iOS 26 launch date, beta, options, compatibility for brand new iOS replace

Apple revealed its plans for its subsequent iOS replace on the WWDC keynote on June 9, 2025. The corporate additionally confirmed off new options for the subsequent iPadOS replace, macOS Tahoe, watchOS and extra on the occasion. 

As per the rumors, the upcoming iOS will likely be generally known as iOS 26 quite than iOS 19, with Apple breaking with custom and switching to a less complicated naming conference that pertains to the yr quite than a sequential quantity. Apple is taking the chance to carry consistency to the best way it names all of the working techniques, a transfer we at Macworld are celebrating. 

As anticipated, Apple has additionally given all its working techniques a serious design overhaul, with iOS benefiting from a brand new design language that makes use of what Apple refers to as Liquid Glass as a result of it offers the whole lot a shiny fluidity. This design extends to the dock and widgets. Apple can be making the entire interface extra intuitive, with modifications designed to raise the most well-liked options in addition to assist you discover new ones. 

The redesign isn’t the one change coming to iOS later in 2025. There are additionally modifications coming to iPhone apps, together with the Telephone app itself, the Digital camera, FaceTime, Messages and a model new Video games app. Yow will discover out extra about these options beneath. We additionally share which iPhones are anticipated to be suitable with iOS 26, and which iPhones aren’t supported. 

The total model of iOS 26 received’t launch till September – you’ll find out in regards to the iOS 26 launch date beneath. However you don’t have to attend till then: Apple runs a beta, so builders and those that need to enroll in the general public beta can strive the brand new options out. Learn on for details about the beta program, together with the anticipated launch date for the Public Beta and any developments within the beta testing program

Keep tuned to this frequently up to date superguide for the whole lot you might want to know in regards to the upcoming iOS replace, the most recent model of the beta and all the brand new options which can be coming.

Apple

iOS 26 Launch date

• Date TBC: 15 September, 2025 predicted

iOS 26 isn’t out but, no less than not for most people. It should possible be obtainable to obtain in September. iPadOS, macOS Tahoe, watchOS and the opposite updates will most likely be obtainable to obtain on the identical time. This can possible occur shortly after the September occasion and the launch of the iPhone 17 and new Apple Watches. 

iOS 26 Beta launch date: Find out how to get iOS 26 early

• Developer beta: June 9, 2025, June 13 replace.
• Public beta TBC: July 15, 2025 estimated

You received’t have to attend till the total launch to strive the brand new software program out. Apple runs a developer beta and a public beta for individuals who need to check out the brand new options earlier than they’re launched to most people. Each betas are free, although the developer beta requires a free registration as a developer.

The primary model of the iOS developer beta was launched following the WWDC keynote, so builders might instantly start testing it with their merchandise. This beta shouldn’t be secure and there have been stories of points from those that put in it right away. Apple up to date the primary developer beta just a few days after the launch.

Apple may even launch a public beta. This often arrives in July, a couple of month after the primary developer beta. In 2024 it arrived on July 15, so we anticipate an analogous launch in 2025. 

Between WWDC and the official launch within the fall, Apple will launch a string of beta releases, sometimes eight or so in whole. We now have a separate article that particulars how you can be a part of Apple’s beta software program program so you possibly can check the brand new software program as quickly because the beta arrives.

Anybody utilizing the beta is inspired to file bug stories utilizing the included Apple’s Suggestions Assistant app in order that the corporate can deal with them. If you wish to study extra in regards to the beta learn: What’s within the newest iOS beta and how you can get it. And ensure you learn why we advise in opposition to putting in the iOS beta.

iOS 26 supported gadgets: Which iPhones get iOS 26

• Free software program replace for iPhone 11 and later
• The iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max will miss out on iOS 26

The next iPhones will get iOS 26:

• iPhone 16e (2025)
• iPhone 16/16 Plus/16 Professional/16 Professional Max (2024)
• iPhone 15/15 Plus/15 Professional/15 Professional Max (2023)
• iPhone 14/14 Plus/14 Professional/14 Professional Max (2022)
• iPhone SE (third gen) (2022)
• iPhone 13/13 mini/13 Professional/13 Professional Max (2021)
• iPhone 12/12 mini/12 Professional/12 Professional Max (2020)
• iPhone SE (2nd gen) (2020)
• iPhone 11/11 Professional/11 Professional Max (2019)

When Apple updates the working system for its gadgets it usually signifies that sure fashions will not be suitable with the replace. The iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max, which have been supported by iOS 18 and launched in 2018, will miss out on iOS 26. 

