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 yr. Apple has modified the naming construction of its OS updates and made all of them constant—visionOS 26, watchOS 26, macOS 26—so that they’re now tied to the yr 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 stay translation options in messages and calls to the power to look something in your iPhone display by way of Visible Intelligence. The Pictures app can also be getting its tabs again! Extra important are the updates to iPadOS, which can now assist windowed apps which can be resizable and may be tiled, bringing it nearer to a desktop computing expertise individuals have been ready for.
We’ll run by way of the highest new options in each working techniques. Here is what you’ll want to know.
Is Your iPhone or iPad Appropriate
Yearly, Apple tends to chop off a number of older units from downloading the newest iOS or iPadOS model. The reason being supposedly resulting from {hardware} age (Apple usually helps iPhones and iPads for six to 7 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 acquired iOS 18 however at the moment are lower off from the newest model are the iPhone XR and iPhone XS sequence from 2018. In the event you’re uncertain about your iPhone mannequin, head to Settings > Basic > About and take a look at the mannequin title.
iPads are slightly extra difficult because the naming scheme fluctuates. Apple not too long ago retired the “generations” and is now utilizing the chipset to indicate the mannequin. You may work out 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 acquired 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
The way 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 might have mendacity round should you actually wish to attempt 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’ll threat it, be sure you again up your machine. Head to Settings and faucet your title on the prime, then choose iCloud. Faucet on iCloud Backup, toggle it on, and faucet Again Up Now. Learn our The way to Again Up Your iPhone or iPad information for different strategies and extra particulars.
If you’re able to replace, make certain your iPhone is absolutely charged and linked to Wi-Fi. Then go to Settings > Basic > 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 be sure 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. Which means 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 yr. Most individuals obtain the newest iPhone OS model in December, regardless that Apple releases it in September; this manner it continues to really feel recent proper as the brand new yr rolls round.
High iOS 26 Options
Let’s check out the highest new options in iOS 26. You may learn extra about it immediately from Apple right here.
Liquid Glass and Lock Display screen Modifications
Apple has a brand new design language for the iPhone, the primary main visible overhaul in years, and it is referred to as Liquid Glass. It’s extremely very like the Home windows Aero theme from the Microsoft Vista days in 2006. The interface acts like glass, so flattening the lock display feels such as you’re shifting 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 cellphone 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 may have the traditional app icons with Liquid Glass, and you may even tint the apps similar to final yr. However there is a new choice for “Clear” app icons, and every little 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, the topic in your photograph shifts up in order that the notifications do not block them. There’s additionally a brand new approach to flip 2D photographs right into a 3D impact within the Pictures 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 characteristic 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 provides a purpose for his or her name, your cellphone will ring, however you’ll see the response on the display so you may resolve whether or not you wish to reply or not.
Identical to Google’s Maintain for Me characteristic, Apple has a Maintain Help perform that makes staying on maintain extra bearable. In the event you’re attempting to succeed in an organization however hear the dreaded maintain music, you may flip this characteristic on and will not must pay tremendous shut consideration to your cellphone. When the music is over and a stay agent begins speaking, you may get a notification—useful if you’ll want to wait greater than half-hour simply to succeed in a customer support rep.
These screening capabilities are additionally within the Messages and FaceTime app with an “Unknown Senders” tab. You may approve these numbers they usually’ll present up in your most important Messages view, or mark them as spam. (Some will routinely be screened as Spam.)
The Cellphone app additionally has a brand new look, together with your favorites up prime and up to date calls beneath. You can swap to the outdated Cellphone app person interface by way of a toggle on the highest proper of the app.
Dwell Translation in Messages, Cellphone, and FaceTime
Now you can get stay translations from Apple’s Messages, Cellphone, and FaceTime apps. We have seen related variations of this know-how from Samsung and Google on their respective telephones over the previous couple of years. Within the Cellphone app, you may activate a translation mode, and a voice will translate what the opposite individual says and vice versa in actual time. (You may toggle whether or not you want translation each methods or simply for one language.) Over within the Messages app, you may see translated textual content as part of your message bubble when talking with another person, and in FaceTime, you may get real-time translated subtitles. All of those occur on-device, so knowledge would not go away your iPhone, they usually’ll additionally work once 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 in 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 should you reply on these platforms.
