Your iPhone and iPad will look considerably totally different when iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 roll out this fall. And no, you haven’t missed seven working system upgrades since iOS 18 final 12 months. Apple has modified the naming construction of its OS updates and made all of them constant—visionOS 26, watchOS 26, macOS 26—in order that they’re now tied to the 12 months after their launch, much like what automobile makers do when debuting new fashions.
The primary spotlight throughout all of Apple’s updates introduced at WWDC 2025 revolves across the new feel and appear of the interface, a design language the corporate calls Liquid Glass. Past that, a number of new options are coming to iOS, from dwell translation in messages and calls to the power to go looking something in your iPhone display by Visible Intelligence. The Images app can be getting its tabs again! Extra important are the updates to iPadOS, which can now assist windowed apps which can be resizable and will be tiled, bringing it nearer to a desktop computing expertise individuals have been ready for.
We’ll run by the highest new options in each working programs. Here is what it’s essential to know.
Is Your iPhone or iPad Appropriate
Yearly, Apple tends to chop off a number of older units from downloading the most recent iOS or iPadOS model. The reason being supposedly on account of {hardware} age. (Apple usually helps iPhones and iPads for six to seven years.)
iPhones from 2019 and newer—the iPhone 11 and up, together with the iPhone SE (2nd Gen)—will assist iOS 26. The iPhones that obtained iOS 18 however are actually minimize off from the most recent model are the iPhone XR and iPhone XS collection from 2018. For those who’re not sure about your iPhone mannequin, head to Settings > Common > About and have a look at the mannequin title.
iPads are just a little extra sophisticated, because the naming scheme fluctuates. Apple lately retired the “generations” and is now utilizing the chipset to indicate the mannequin. You’ll be able to determine what mannequin your iPad is by heading right here. The Seventh-gen iPad from 2019 appears to be the one one that won’t obtain the replace in comparison with iPads that obtained iPadOS 18.
- iPad: eighth gen and later, together with A16
- iPad Mini: fifth gen and later, together with A17 Professional
- iPad Air: third gen and later, together with M2 and M3
- iPad Professional 11-inch: 1st gen and later
- iPad Professional 12.9-inch: third gen and later
- iPad Professional: M4
Find out how to Strive iOS 26 or iPadOS 26 Now
Apple has launched the developer beta of iOS and iPadOS 26, however I do not suggest putting in it simply but in your main iPhone; possibly use an older iPhone you’ve mendacity round when you actually need to strive it out. There are some bugs, and there is at all times a threat of messing up your iPhone on an early model meant for builders.
If you will threat it, ensure you again up your system. Head to Settings and faucet your title on the high, then choose iCloud. Faucet on iCloud Backup, toggle it on, and faucet Again Up Now. Learn our Find out how to Again Up Your iPhone or iPad information for different strategies and extra particulars.
Once you’re able to replace, be sure that your iPhone is absolutely charged and related to Wi-Fi. Then go to Settings > Common > Software program Replace > Beta Updates and select the iOS 26 developer beta. It will request the replace after which take a while to obtain it. Your iPhone will then routinely restart to put in it, so ensure you put aside a number of minutes for the entire course of. That is it!
Apple’s earlier iOS model was iOS 18 in 2024, however the firm has determined to revamp its naming construction so that each one of its platforms are constant. Meaning iOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOS, tvOS, and watchOS are all on model 26. Why 26? Apple is following the automobile maker’s playbook, naming the replace for the final two digits of the next 12 months. Most individuals obtain the most recent iPhone OS model in December, despite the fact that Apple releases it in September; this manner it continues to really feel contemporary proper as the brand new 12 months rolls round.
Prime iOS 26 Options
Let’s check out the highest new options in iOS 26. You’ll be able to learn extra about it instantly from Apple right here.
Liquid Glass and Lock Display screen Adjustments
Apple has a brand new design language for the iPhone, the primary main visible overhaul in years, and it is known as Liquid Glass. It’s totally very like the Home windows Aero theme from the Microsoft Vista days in 2006. The interface acts like glass, so knocking down the lock display feels such as you’re transferring a pane of glass, and you may see how the apps work together round it. There are even specular highlights on app icons that shift because the telephone strikes in your hand. Apple has additionally added some newer animations that really feel bouncy, not not like a few of the new animations in Android 16. There’s supposedly no change in efficiency or battery life to render these results.
You’ll be able to have the traditional app icons with Liquid Glass, and you may even tint the apps similar to final 12 months. However there is a new possibility for “Clear” app icons, and every thing within the interface switches to that all-glass look.
