iOS 26 Released — Is Your iPhone Eligible?
Apple has officially released iOS 26 (and iPadOS 26). The update brings a major visual overhaul and several new features — but not every iPhone will be supported. Below you’ll find compatibility details, highlights to try first, and upgrade guidance.
Official release notes
See Apple’s announcement for full release notes and more details: Apple Newsroom: New versions of Apple’s software platforms are available today
Who’s left out?
Apple dropped support for some 2018 iPhones. Notably excluded from iOS 26 are:
- iPhone XR
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
iPhones compatible with iOS 26
In short: if your iPhone was announced in 2019 or later, it should be compatible. Key supported models include (non-exhaustive):
- iPhone SE (2nd gen and later)
- iPhone 11 / 11 Pro / 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 12 / 12 mini / 12 Pro / 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13 / 13 mini / 13 Pro / 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 14 / 14 Plus / 14 Pro / 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 15 / 15 Plus / 15 Pro / 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 16 / 16 Plus / 16 Pro / 16 Pro Max
- iPhone 17 series and iPhone Air
iPads compatible with iPadOS 26
- iPad Pro (M4; 12.9-inch 3rd gen and later; 11-inch 1st gen and later)
- iPad Air (3rd gen and later, including M2 and M3)
- iPad (8th gen and later, including A16 models)
- iPad mini (5th gen and later, including A17 Pro)
Notable iOS 26 features to try first
- Liquid Glass design — redesigned app icons, floating buttons, and more cohesive visuals across Apple OSes.
- Phone app redesign — scroll contacts, recent calls and voicemail on one screen; Hold Assist to wait for a live agent.
- Live Translate — real-time translation for calls and messages.
- Polls in Messages — create quick group polls inside chats.
- New lock screen options — 3D wallpaper effects, more widgets, and updated clock styles.
- Custom snooze times — set alarms snooze from 1 to 15 minutes.
- Camera & screenshots — simplified Camera UI and screenshot actions including Google-style search and ChatGPT insights from the edit screen.
Should you upgrade?
If you prefer stability, Apple also offers iOS 18.7 which focuses on security fixes — a safe option if you want to avoid early bugs. If you want the new Liquid Glass UI and features, iOS 26 is ready, and Apple typically issues follow-ups quickly if issues appear.
Want more?
Official release notes and details: Apple Newsroom
Have a question or your device didn’t make the cut? Leave a comment below: Which iOS 26 feature are you most excited to try?