This doesn’t imply that these 2018 iPhones are unsupported by Apple. Apple will proceed to situation security-related software program updates to iOS 18 for just a few extra years. Examine how lengthy iPhones are supported to search out out which iPhones are now not supported with safety updates. 

Nor does this imply that every one the supported iPhones get all the brand new options. As was the case in 2024, solely sure iPhones can assist Apple Intelligence powered options. That’s the iPhone 15 Professional and Professional Max and the entire of the  iPhone 16 vary. Which means in case your telephone isn’t a kind of talked about you miss out on options such because the Visible Intelligence and Genmoji updates, in addition to the Telephone app capacity to handle your undesirable calls. 

Learn the way the brand new iOS compares with the present model in our comparability of iOS 26 vs iOS 18: What’s completely different, what’s new, and must you replace?

iOS 26 design: Liquid Glass and different design modifications

Apple

Throughout the WWDC keynote Apple previewed the brand new iPhone options coming later in 2025. The largest change is a visible one: a daring new redesign referred to as Liquid Glass.

This represents the largest change to iOS since iOS 7 was launched in 2013. Again then Apple dropped the skeuomorphic design in favor of flat symbolic icons. This time the interface will likely be extra curved with numerous translucent components.

There are additionally modifications coming that may simplify app interfaces and make the content material extra seen.

What’s Liquid Glass?

The modifications coming in iOS 26 have been rumoured to be “Slicker and extra trendy” with Apple mentioned to be adopting components from visionOS. The brand new design lives as much as these expectations. It’s based mostly on a graphical consumer interface that Apple is looking Liquid Glass, which creates a translucent impact that mimics the qualities of glass.

Apple says that it’ll really feel extra like interacting with the bodily world, with components being be extra curved and fewer flat and dynamically reacting to your contact.

Apple says the modifications blur the strains between {hardware} and software program. The truth is, in line with Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, Apple is designing a twentieth anniversary iPhone with curved glass on all sides that would be the ideally suited showcase for Liquid Glass.

This new Liquid Glass design extends to all of Apple’s merchandise and to all of Apple’s apps. You’ll see the impact on the Dock, widgets and icons. Panes, home windows, buttons and menus will likely be introduced as translucent layers with specular highlights.

The Liquid Glass components will change coloration to replicate the content material beneath as you scroll and it is going to be doable to see blurred and refracted components of the background by the highest layer. This final level has result in some concern about readability, with the seen backgrounds affecting readability of textual content, for instance.

Interface modifications 

Apple

Apple is designing the interface to present a clearer view of what’s beneath the instruments and menu bars. Menus will shrink as you scroll to disclose the content material beneath. Apple can be eradicating among the muddle from menus to simplify issues and emphasise the extra incessantly used choices. For instance, quite than occupying an oblong bar on the backside of the display screen, teams of controls will seem on floating components that come out extra controls, change as you progress between views, and are tucked away if you scroll.

These modifications to the menus are designed to make it simpler to entry the options you employ most frequently, and uncover others. Apple is attempting to make iOS and its apps extra intuitive. 

A superb instance of how these design modifications will likely be utilized is the Lock Display, which will likely be extra adaptive. The picture you select as your wallpaper will likely be scaled to suit the peak and width of the Lock Display and positioned to fill the obtainable house round components just like the time. Moreover, the wallpaper picture will slide up as notifications are available.

