The whole lot to know concerning the free iPhone software program replace

Are you utilizing the brand new iOS 26 but? You possibly can download it on your iPhone now, and when you do, you may see tons of latest adjustments, together with a transparent design referred to as Liquid Glass. The translucent look might be discovered inside apps in addition to your lock and residential screens. (You possibly can’t flip it off, however you possibly can reduce the transparency to make it much less clear.) The overhaul is certainly one of a number of huge adjustments that include iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS and the remainder of Apple’s software program suite — the brand new working system updates for these devices are also available to download now.

You will additionally see a number of helpful additions within the Telephone and Messages apps. As an example, the power to weed out spam texts or unknown senders and an choice 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 embody a confirmed AirPods live translation feature, and a brand new bouncy animation on the passcode display and within the Management Heart.

When you’re planning to improve your cellphone this yr, check out all the brand new fashions Apple unveiled throughout its iPhone 17 occasion, from the iPhone 17 lineup (take a look at our review of the iPhone 17) to the all-new ultra-thin iPhone Air (check out our hands-on review). When you missed the keynote, you possibly can atone for everything Apple announced here or rewatch the full iPhone 17 launch. The corporate rounded out its bulletins with three new Apple Watch fashions, in addition to the brand-new AirPods Pro 3.

Most newer iPhone fashions are eligible to download iOS 26. We have rounded up a full listing of latest options you may 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, much like automotive mannequin years. So whereas iOS and its sibling working programs have been launched in 2025, they’re all designated “26” to replicate the yr forward.

Apple additionally launched iOS 18.7 alongside iOS 26 to handle safety points — nice information if you do not have a cellphone that is eligible to run the newest OS. When you’re questioning which one to obtain first, it is actually as much as you. Do you wish to look forward to 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 sincere. Out of every thing introduced at WWDC this yr, the new Liquid Glass design was the star of the present. The iPhone’s house and lock screens have regarded just about the identical yr after yr — 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 material” since, effectively, the apps and widgets are clear. Nevertheless, the display can nonetheless adapt to darkish and lightweight modes, relying on environment. You will additionally discover buttons with a brand new floating design in a number of apps, like Telephone and Maps. They’re designed to be much less distracting than the present buttons, however are nonetheless simple 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 is considerably paying homage to Microsoft’s translucent Windows Vista Aero designs from practically twenty years in the past.

That stated, whereas it was in beta mode, Apple incorporated some user feedback into the design, dialing again the transparency in no less than some locations. And whereas it’s going to proceed to evolve, Apple customers will not have the ability to escape it: The corporate says Liquid Glass was designed to make all of its platforms extra cohesive.

Here is a have a look at how the translucent aesthetic seems to be with the new macOS Tahoe 26 in your desktop.

flip iOS 26 Liquid Glass settings off

When you discover you do not like the brand new clear take care of downloading iOS 26, you possibly can change a pair Accessibility settings, although you possibly can’t utterly flip off Liquid Glass. For starters, you possibly can scale back the liquid look by going to Settings > Accessibility > Movement > toggle on Cut back Movement.

You may make your drop-down menus extra opaque as an alternative of translucent by going to Settings >Accessibility > Show & Textual content Measurement > toggle on Cut back Transparency.

You may as well 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 Dwelling Display screen. From right here, faucet Edit (high left) and Customise. You possibly can swap out to Default, Darkish or Tinted.

What are the brand new and notable options of iOS 26?

iOS 26 has a laundry listing of latest options. Among the many most worthwhile:

Telephone app redesign: Now you can scroll by contacts, latest calls and voicemail messages all on one display. It additionally comes with a brand new characteristic 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.

Stay Translation in Telephone, FaceTime and Messages: iOS 26 brings the power 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: Uninterested in sorting by what looks as if a whole lot of messages in your group chat? You and your mates can now create polls in group messages to resolve issues like which brunch spot you are consuming at or whose automotive you take on a highway journey.

Filtering unknown senders in Messages: If you have not acquired spam texts about unpaid tolls or different citations, you are 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 characteristic will assist you to seek for something that is in your iPhone display. As an example, for those who spot a pair of footwear somebody is sporting in an Instagram photograph, you possibly can screenshot it and use Visual Intelligence to search out these footwear (or comparable ones) on-line.

Images tabs are again: For anybody who’s been pissed off with final yr’s changes to the Photos app, you may be pleased to know that your tabs are again. Library and Collections have their very own separate areas so you do not have to scroll to infinity to search out what you are on the lookout for.

Camera app updates: Navigating the Digicam app needs 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 is a new characteristic that tells you in case your lens must be cleaned.

FaceTime “Communication Security” characteristic: A more recent addition to iOS 26 seems to be the FaceTime “Communication Safety” feature that pauses communications if and when nudity is detected. The characteristic seems to be a baby security characteristic 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 will 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 will 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’ve gotten concerning the picture.

Preview on iOS 26: There is a new app called Preview that allows you to scan paperwork, fill out PDF varieties, in addition to spotlight, underline or strike by textual content in a PDF file. You may as well take away backgrounds from photographs on this app.

New adjustments with iPadOS 26

Your iPad is not getting left behind with regards to huge updates. Here is what to search for.

Multitasking and actual windowing: While you obtain the most recent replace, you’ll have a number of apps operating in your display on the similar time. When you open an app, it’s going to seem in your display as regular however you’ll resize and transfer it throughout your display to make room for different apps. This characteristic is non-obligatory so you possibly can flip it off for those who do not 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 on the lookout for one thing particular.

There’s extra past that, so you’ll want to take a look at our first impressions of iPadOS 26.

What about AirPods?

AirPods are also getting updated with iOS 26. Listed here are among the extra notable capabilities.

Enhanced audio recording: Apple calls this “studio-quality” audio recording, and with it, you may discover extra readability whereas in noisy environments.

Digicam 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 photographs, you may get a three-second countdown earlier than your iPhone or iPad snaps the image.

Stay translation characteristic: Live translation is available on AirPods Pro 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 special language, you should use 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 should 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 “in the coming year,” so that you should not count on any main adjustments proper now. However there are studies that Apple is aiming to provide Siri an even bigger mind transplant by basing it on third-party artificial intelligence models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Anthropic’s Claude, which might make 2026 a pivotal yr. The corporate can also 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 suitable with the newest improve. However any iPhones from 2019 or later will probably be eligible for iOS 26:

• iPhone SE (second technology or later)

When are you able to obtain iOS 26?

iOS 26 has formally been launched to the general public totally free as of September 15, 2025.

When you’re extra within the new Apple Intelligence options, this is everything Apple revealed for iOS, macOS and more throughout WWDC. Additionally, take a look at how iOS 26 screenshots may very well be an intriguing preview of Apple’s delayed Siri rework.

Replace, September 19: Added particulars about making Liquid Glass much less clear.

Replace, September 18: Added data about Engadget’s iPhone 17 evaluate.

Replace, September 17: Added particulars and hyperlink concerning the new iPhone Air.

Replace, September 16: Added particulars about modifying Liquid Glass settings, and new data concerning the Preview app.

Replace, September 15: Famous iOS 26 is formally obtainable 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 will probably be obtainable 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 totally 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 are actually obtainable 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 obtainable 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 characteristic 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 Cook dinner about iOS 26.

Replace, July 31: Famous that iOS 18.6 is now obtainable.

Replace, July 24: Famous the iOS 26 public beta is now obtainable.

Replace, July 3: Famous new FaceTime characteristic 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 adjustments added in iOS 26 beta 2.