Visible Intelligence and the iPhone Display screen
Visible Intelligence debuted with Apple Intelligence as a approach to have Siri perceive the world round you thru the iPhone’s digicam. It is now increasing to know the context of your iPhone’s display. Very very like Google’s Gemini, Visible Intelligence can establish what’s in your display and recommend particular actions.
Not like triggering Visible Intelligence and Siri with the Digital camera Management or Motion Button, to set off the on-screen contextual mode, it’s important to take a screenshot (don’t be concerned, these do not must be saved should you faucet the X icon on the highest left). In the event you take a screenshot of an invite somebody despatched you, for instance, you may see a suggestion so as to add it to your calendar with one faucet. In the event you’re taking a look at a PDF, a screenshot may recommend a summarization so you will get the highlights.
There’s even a characteristic similar to Google Lens or Google’s Circle to Search, the place you may take a screenshot after which spotlight a particular factor on the web page you wish to search through Google, or by way of one other app that is put in in your cellphone that helps the characteristic, like Etsy. So you may spotlight a vase, for instance, after which discover related outcomes through 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. In the event you’re huge on emojis, you may like the brand new capacity to combine two emojis collectively through 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 have ever purchased on the App Retailer, and you may launch them proper from this app. (There’s even controller assist so you need to use a cellular controller to maneuver by way of the person interface.) The app enables you to uncover new video games, see what your mates are enjoying, and a Challenges tab enables you to compete even with single-player video games through a leaderboard.
Different Noteworthy Options
There are a number of different options not talked about right here, however listed below are a number of different highlights.
- Pictures: Apple heard your complaints in regards to the Pictures app and introduced again the Library and Collections tabs on the primary web page of the app.
- Digital camera: The Digital camera app has a brand new look, with a simplified Photograph and Video format that expands once you transfer by way of modes.
- Reminders: You will now see prompt duties, procuring objects, or follow-ups based mostly 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: You probably have 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 can even file audio in excessive definition within the digicam app with these AirPods.
- Maps: Maps will study the routes you journey repeatedly and will provide 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 important to decide in, and you may select for the way lengthy Maps shops this knowledge, from 3 months to perpetually).
- Apple Music: Within the Music app, there’s now an AutoMix characteristic that may seamlessly mixes one track to the subsequent like a DJ utilizing instruments like time stretching and beatmatching. Additionally, should you’re taking a look at music lyrics, now you can see translations.
- Pockets: Apple’s Pockets app can create Digital IDs together with your US passport, which can be utilized at TSA checkpoints, in apps, and in individual. Additionally, your boarding cross will now characteristic 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 photos in Apple’s picture technology app.
- CarPlay: Dwell Actions at the moment are coming to CarPlay, so you may see the standing of a buddy’s flight as you are in your approach to the airport to select them up. You can even now react in Messages with Tapback.
The High New iPadOS 26 Options
iPadOS 26 will get most of the identical 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 develop into extremely highly effective over the previous couple of years, however multitasking has been lackluster, making them really feel insufficient as laptop computer replacements. That is altering now with the multitasking adjustments in iPadOS 26. Now, apps assist windowing, so you may have a number of apps on the display in numerous sizes. Simply resize them by dragging a nook of the app and prepare 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 break up apps into thirds or quarters. The acquainted visitors gentle buttons from macOS are additionally out there now on apps, and should you press and maintain them, you may 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 should you swap 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 rely on the app.
Better of all, iPadOS now enables you to deal with extra duties within the background. Beforehand, should you had been rendering a file in Remaining Reduce, you’d must maintain it open for the render to finish. Now, that process may be accomplished within the background, permitting you to modify to different apps for a real multitasking desktop expertise.
A Higher Information App
The Information app has a brand new design that gives up extra information at a look. There are resizable columns, collapsible folders, and you may set default apps for opening particular file varieties. You can even 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 photos. 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 may be routed so you may reply from the iPad, and you’ll make the most of new options like stay 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 personal handwriting.
- Audio recording: There is a new enter chooser that allows you to decide the precise microphone for every app, useful should you’re connecting exterior mics to the iPad.
- Notes: You may seize conversations from the Cellphone app as audio recordings with transcriptions.