We’ll focus on the modifications coming to particular person apps beneath, however basically Apple is making it simpler to search out the instruments you often use, with out the muddle of all the opposite options you don’t want.

iOS 26 and Apple Intelligence

Apple has been having bother with a few of it’s AI efforts, particularly the Siri options that have been touted at WWDC 2024. Apple had promised that iOS 18.4 would carry a serious replace to Siri, the place it might be higher at pure conversations with the consumer, utilizing private context, consciousness of what’s on display screen, and the flexibility to carry out in-app actions.

Apple has confirmed that these Siri-related options have been pushed again till 2026, which suggests they need to come as an replace to iOS 26, maybe in March, however we may very well be ready even longer.

Apple nonetheless had plenty of spectacular Apple Intelligence powered options to indicate off at WWDC although. The truth is, among the new options coming to Highlight on the Mac seem like among the options promised for Siri.

A few of these new Apple Intelligence options will make a big effect in apps, particularly the Telephone app, which we are going to focus on beneath. One other beneficiary of Apple Intelligence is Visible Intelligence, which was launched in iOS 18 and features a really helpful capacity in iOS 26.

Visible Intelligence in iOS 26

IDG

In iOS 18 you should utilize Visible Intelligence by holding up the iPhone to view one thing you have been interested in, triggering Visible Intelligence (through the Digital camera Management button when you’ve got one, or through the Management Centre if not) and viewing details about what you have been pointing the digital camera at. It might establish a constructing, or provide so as to add the date from a poster to your calendar, for instance. That’s all very properly if you end up out and about, however what about if you end up simply looking the online and need to know the place one thing somebody is sporting is from or the place a video is being filmed?

In iOS 26 it is going to be doable take a screenshot and lookup details about that picture and merchandise in it utilizing Visible Intelligence. You too can ask ChatGPT for details about the screenshot. 

Genmoji and Picture Playground in iOS 26

Apple

Additionally benefitting from Apple Intelligence is Genmoji, one other function that arrived with iOS 18. Genmoji permits you to create customized emoji utilizing AI. To create a Genmoji you sort an outline within the Describe an Emoji area and faucet on Create New Emoji. You should use pictures of individuals you realize as a foundation and refine the emoji till it represents what you’re searching for. The emoji will then be obtainable in your emoji keyboard to make use of.

In iOS 26 the Genmoji interface is getting a redesign. Customers will be capable of combine two emoji collectively, or alter an current emoji to create one thing new, and even mix an emoji and a Sticker (which could be created from a photograph). Customers will be capable of additional customise emoji inside Picture Playground, altering expressions.

Picture Playground, which is Apple’s app for making AI-generated photos, arrived in iOS 18 and is getting an replace in iOS 26. In iOS 26 it is going to be doable to make use of ChatGTP types, corresponding to an oil portray in addition to these supplied by Apple to create photos in Picture Playground.

iOS 26 new apps and up to date apps 

• New Telephone app capabilities
• Translation
• Digital camera app overhaul

With every iteration of iOS the set of apps Apple supplies grows and evolves, and most of the modifications coming to the apps on the iPhone are shared by those self same apps on Apple’s different gadgets. iOS 26 is not any completely different.

This time among the upcoming modifications are going to be fairly transformative to how you employ the telephone – and by which we imply the phone facet to the iPhone.  

Telephone app

The telephone app won’t be the one we use essentially the most, however as Apple says, it’s basic to the iPhone. With iOS 26 the telephone app is getting a giant replace that basically turns it right into a PA. 

Apple is tapping into Apple Intelligence to carry new Voice Mail summaries to floor crucial data, however much more thrilling, it’s aiming to remove undesirable calls with a brand new Name Screening choice that may reply the decision within the background, ask the caller to elucidate their cause for calling, after which present a textual content abstract of these particulars to you earlier than you resolve whether or not or to not take the decision. After all this may increasingly make it tougher to disregard calls from folks you ought to really converse to, however it is going to be a great way to siphon off spam and hoax calls from unknown numbers.

