alternative of releasing iOS 19, Apple skipped its naming conference forward to iOS 26. The corporate has determined to line up its iOS model numbers with a year-based system, much like automobile mannequin years. So whereas iOS and its sibling working methods had been launched in 2025, they're all designated "26" to replicate the 12 months forward.
Apple additionally launched iOS 18.7 alongside iOS 26 to deal with safety points — nice information for those who don't have a cellphone that's eligible to run the newest OS.
What’s Liquid Glass design?
Let's be sincere. Out of every little thing introduced at WWDC this 12 months, the brand new Liquid Glass design was the star of the present. The iPhone's dwelling and lock screens have seemed just about the identical 12 months after 12 months — the final thrilling factor (for my part) was the choice so as to add your individual aesthetic to your private home display by customizing your apps and widgets. So seeing the house and lock screens' new facelift is refreshing.
So what precisely is Liquid Glass? Apple calls it a "new translucent materials" since, properly, the apps and widgets are clear. Nonetheless, the display can nonetheless adapt to darkish and light-weight modes, relying on environment. You'll additionally discover buttons with a brand new floating design in a number of apps, like Cellphone and Maps. They're designed to be much less distracting than the present buttons, however are nonetheless straightforward to see. Whereas the design overhaul has confirmed to be controversial since its announcement, some — together with Engadget's Devindra Hardawar — like the brand new route, even when it's considerably harking back to Microsoft's translucent Home windows Vista Aero designs from practically twenty years in the past.
That mentioned, whereas in beta mode, Apple integrated some consumer suggestions into the design, dialing again the transparency in not less than some locations. And whereas it’ll proceed to evolve, Apple customers received't be capable of escape it: The corporate says Liquid Glass was designed to make all of its platforms extra cohesive. Right here's a take a look at how the translucent aesthetic seems with the brand new macOS Tahoe 26 in your desktop.
What are the brand new and notable options of iOS 26?
iOS 26 has a laundry checklist of latest options. Among the many most worthwhile:
Cellphone app redesign: Now you can scroll by means of contacts, current calls and voicemail messages all on one display. It additionally comes with a brand new function known as Maintain Help that'll notify you when an agent involves the cellphone so you may keep away from the elevator music and proceed on with different duties.
Stay Translation in Cellphone, FaceTime and Messages: iOS 26 brings the flexibility to have a dialog by way of cellphone name, FaceTime or textual content message with somebody who speaks one other language. Stay Translation makes use of Apple Intelligence and it’ll translate your dialog in actual time, which leads to some stop-and-go interactions within the examples Apple shared throughout its presentation.
Polls in group chats: Bored with sorting by means of what looks as if a whole lot of messages in your group chat? You and your pals can now create polls in group messages to determine issues like which brunch spot you're consuming at or whose automobile you're taking up a street journey.
Filtering unknown senders in Messages: If you happen to haven't acquired spam texts about unpaid tolls or different citations, you're fortunate. For these of us who’ve, these annoying messages will quickly be filtered away in a separate folder.
Visible Intelligence: Much like a reverse Google picture search, this new function will assist you to seek for something that's in your iPhone display. For example, for those who spot a pair of footwear somebody is carrying in an Instagram picture, you may screenshot it and use Visible Intelligence to search out these footwear (or related ones) on-line.
Pictures tabs are again: For anybody who's been pissed off with final 12 months's modifications to the Pictures app, you'll be blissful to know that your tabs are again. Library and Collections have their very own separate areas so that you don't should scroll to infinity to search out what you're searching for.
Camera app updates: Navigating the Digicam app must be less complicated in iOS 26, as all of the buttons and menus are in handy spots — much less swiping, extra picture taking. Plus, there's a brand new function that tells you in case your lens must be cleaned.
FaceTime "Communication Security" function: A more recent addition to iOS 26 seems to be the FaceTime "Communication Security" function that pauses communications if and when nudity is detected. The function seems to be a toddler security function that makes use of on-device detection, thus obviating any cloud-based privateness points.
New lock screen options: The iPhone lock display is extra customizable in iOS 26, with a cooler clock, 3D wallpaper results, extra widgets and higher focus mode choices.
New alarm setting: You'll now not be caught with the 9-minute snooze setting in your alarms. As an alternative, you now have the choice to alter your snooze time from one to fifteen minutes.
Screenshots look different: You'll discover a number of new options if you take a screenshot, together with "spotlight to go looking," the choice to go looking your picture on Google and ChatGPT is there for any questions you may have concerning the picture.
New modifications with iPadOS 26
Your iPad isn't getting left behind on the subject of huge updates. Right here's what to search for.
Multitasking and actual windowing: While you obtain the most recent replace, you'll be capable of have a number of apps working in your display on the similar time. When you open an app, it'll seem in your display as regular however you'll be capable of resize and transfer it throughout your display to make room for different apps. This function is non-compulsory so you may flip it off for those who don't prefer it.
Visible replace: Together with the opposite new OSes, iPadOS 26 additionally has the Liquid Glass aesthetic. This new look seems on the lock and residential screens, in addition to the drop-down menus.
New menu bar: While you swipe down in your display, the brand new menu bar will seem with choices like File, Edit, Home windows and extra. There's additionally a search choice for those who're searching for one thing particular.
There's extra past that, so you should definitely take a look at our first impressions of iPadOS 26.
