It's lastly right here: Now you can obtain iOS 26 in your iPhone — Apple's different new working techniques are additionally out there. The primary noticeable factor after putting in the brand new OS? A brand new clear design language that Apple dubs Liquid Glass. The translucent look will be discovered inside apps in addition to your lock and residential screens. (In case you don't prefer it, there's a method to scale back the transparency.) The overhaul is one among 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. As an illustration, the flexibility to weed out spam texts or unknown senders and an possibility to carry your spot on a cellphone name while you've been ready for a consultant to choose up. And for enjoyable, now you can create polls in group texts. Different new enhancements coming embrace a confirmed AirPods stay translation function, and a brand new bouncy animation on the passcode display and within the Management Middle.
In case you 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. In case you missed the keynote, you possibly can compensate for all the things Apple introduced right here or rewatch the total 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 recent options you'll have to take a look at.
What’s iOS 26 and will I obtain iOS 18.7 first?
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, just like automobile mannequin years. So whereas iOS and its sibling working techniques have been launched in 2025, they're all designated "26" to mirror the yr forward.
Apple additionally launched iOS 18.7 alongside iOS 26 to handle safety points — nice information in the event you don't have a cellphone that's eligible to run the newest OS. In case you're questioning which one to obtain first, it's actually as much as you. Do you need to await Apple to quash any bugs in iOS 26 or would you like entry to all the brand new options everybody's speaking about now?
What’s Liquid Glass design?
Let's be trustworthy. Out of all the things introduced at WWDC this yr, the brand new Liquid Glass design was the star of the present. The iPhone's house and lock screens have seemed just about the identical yr after yr — the final thrilling factor (in my view) was the choice so as to add your personal 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, nicely, 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 course, even when it's considerably paying homage to Microsoft's translucent Home windows Vista Aero designs from practically twenty years in the past.
That stated, whereas it was in beta mode, Apple included some consumer suggestions into the design, dialing again the transparency in at the very least some locations. And whereas it should proceed to evolve, Apple customers gained't have the ability to escape it: The corporate says Liquid Glass was designed to make all of its platforms extra cohesive.
Right here's a have a look at how the translucent aesthetic appears with the brand new macOS Tahoe 26 in your desktop.
Find out how to flip iOS 26 Liquid Glass settings off
In case you discover you don't like the brand new clear take care of downloading iOS 26, you possibly can change a pair Accessibility settings, although you possibly can't fully flip off Liquid Glass. For starters, you possibly can scale back the liquid look by going to Settings > Accessibility > Movement > toggle on Scale back Movement.
You may make your drop-down menus extra opaque as a substitute of translucent by going to Settings >Accessibility > Show & Textual content Dimension > toggle on Scale back Transparency.
You too can change your clear apps again to the way in which they have been. Simply press and maintain any app in your display and choose Edit Residence Display screen. From right here, faucet Edit (high left) and Customise. You’ll be able to swap out to Default, Darkish or Tinted.
What are the brand new and notable options of iOS 26?
iOS 26 has a laundry checklist of recent options. Among the many most worthwhile:
Cellphone app redesign: Now you can scroll by means of contacts, latest calls and voicemail messages all on one display. It additionally comes with a brand new function referred to as Maintain Help that'll notify you when an agent involves the cellphone so you possibly can keep away from the elevator music and proceed on with different duties.
Reside Translation in Cellphone, FaceTime and Messages: iOS 26 brings the flexibility to have a dialog through cellphone name, FaceTime or textual content message with somebody who speaks one other language. Reside 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 over a highway journey.
Filtering unknown senders in Messages: In case you haven't obtained 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: Just like a reverse Google picture search, this new function will mean you can seek for something that's in your iPhone display. As an illustration, in the event you spot a pair of sneakers somebody is sporting in an Instagram photograph, you possibly can screenshot it and use Visible Intelligence to seek out these sneakers (or related ones) on-line.
Pictures tabs are again: For anybody who's been pissed off with final yr's modifications to the Pictures app, you'll be completely happy to know that your tabs are again. Library and Collections have their very own separate areas so that you don't must scroll to infinity to seek out what you're in search of.
Camera app updates: Navigating the Digital camera app ought to be less complicated in iOS 26, as all of the buttons and menus are in handy spots — much less swiping, extra photograph taking. Plus, there's a brand new function that tells you in case your lens must be cleaned.
FaceTime "Communication Security" function: A more moderen 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 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 while you take a screenshot, together with "spotlight to look," the choice to look your picture on Google and ChatGPT is there for any questions you will have in regards to the picture.
Preview on iOS 26: There's a brand new app referred to as Preview that allows you to scan paperwork, fill out PDF types, in addition to spotlight, underline or strike by means of textual content in a PDF file. You too can take away backgrounds from photos on this app.
New modifications with iPadOS 26
Your iPad isn't getting left behind with regards to huge updates. Right here's what to search for.
Multitasking and actual windowing: Once you obtain the latest replace, you'll have the ability to have a number of apps operating in your display on the identical time. When you open an app, it'll seem in your display as regular however you'll have the ability to resize and transfer it throughout your display to make room for different apps. This function is optionally available so you possibly can flip it off in the event you 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: Once 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 possibility in the event you're in search of one thing particular.
There's extra past that, so you’ll want to try our first impressions of iPadOS 26.
What about AirPods?
AirPods are additionally getting up to date with iOS 26. Listed here are a few of 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.
Digital camera distant management: Utilizing this, you possibly can take a photograph or begin and cease video recording with only one press in your AirPods. When taking pictures, you'll get a three-second countdown earlier than your iPhone or iPad snaps the image.
Reside translation function: Reside translation is offered on AirPods Professional 3, AirPods Professional 2 and AirPods 4 with ANC when paired with iPhones operating 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 embrace coronary heart charge monitoring. It would 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 yr," so that you shouldn't count on any main modifications proper now. However there are stories that Apple is aiming to provide Siri an even 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 yr. The corporate can be reportedly engaged on a "stripped-down" AI chatbot to rival ChatGPT.
Which iPhones will have the ability to improve to iOS 26?
Just a few 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 can be eligible for iOS 26:
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iPhone SE (second technology 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 totally free in the present day, September 15.
In case you're extra within the new Apple Intelligence options, right here's all the things Apple revealed for iOS, macOS and extra throughout WWDC. Additionally, try how iOS 26 screenshots may very well be an intriguing preview of Apple's delayed Siri rework.
Replace, September 16: Added particulars about modifying Liquid Glass settings, and new data in regards to the Preview app.
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 can 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 anticipated 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 Digital camera 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 few 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 Middle.
Replace, August 4: Famous that Apple is reportedly engaged on a ChatGPT rival.
Replace, August 1: Added quote from Tim Cook 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 stories that Apple is contemplating further 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/cell/ios-26-is-finally-here-everything-to-know-about-the-free-iphone-software-update-135749206.html?src=rss