Over on the lock display, the time now adapts to the photograph, stretching till it goes proper behind the highest of the topic for a depth impact. Additionally, when new notifications are available in, the topic in your photograph shifts up in order that the notifications do not block them. There’s additionally a brand new strategy to flip 2D pictures right into a 3D impact within the Images app, and you may apply these to the lock display.
Name Screening and Cellphone App Redesign
Taking a web page from Google’s Name Display screen function on Pixel telephones, Apple has lastly added its personal model in iOS 26. When you allow Name Screening, it’s going to routinely reply calls from unknown callers within the background with out alerting you. As soon as the caller offers a cause for his or her name, your telephone will ring, however you’ll see the response on the display so you may determine whether or not you need to reply or not.
Similar to Google’s Maintain for Me function, Apple has a Maintain Help operate that makes staying on maintain extra bearable. For those who’re attempting to achieve an organization however hear the dreaded maintain music, you may flip this function on and will not need to pay tremendous shut consideration to your telephone. When the music is over and a dwell agent begins speaking, you will get a notification—useful if it’s essential to wait greater than half-hour simply to achieve a customer support rep.
These screening capabilities are additionally within the Messages and FaceTime app with an “Unknown Senders” tab. You’ll be able to approve these numbers and so they’ll present up in your principal Messages view, or mark them as spam. (Some will routinely be screened as Spam.)
The Cellphone app additionally has a brand new look, along with your favorites up high and up to date calls beneath. You can change to the previous Cellphone app consumer interface by a toggle on the highest proper of the app.
Dwell Translation in Messages, Cellphone, and FaceTime
Now you can get dwell translations from Apple’s Messages, Cellphone, and FaceTime apps. We have seen related variations of this expertise from Samsung and Google on their respective telephones over the previous few years. Within the Cellphone app, you may activate a translation mode, and a voice will translate what the opposite particular person says and vice versa in actual time. (You’ll be able to toggle whether or not you want translation each methods or simply for one language.) Over within the Messages app, you will see translated textual content as part of your message bubble when talking with another person, and in FaceTime, you will get real-time translated subtitles. All of those occur on-device, so information does not depart your iPhone, and so they’ll additionally work if you’re speaking with individuals utilizing Android telephones.
In the meanwhile, Dwell Translation in Cellphone and FaceTime solely works with one-on-one calls in English (UK and US), French (France), German, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (Spain). Dwell Translation in Messages has barely broader language assist, together with Chinese language (simplified) and Japanese. Since there’s now a Cellphone app on iPadOS and MacOS, you may nonetheless make the most of these options when you reply on these platforms.
Visible Intelligence and the iPhone Display screen
Visible Intelligence debuted with Apple Intelligence as a strategy to have Siri perceive the world round you thru the iPhone’s digicam. It is now increasing to grasp the context of your iPhone’s display. Very very like Google’s Gemini, Visible Intelligence can establish what’s in your display and counsel particular actions.
In contrast to triggering Visible Intelligence and Siri with the Digicam Management or Motion Button, to set off the onscreen contextual mode, it’s a must to take a screenshot (these do not need to be saved when you faucet the X icon on the highest left). For those who take a screenshot of an invite somebody despatched you, for instance, you will see a suggestion so as to add it to your calendar with one faucet. For those who’re taking a look at a PDF, a screenshot would possibly counsel a summarization so you will get the highlights.
There’s even a function similar to Google Lens or Google’s Circle to Search, the place you may take a screenshot after which spotlight a selected factor on the web page you need to search by way of Google, or by one other app that is put in in your telephone that helps the function, like Etsy. So you may spotlight a vase, for instance, after which discover related outcomes by way of Google or related shoppable vases on Etsy.
New Group Message and Emoji Options
Group chats are lastly getting typing indicators and polls (although the latter is unique to iMessage group chats). There’s additionally the power so as to add new background designs for messages to make them extra personalised. For those who’re massive on emoji, you would possibly like the brand new capability to combine two emojis collectively by way of Genmoji within the keyboard or in Apple’s Picture Playground app. (It is considerably much like Google’s Emoji Kitchen.)
A New Video games App
There is a new app in iOS 26! The Video games app is now your one-stop store to see all of the video games you’ve got ever purchased on the App Retailer, and you may launch them proper from this app. (There’s even controller assist so you should use a cell controller to maneuver by the consumer interface.) The app permits you to uncover new video games, see what your folks are enjoying, and a Challenges tab permits you to compete even with single-player video games by way of a leaderboard.
