All the things to know concerning the free iPhone software program replace

Pay attention up, iPhone house owners! iOS 26 is finally available to download, in addition to all of Apple’s other new operating systems. The very first thing you will discover after the set up is a brand new clear design language Apple dubs Liquid Glass. The translucent look might be discovered inside apps in addition to your lock and residential screens. The overhaul is one in every of a number of massive adjustments that include iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS and the remainder of Apple’s software program suite.

You will additionally see a number of helpful additions within the Telephone and Messages apps. For example, the power to weed out spam texts or unknown senders and an choice to carry your spot on a telephone name if you’ve been ready for a consultant to select up. And for enjoyable, now you can create polls in group texts. Different new enhancements coming embrace a confirmed AirPods live translation feature, and a brand new bouncy animation on the passcode display screen and within the Management Middle.

If you do not have a appropriate telephone 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. For those who missed the keynote, you may make amends 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 will have to take a look at.

What’s iOS 26?

As a substitute 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 automobile mannequin years. So whereas iOS and its sibling working methods had been launched in 2025, they’re all designated “26” to replicate the yr forward.

Apple additionally launched iOS 18.7 alongside iOS 26 to deal with safety points — nice information if you do not have a telephone that is eligible to run the most recent OS.

What’s Liquid Glass design?

Let’s be sincere. Out of all the pieces introduced at WWDC this yr, the new Liquid Glass design was the star of the present. The iPhone’s dwelling and lock screens have appeared 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 property display screen 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, properly, the apps and widgets are clear. Nonetheless, the display screen can nonetheless adapt to darkish and light-weight 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 route, even when it is considerably paying homage to Microsoft’s translucent Windows Vista Aero designs from almost twenty years in the past.

That stated, whereas in beta mode, Apple incorporated some user feedback into the design, dialing again the transparency in a minimum of some locations. And whereas it should proceed to evolve, Apple customers will not be capable of 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 with the new macOS Tahoe 26 in your desktop.

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 way of contacts, latest calls and voicemail messages all on one display screen. It additionally comes with a brand new function referred to as Maintain Help that’ll notify you when an agent involves the telephone so you may 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 through telephone 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 ends up in some stop-and-go interactions within the examples Apple shared throughout its presentation.

Polls in group chats: Bored with sorting by way of what looks as if lots of of messages in your group chat? You and your folks can now create polls in group messages to resolve issues like which brunch spot you are consuming at or whose automobile you take on a highway journey.

Filtering unknown senders in Messages: If you have not obtained 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 function will can help you seek for something that is in your iPhone display screen. For example, in the event you spot a pair of sneakers somebody is carrying in an Instagram picture, you may screenshot it and use Visual Intelligence to search out these sneakers (or related ones) on-line.

Images tabs are again: For anybody who’s been annoyed with final yr’s changes to the Photos app, you will be completely happy 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 Digital camera app must be less complicated in iOS 26, as all of the buttons and menus are in handy spots — much less swiping, extra picture taking. Plus, there is a new function that tells you in case your lens must be cleaned.

FaceTime “Communication Security” function: 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 function seems to be a baby security function that makes use of on-device detection, thus obviating any cloud-based privateness points.

New lock screen options: The iPhone lock display screen 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 now not be caught with the 9-minute snooze setting in your alarms. As a substitute, 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 if you take a screenshot, together with “spotlight to go looking,” the choice to go looking your picture on Google and ChatGPT is there for any questions you may have concerning the picture.

New adjustments with iPadOS 26

Your iPad is not getting left behind relating to massive updates. Here is what to search for.

Multitasking and actual windowing: Once you obtain the most recent replace, you’ll have a number of apps working in your display screen on the similar time. When you open an app, it’s going to seem in your display screen as regular however you’ll resize and transfer it throughout your display screen to make room for different apps. This function is non-obligatory so you may flip it off in the event you 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: Once you swipe down in your display screen, the brand new menu bar will seem with choices like File, Edit, Home windows and extra. There’s additionally a search choice in the event you’re on the lookout for one thing particular.

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

What about AirPods?

AirPods are also getting updated with iOS 26. Listed below are among the extra notable features.

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

Digital camera distant management: Utilizing this, you may take a photograph or begin and cease video recording with only one press in your AirPods. When taking photographs, you will get a three-second countdown earlier than your iPhone or iPad snaps the image.

Stay translation function: Live translation is available on AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Professional 2 and AirPods 4 with ANC when paired with iPhones working iOS 26. Apple says that when somebody speaks to you in a distinct language, you need to use your AirPods to translate what they’re saying.

Coronary heart price monitoring: Apple launched new AirPods Professional 3 earbuds this month, which embrace coronary heart price 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 a much bigger mind transplant by basing it on third-party artificial intelligence models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Anthropic’s Claude, which may make 2026 a pivotal yr. The corporate can also be reportedly engaged on a “stripped-down” AI chatbot to rival ChatGPT.

Which iPhones will be capable of improve to iOS 26?

A couple of iPhone fashions that run the present model of iOS — iPhone XR, XS and XS Max — aren’t appropriate with the most recent improve. However any iPhones from 2019 or later will likely be eligible for iOS 26:

• iPhone SE (second era or later)

When to obtain iOS 26?

iOS 26 has formally been launched to the general public totally free right now, September 15.

For those who’re extra within the new Apple Intelligence options, here 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 15: Famous iOS 26 is formally out there for obtain.

Replace, September 12: Famous iOS 26 is coming to eligible iPhones in only a few days, timing TBD.

Replace, September 11: Added the merchandise Apple launched at its Tuesday occasion and famous when iOS 26 will likely 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 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 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 price 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 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 screen 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 studies that Apple is contemplating extra exterior LLMs for Siri.

Replace, June 25: Famous adjustments added in iOS 26 beta 2.