Apple's upcoming iOS 26 software has been in public beta since WWDC 2025 a few months ago. The commercial update is anticipated to begin rolling out to compatible iPhones in mid-September, based on the company's historical release patterns. The update will be detailed at Apple's 'Awe Dropping Event' on September 9, where the iPhone 17 series is also expected to be unveiled.
While Apple has not officially announced the exact rollout date for iOS 26, previous launches provide a reliable indicator. For instance, iOS 18 was released on September 16, and iOS 17 on September 12, both occurring roughly one week after their respective iPhone announcement events on September 9 in those years. This pattern suggests iOS 26 could follow suit, potentially arriving between September 15 and 16, starting with newer devices before extending to older iPhone models.
Announced at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference on June 9, iOS 26 marks a significant shift in versioning. Apple jumped from iOS 18 to iOS 26 to unify version numbers across its operating systems, aligning them with the calendar year ahead—in this case, representing 2026. This change streamlines naming for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS, moving away from sequential increments.
iOS 26 key features
iOS 26 introduces a host of new features, including enhanced Apple Intelligence for smarter writing and image generation, an upgraded Siri with improved contextual awareness, interactive widgets on home and lock screens, stronger privacy controls for app data transparency, and better cross-device integration for seamless continuity across Apple's ecosystem. Additional updates include polls and customisable backgrounds in Messages, along with refinements to make daily tasks more effortless.
A standout element of iOS 26 is the new Liquid Glass design language, which brings a sleek, expressive aesthetic to apps and system interfaces. This visual overhaul features glassy, fluid effects, such as a water droplet-like appearance in elements like unlocking animations, where lifting the screen mimics raising a sheet of glass. The design aims to make interactions more delightful and immersive, with adjustable transparency options available in betas.
How to check for the iOS 26 update:
Once the final version is released, users can check for the update by going to Settings > General > Software Update on their compatible devices. Compatible devices include
iPhone 16e
iPhone 16
iPhone 16 Plus
iPhone 16 Pro
iPhone 16 Pro Max
iPhone 15
iPhone 15 Plus
iPhone 15 Pro
iPhone 15 Pro Max
iPhone 14
iPhone 14 Plus
iPhone 14 Pro
iPhone 14 Pro Max
iPhone 13
iPhone 13 Plus
iPhone 13 Pro
iPhone 13 Pro Max
iPhone 13 mini
iPhone 12
iPhone 12 Plus
iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 12 Pro Max
iPhone 12 mini
iPhone 11
iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone 11 Pro Max
iPhone SE (2nd generation)
The upcoming iPhone 17 series will ship with iOS 26 pre-installed. The new lineup is expected to include iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