What about AirPods?
AirPods are additionally getting up to date with iOS 26. Listed below are among the extra notable capabilities.
Enhanced audio recording: Apple calls this "studio-quality" audio recording, and with it, you'll discover extra readability whereas in noisy environments.
Digicam distant management: Utilizing this, you may take a photograph or begin and cease video recording with only one press in your AirPods. When taking photographs, you'll get a three-second countdown earlier than your iPhone or iPad snaps the image.
Stay translation function: Stay translation is obtainable on AirPods Professional 3, AirPods Professional 2 and AirPods 4 with ANC when paired with iPhones working iOS 26. Apple says that when somebody speaks to you in a distinct language, you should utilize your AirPods to translate what they’re saying.
Coronary heart charge monitoring: Apple launched new AirPods Professional 3 earbuds this month, which embody coronary heart charge monitoring. It can work with Apple's Well being app and different health apps that monitor coronary heart charges.
Did Siri get an replace?
Siri is in a holding sample. Apple has beforehand specified that its smarter voice assistant — first promised at WWDC 2024 — is delayed till some level "within the coming 12 months," so that you shouldn't anticipate any main modifications proper now. However there are studies that Apple is aiming to present Siri a much bigger mind transplant by basing it on third-party synthetic intelligence fashions like OpenAI's ChatGPT or Anthropic's Claude, which might make 2026 a pivotal 12 months. The corporate can be reportedly engaged on a "stripped-down" AI chatbot to rival ChatGPT.
Which iPhones will be capable of improve to iOS 26?
A couple of iPhone fashions that run the present model of iOS — iPhone XR, XS and XS Max — aren't appropriate with the newest improve. However any iPhones from 2019 or later shall be eligible for iOS 26:
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iPhone SE (second era or later)
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iPhone 11
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iPhone 11 Professional
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iPhone 11 Professional Max
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iPhone 12
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iPhone 12 mini
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iPhone 12 Professional
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iPhone 12 Professional Max
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iPhone 13
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iPhone 13 mini
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iPhone 13 Professional
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iPhone 13 Professional Max
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iPhone 14
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iPhone 14 Plus
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iPhone 14 Professional
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iPhone 14 Professional Max
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iPhone 15
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iPhone 15 Plus
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iPhone 15 Professional
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iPhone 15 Professional Max
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iPhone 16
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iPhone 16 Plus
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iPhone 16 Professional
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iPhone 16 Professional Max
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iPhone 16e
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iPhone 17
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iPhone Air
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iPhone 17 Professional
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iPhone 17 Professional Max
When to obtain iOS 26?
iOS 26 has formally been launched to the general public at no cost right now, September 15.
If you happen to're extra within the new Apple Intelligence options, right here's every little thing Apple revealed for iOS, macOS and extra throughout WWDC. Additionally, take a look at how iOS 26 screenshots could possibly be an intriguing preview of Apple's delayed Siri rework.
Replace, September 15: Famous iOS 26 is formally out there for obtain.
Replace, September 12: Famous iOS 26 is coming to eligible iPhones in just some days, timing TBD.
Replace, September 11: Added the merchandise Apple launched at its Tuesday occasion and famous when iOS 26 shall be out there to obtain.
Replace, September 9: Famous the iPhone occasion is beginning quickly.
Replace, September 8: Famous the iPhone 17 occasion is tomorrow.
Replace, September 4: Added particulars about how screenshots are completely different in iOS 26.
Replace, September 3: Famous Apple is predicted to launch iOS 18.7 alongside iOS 26.
Replace, September 2: Added extra new options coming with iOS 26.
Replace, August 29: Added new part about Siri and a hyperlink to what's new with the iOS 26 Digicam app.
Replace, August 27: Added the official iPhone 17 occasion date, in addition to the potential iOS 26 launch.
Replace, August 25: Added a rumor about new AirPods Professional having coronary heart charge monitoring.
Replace, August 22: Famous that Apple has formally stopped signing iOS 18.6.
Replace, August 20: Famous that iOS 26 public beta 4 and iOS 18.6.2 at the moment are out there to obtain.
Replace, August 18: Added particulars a couple of potential iOS 18.6 replace.
Replace, August 15: Added to hyperlink to what to anticipate on the Apple iPhone occasion and particulars about what's out there within the iOS 26 screenshots editor.
Replace, August 13: Added new AirPods element noticed within the iOS 26 beta.
Replace, August 11: Famous that iOS 26 developer beta has hit beta 6.
Replace, August 8: Added new options coming with iPadOS 26 and AirPods.
Replace, August 6: Famous the discharge of iOS 26 beta 5 and the brand new bouncy function on passcode display and Management Heart.
Replace, August 4: Famous that Apple is reportedly engaged on a ChatGPT rival.
Replace, August 1: Added quote from Tim Prepare dinner about iOS 26.
Replace, July 31: Famous that iOS 18.6 is now out there.
Replace, July 24: Famous the iOS 26 public beta is now out there.
Replace, July 3: Famous new FaceTime function discovered within the developer beta.
Replace, June 30: Famous ongoing iOS 18 releases, and studies that Apple is contemplating extra exterior LLMs for Siri.
Replace, June 25: Famous modifications added in iOS 26 beta 2.
This text initially appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cellular/ios-26-has-arrived-everything-to-know-about-the-free-iphone-software-update-135749937.html?src=rss