Unveiled in June at the 2025 Worldwide Developers Conference, iOS 26 is Apple's biggest design overhaul since iOS 7. Here's what we know about the major update and when it will be released to the public.
With the next-generation version of iOS and other 2025 software updates, Apple has changed its numbering scheme. Rather than iOS 19, which would logically follow iOS 18, Apple is instead calling the update iOS 26.
Since Apple announced iOS 26 on June 9, developers have been testing the software and providing feedback to help refine the experience ahead of its public launch.
iOS 26: What to Expect
iOS 26 introduces "Liquid Glass," a translucent design language that Apple says will define the next decade of iOS. The new aesthetic uses real-time rendering to create interface elements that reflect and refract their surroundings, with many controls becoming almost entirely translucent.
You'll see Liquid Glass throughout the system. App icons and widgets gain multiple layers for added depth, while the Lock Screen time display expands and shrinks to fit behind wallpaper subjects. Controls, toolbars, and navigation elements feature more rounded corners and can dynamically morph to provide additional options.
Apple has redesigned core apps with the new visual language. The Camera app gets simplified navigation with Photo and Video toggles, while Safari adopts floating tab bars that shrink during browsing. Photos returns separate Library and Collections tabs, and Apple Music's interface now floats above content.
Beyond the visual refresh, iOS 26 expands Apple Intelligence capabilities. Messages, FaceTime, and Phone support Live Translation for real-time conversation translation, while Visual Intelligence can now understand screen content and answer questions about what you're viewing through ChatGPT integration.
Elsewhere, the Phone app gains Call Screening to filter unknown callers and Hold Assist to wait on hold for you, while Messages can screen texts from unknown senders. Also, Apple Music adds Lyrics Translation and AutoMix for seamless song transitions.
iOS 26 Release Date
Apple confirmed iOS 26 will arrive "this fall" without specifying an exact date, but historical patterns provide strong clues about the timeline.
iOS releases typically follow Apple's September iPhone event by less than a week. Recent launches include iOS 18 on September 16, 2024, iOS 17 on September 18, 2023, and iOS 16 on September 12, 2022.
If Apple maintains this pattern for 2025, iOS 26 should launch in mid-September shortly after the company unveils its iPhone 17 lineup. That puts the likely release window between September 8-22, 2025.
A public beta will arrive sooner. Apple plans to make iOS 26 available for public testing in July 2025 through its beta program at beta.apple.com.
Device Compatibility
iOS 26 drops support for the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max, making it the first major iOS release to exclude these 2018 models.
Compatible devices include:
- iPhone 16e
- iPhone 16 series
- iPhone 15 series
- iPhone 14 series
- iPhone 13 series
- iPhone 12 series
- iPhone 11 series
- iPhone SE (2nd generation and later)
Of course, iOS 26 will also be compatible with all future iPhone 17 models.
While these iPhones will run iOS 26, advanced features may be limited to newer models with faster processors. Apple Intelligence features, for instance, currently require an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16 series device.
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