iOS 26.1 is finally here. After a month of testing, Apple has begun the worldwide rollout of iOS 26.1, the first significant update to its flagship mobile operating system since iOS 26 launched in September. Available now over-the-air to more than a billion active iPhones, the new update delivers dozens of user-requested tweaks, expanded language support for Apple Intelligence and Live Translation, and a new automatic security-patch system that installs fixes silently in the background.
The update also bundles approximately 50 security fixes, closing vulnerabilities that could allow attackers to view restricted Lock Screen content, load remote images against user settings, or execute arbitrary code via maliciously crafted files. Apple rates several of these CVEs—including CVE-2025-43426 and CVE-2025-43413—as high-severity issues warranting immediate patching.
Compatible iPhone models for the iOS 26.1 update
- iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone SE (2nd & 3rd generation)
- iPhone 12 series, iPhone 13 series, iPhone 14 series, iPhone 15 series, and iPhone 16 series
- All iPhone 17 models (once released)
Devices older than the iPhone 11 remain capped at iOS 18.
Safety tips before you update to iOS 26.1
1. Back up first — Use iCloud (Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup) or a Mac/PC.
2. Charge to 50 percent or plug in when beginning the installation process
3. Connect to Wi-Fi — Cellular downloads are blocked for files this large.
4. Free 3GB of storage (Settings > General > iPhone Storage).
5. Avoid public Wi-Fi for the initial download.
How to Install iOS 26.1
1. Open Settings > General > Software Update
2. Tap Download and Install
3. Enter your passcode and agree to the terms.
4. The iPhone restarts twice; the process takes 15–30 minutes.
If the update does not appear on your iPhone yet, you can try a multitude of things:
- Force-refresh: Pull down on the Software Update screen.
- Restart your iPhone.
- Toggle Airplane Mode on/off.
- Wait 1–2 hours—Apple staggers rollouts to prevent server overload.
- Still missing? Connect to a Mac/PC and check via Finder (macOS) or Apple Devices app (Windows).
iOS 26.1: New features
- The new Liquid Glass feature introduced with iOS 26 now gets user control with iOS 26.1. You can find these control by heading to Settings > Display & Brightness > Liquid Glass > choose Clear (fully transparent) or Tinted (higher opacity, better contrast).
- Home Screen icons can be set independently via long-press > Edit > Customize.
- There is a new Lock Screen camera shortcut toggle that can be accessed by heading to Settings > Camera > turn off “Lock Screen Swipe to Open Camera” to end pocket-dial photos.
- With this new update, Clock app alarms now require a deliberate swipe instead of a tap, reducing accidental dismissals.
- In Apple Music, users can now swipe left/right across the song title (mini or full player) to skip tracks. AutoMix transitions now work over AirPlay.
- In Phone app, there is a new call haptics off switch, which can be accessed by heading to Settings > Apps > Phone > disable vibration when calls connect or drop.
- On-device AI (Apple Intelligence) now supports Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish, Portuguese (Portugal), Turkish, Vietnamese, and Chinese (Traditional).
- AirPods Pro 2/3 and AirPods 4 add real-time translation for Japanese, Korean, Italian, Chinese (Simplified & Traditional).
- As mentioned, Apple has introduced a new Background Security Improvements feature that enables silent security patches without manual intervention. This has been added in Settings > Privacy & Security > enable automatic silent patches between major releases. Fixes install without restarts or version bumps; removable via three-dot menu if issues arise.
- Local Capture upgrades includes the ability to choose save folder for call recordings and adjust external-mic gain.
- In Photos and Safari, there is a new compact video scrub bar; wider tab bar; left-aligned headers in Settings and folders.
- Accessibility additions include “Display Borders” outlines buttons; “Single Touch Actions” which prefer taps over slides.
- The Fitness app now has fully custom workouts; and FaceTime gets better audio on weak networks.
iOS 26.1 also brings several critical security patches. Apple patched 50+ vulnerabilities, including CVE-2025-43426 that prevents viewing restricted Lock Screen content., CVE-2025-43413 stops remote images loading when disabled, CVE-2025-43452 blocks WebKit code execution via crafted web content, and CVE-2025-43442 fixes kernel memory corruption.
No evidence shows these flaws were exploited in the wild, but Apple urges every user to install 26.1 today. On my device, the iOS 26.1 update shows a staggering 11.7GB in size, and it is necessary that users have this much storage to be able to update. The size of the update will vary based on the model of the iPhone.