Different Noteworthy Options
There are a number of different options not talked about right here, however listed here are a number of different highlights.
- Images: Apple heard your complaints concerning the Images app and introduced again the Library and Collections tabs on the primary web page of the app.
- Digicam: The Digicam app has a brand new look, with a simplified Picture and Video structure that expands if you transfer by modes.
- Reminders: You may now see advised duties, buying objects, or follow-ups primarily based in your emails and texts in your iPhone, powered by Apple Intelligence. There’s additionally an choice to auto-categorize associated reminders in a listing.
- AirPods Audio and Video Recording: When you’ve got AirPods or AirPods Professional with the H2 chip, you can begin recording a video within the iPhone’s digicam app by urgent and holding on the stem. You may also document audio in excessive definition within the digicam app with these AirPods.
- Maps: Maps will be taught the routes you journey often and provides you with a heads up about delays earlier than you permit the home. Additionally, there’s now a Visited Locations part within the app (it’s a must to decide in, and you may select for the way lengthy Maps shops this information, from 3 months to endlessly).
- Apple Music: Within the Music app, there’s now an AutoMix function that can seamlessly mixes one tune to the subsequent like a DJ utilizing instruments like time stretching and beatmatching. Additionally, when you’re taking a look at music lyrics, now you can see translations.
- Pockets: Apple’s Pockets app can create Digital IDs along with your US passport, which can be utilized at TSA checkpoints, in apps, and in particular person. Additionally, your boarding cross will now function airport maps, baggage monitoring with Discover My, and sharable Dwell Actions so your family members can simply obtain and see your flight information.
- Picture Playground: There are new ChatGPT types to select from when producing pictures in Apple’s picture era app.
- CarPlay: Dwell Actions are actually coming to CarPlay, so you may see the standing of a pal’s flight as you are in your strategy to the airport to choose them up. You may also now react in Messages with Tapback.
The Prime New iPadOS 26 Options
iPadOS 26 will get lots of the similar options as iOS 26, so I will not repeat issues on this part, however let’s check out particular new capabilities coming to iPads this fall. As at all times, you will get a deeper dive from Apple right here.
Multitasking Enhancements
iPads have change into extremely highly effective over the previous few years, however multitasking has been lackluster, making them really feel insufficient as laptop computer replacements. That is altering now with the multitasking modifications in iPadOS 26. Now apps assist windowing, so you may have a number of apps on the display in several sizes. Simply resize them by dragging a nook of the app and organize them wherever.
There are native window tiling choices—a flick to the left or proper will tile apps to the edges for simpler split-screen, and you may even cut up apps into thirds or quarters. The acquainted visitors mild buttons from macOS are additionally out there now on apps, and when you press and maintain them, you will see extra choices to rearrange apps with a faucet. Swipe up and maintain and your apps will unfold out in Exposé mode, and you’ll revisit your grouped apps later even when you change to a full-screen app. There’s now additionally a menu bar you may pull down from the highest in any app, although the out there choices will depend upon the app.
Better of all, iPadOS now permits you to deal with extra duties within the background. Beforehand, when you had been rendering a file in Closing Lower, you’d need to maintain it open for the render to finish. Now, that activity will be completed within the background, permitting you to change to different apps for a real multitasking desktop expertise.
A Higher Recordsdata App
The Recordsdata app has a brand new design that provides up extra information at a look. There are resizable columns, collapsible folders, and you may set default apps for opening particular file varieties. You may also customise folders with totally different colours and emojis to make them visually distinct. Talking of, you may put folders within the dock for speedier entry.
Preview App Involves iPad
Apple’s Preview app from macOS is now out there on iPadOS, permitting you to open, edit, and mark up PDFs or pictures. It really works with the Apple Pencil, making it nice for filling out textual content fields and signing paperwork.
Different Noteworthy Options
- Cellphone: There’s now a devoted Cellphone app on iPad. Calls made to your iPhone will be routed so you may reply from the iPad, and you’ll make the most of new options like dwell translation and name screening, too.
- Journal: The Journal app, initially an iPhone-exclusive app, is now on iPadOS. It now helps the Apple Pencil, so you can also make your journal really feel much more private with your individual handwriting.
- Audio recording: There is a new enter chooser that allows you to choose the suitable microphone for every app, useful when you’re connecting exterior mics to the iPad.
- Notes: You’ll be able to seize conversations from the Cellphone app as audio recordings with transcriptions.