That’s not all. One other new function is Maintain Help, which can routinely detect maintain music and mute the decision till it’s linked to an agent. In consequence you will get issues carried out with out having to maintain your telephone speaker taking part in irritating maintain music till somebody solutions. When an agent turns into free they are going to be knowledgeable that you’re there and your telephone will ring alerting you to the connection and you may take the decision. It’s going to be like having your individual receptionist. 

One other change within the Telephone app ought to make it unattainable to by accident faucet on contact within the Recents record and name them. At present, in the event you faucet on a reputation in your Recents record it would routinely name that individual. A brand new setting will let you flip off “Faucet Recents to Name”.

Reside Translations

Additionally coming to the Telephone app, but in addition current as a options in Messages and FaceTime, is Reside Translations, which can assist you talk with somebody who speaks one other language.

With this function it is possible for you to to have a dialog with some who speaks a unique language to you. If you’re acquainted with the Hitchhiker’s Information to the Galaxy that is nearly on the stage of getting a Bable Fish.

If you’re talking to some through the telephone app the iPhone will translate what it being mentioned, with a spoken voice translating what has been mentioned into your language. The recipient may even hear translations in their very own language. Apparently they don’t must have an iPhone. The principle restriction proper now could be that Reside Translation for Telephone is accessible just for one-on-one calls in English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish.

As we mentioned above, it’s not solely the Telephone app that may get the Reside Translation options. FaceTime and Messages will as properly. And Translation can be discovering its manner into the Music app.

FaceTime 

When talking to somebody through FaceTime you will note real-time captions in your individual language. Reside Captions aren’t completely new to FaceTime, you possibly can already activate that performance in Accessibility > Reside Captions – though this solely works in case your language is about to English U.S.

In addition to the brand new Reside Translation function, FaceTime additionally will get modifications to the interface designed to floor the controls you want whereas retaining the caller seen. For instance, controls float to the underside proper and recede if you don’t want them. 

The FaceTime name record additionally will get a brand new look, with video messages autoplaying as you scroll. 

Messages

Apple

If you’re utilizing Messages to speak with somebody who speaks a unique language what you sort is translated into their language and vice versa.

As with the telephone, Messages is getting a screening device to fight spam. On-device spam detection provides you with “whole management over who seems in your dialog record,” in line with Apple.

It’s already doable to filter out spam through the use of the Unknown Senders record in Messages, however in iOS 26 Messages could have a larger capacity to display screen for spam, and it’ll ensure you nonetheless obtain verification codes and different essential or time delicate messages.

Additionally in Messages it is possible for you to so as to add a background picture to Group Chats and a brand new choice to create a ballot will likely be obtainable. Messages will even recommend a ballot if a state of affairs requires one. Anybody can add choices to the ballot, as properly. 

Those that have entry to Apple Money (nonetheless U.S. solely) also can entry this from group chats. 

Apple

Music

In Apple Music it is possible for you to to observe the lyrics alongside the interpretation into your individual language. For some languages you’ll even see a pronunciation information.

Additionally coming to the Music app is a brand new auto-mix choice that makes use of AI to fade between songs and match beats like a DJ would.

There may be additionally a brand new animated Apple Music art work choice for the Lock Display. 

Interface modifications must also imply it’s sooner and simpler to get to the music you’re in to. For instance, you possibly can pin your favorite album or playlist to the highest of your library. 

Apple

Video games

Apple is lastly tidying up the gaming expertise on the iPhone with a model new Video games app. With half a billion folks taking part in video games on iPad, in line with Apple, it’s about time. 

Apple says it’s creating a brand new vacation spot to assist its players get extra out of their video games. The Video games app will provide numerous tabs to make discovering the video games you’re taking part in or have performed simpler. The Residence tab reveals what’s most related to you. The Library tab reveals all of the video games you’ve ever downloaded. 

There may be additionally a Play Collectively tab the place you possibly can see what your pals are taking part in, play video games with them, examine scores, and invite them to play video games. You too can problem them to beat your highest rating in single participant video games. Turning single participant video games into enjoyable competitions with associates, with scores in actual time. 

Apple

One other change coming to gaming on iPhone (and iPad) is a brand new consistency to hoe contact controls are utilized in video games. Builders engaged on an iPhone or iPad recreation that requires extra superior controls have all the time needed to design their very own contact controls, and this may be inconsistent. In iOS 26, Apple will supplies its personal contact controls for buttons, thumbsticks, dpads, throttles, and touchpads.

Apple Pockets

Like Apple Money most of the new Apple Pockets options are U.S. solely, corresponding to the flexibility so as to add Drivers Licenses to Apple Pockets. 

Apple says there will likely be extra methods to pay with Apple Pay in iOS 26, for instance you possibly can redeem factors or select to pay in instalments. That function is at the moment obtainable in 9 states. From the autumn Apple says it is going to be doable so as to add a U.S. passport, however just for use for flights contained in the U.S. 

There will likely be a brand new API for builders to reap the benefits of, enabling them to supply clients with extra data inside the Pockets app, corresponding to particulars of the providers included with the fare and improve choices that may be accessed from inside the Pockets app.

You too can monitor Apple Pay orders, with Apple Intelligence discovering the order particulars and monitoring data and retaining them collectively for you. 

Passwords & Autofill

The Passwords app, launched in iOS 18, can be getting an replace. You possibly can examine modifications that you simply’ve made to accounts logged within the Passwords app, view earlier passwords that have been used for these accounts and see once they have been altered.

As well as, iOS 26, Apple is introducing enhancements that may make utilizing passkeys simpler. Passkeys is an authentication technique that replaces conventional passwords with safety keys and biometrics. Many apps and web sites already present assist for passkeys, and with the iOS 26 replace, it is going to be doable for iPhone and iPad apps to allow customers to create a passkey with only a faucet. Passkeys could be authenticated with Face ID or Contact ID, and credentials will likely be synchronized between your Apple gadgets through iCloud.

It should even be doable to pre-fill private information, corresponding to identify and electronic mail, so that you now not need to waste time filling in lengthy sign-up varieties. Even higher, iOS 26 will be capable of autofill verification codes from Gmail and WhatsApp. Verification code autofill may additionally work in Google Chrome, at the moment verification codes solely work with Apple’s Safari browser.

Maps 

Apple

The Maps app additionally will get an replace, utilizing Apple Intelligence to grasp your common commutes and study your favourites. With this data it is going to be in a position to warn you in the event you ought to take a unique route attributable to site visitors. 

One other change to Maps is that if you need it to it could log Visited Locations, which can make it simpler to search out and recall locations you’ve been to previously. It’s straightforward to delete this historical past too. 

Reminders

In iOS 26, Reminders will recommend issues corresponding to duties and grocery gadgets, plus follow-ups based mostly in your emails or different textual content in your iPhone, Mac, and extra.

Clock

You’ll lastly be capable of set a sleep period of between one and quarter-hour, quite than being caught with set eight minute snoozes!

Additionally, you will acquire the flexibility to set alarms from inside different apps. For instance, you could possibly set an alarm from inside a recipe app with out you needing to open the Clock.

Different new options in iOS 26

There are many different modifications coming to iOS itself, lots of which can enhance the general expertise.

Operating duties within the background

iOS 26 could have a brand new API for operating duties within the background. So that you received’t need to hold an app open once they’re doing one thing necessary, corresponding to importing recordsdata or exporting a video. Customers can swap to different apps with out interrupting the earlier process.

AI-powered battery administration

A new adaptive low energy mode has been noticed within the iOS 26 developer beta. This doesn’t exchange the common low energy mode (that’s nonetheless round) however as an alternative makes use of machine studying to make changes that might assist eke out a little bit extra juice out of your battery.

As well as, the Lock Display will now show estimated charging instances to hit 80 % and one hundred pc battery energy.