iOS 26 Guide: New features in the latest iPhone update and what’s coming in iOS 26.3

iOS 26 design and interface changes

• New Liquid Glass design language.
• General decluttering and simplifying of the interface and app menus.

Apple

The biggest change in iOS 26 is a visual one: a bold new redesign known as Liquid Glass.

What is Liquid Glass?

The new design features a graphical user interface that Apple is calling Liquid Glasswhich creates a translucent effect that mimics the qualities of glass.

The new Liquid Glass design language represents the biggest change to iOS since iOS 7 was introduced in 2013. Back thenApple dropped the skeuomorphic design in favor of flat symbolic icons. This time everything is more curvedless flatwith translucent elements reflecting or refracting the content in the backgroundand resizing to fit around what is onscreen. The Liquid Glass elements will also change color to reflect the content beneath as you scrolland it will be possible to see blurred and refracted elements of the background through the top layer.

Apple says that it will feel more like interacting with the physical worldwith elements dynamically reacting to your touch. The company also says the changes “blur the lines between hardware and software”.

This new Liquid Glass design extends to all Apple products and apps. You’ll see the translucent effects on the Dockwidgetsand icons. Paneswindowsbuttons and menus will be presented as translucent layers with specular highlights.

Initial feedback to the new Liquid Glass design was negative with some beta testers complaining that content wasn’t visible due to the overlaying of menus over background imageslater versions of the beta dialed this back to make the menus more visible.

Of course not everyone likes Liquid Glassand if you feel like you can’t read your notificationsread: How to reduce the Liquid Glass effect.

iOS 26 interface changes 

Apple

Apple says iOS 26 will also see design changes that simplify app interfaces to make the controls more visible. Apple is making it easier to find the tools you usually usewithout the clutter of all the other features you don’t need.

Apple has adapted the interface to focus more on what is on the screen rather than cover things with tools and menu bars. Menus will shrink as you scroll to reveal the content below. Apple is also removing some of the clutter from menus to simplify things and emphasize the more frequently-used options. For examplerather than occupying a rectangular bar at the bottom of the screengroups of controls will appear on floating elements that pop out additional controlschange as you move between viewsand are tucked away when you scroll.

These changes to the menus are designed to make it easier to access the features you use most oftenand discover others. Apple is trying to make iOS and its apps more intuitive. 

A good example of how these design changes will be applied is the Lock Screenwhich will be more adaptive. The image you choose as your wallpaper will be scaled to fit the height and width of the Lock Screen and positioned to fill the available space around elements like the time. Additionallythe wallpaper image will slide up as notifications come in.

Apple Intelligence in iOS 26

• New Siri AI features not expected until later in 2026.
• Improvements still expected for Visual IntelligenceGenmojiand Image Playground at release.

Apple has been having trouble with some of its AI effortsespecially the Siri features that were touted at WWDC 2024. Apple had promised that iOS 18.4 would bring a major update to Siriwhere it would be better at natural conversations with the userusing personal contextawareness of what is onscreenand the ability to perform in-app actions.

Apple has since confirmed that these Siri-related features have been pushed back until 2026which means they should come as an update to iOS 26perhaps in Marchbut we could be waiting even longer.

Apple still has a number of impressive Apple Intelligence powered features in iOS 26though. In factsome of the new features coming to Spotlight on the Mac look like some of the features promised for Siri.

Some of these new Apple Intelligence features will make a big impact in appsespecially the Phone appwhich we will discuss below. Another beneficiary of Apple Intelligence is Visual Intelligencewhich was introduced in iOS 18 and gains a very useful ability in iOS 26.

Visual Intelligence

IDG

In iOS 18 you can use Visual Intelligence by holding up the iPhone to view something you are curious abouttriggering Visual Intelligence (via the Camera Control button if you have oneor via the Control Centre if not) and viewing information about what you were pointing the camera at. It could identify a buildingor offer to add the date from a poster to your calendarfor example. That’s all very well when you are out and aboutbut what about when you are just browsing the web and want to know where something someone is wearing is from or where a video is being filmed?

In iOS 26 it will be possible to take a screenshot and look up information about that image and products in it using Visual Intelligence. You can also ask ChatGPT for information about the screenshot. 

Genmoji

Apple

Also benefitting from Apple Intelligence is Genmojianother feature that arrived with iOS 18. Genmoji lets you create custom emoji using AI. To create a Genmoji you type a description in the Describe an Emoji field and tap on Create New Emoji. You can use photos of people you know as a basis and refine the emoji until it represents what you are looking for. The emoji will then be available in your emoji keyboard to use.

In iOS 26 the Genmoji interface gets a redesign. Users will be able to mix two emoji togetheror alter an existing emoji to create something newor even combine an emoji and a Sticker (which can be created from a photo). Users will be able to further customize emoji inside Image Playgroundchanging expressions.

Image Playground

Image Playgroundwhich is Apple’s app for making AI-generated imagesarrived in iOS 18 and gets an update in iOS 26. In iOS 26 it will be possible to use ChatGPT with new s and promptssuch as an oil painting as well as those provided by Apple to create images in Image Playground.

Overhauled Phone app in iOS 26 

• Call Screening answers the callfinds out why they are callingand lets you know before you decide whether or not to take the call.
• Hold Assist stops you needing to sit in a queue to be connected with an agent.
• Voice Mail text summaries quickly surface the most important details of missed calls.

With each iteration of iOS the set of apps Apple provides grows and evolvesand many of the changes coming to the apps on the iPhone are shared by those same apps on Apple’s other devices. iOS 26 is no different.

This timesome of the changes are going to be quite transformative to how you use the phone – and by which we mean the telephone aspect of your iPhone.  

The phone app might not be the one we use the mostbut as Apple saysit is fundamental to the iPhone. With iOS 26 the phone app is getting a big update that essentially turns it into a PA and a spam filtering tool. 

Apple is tapping into Apple Intelligence to bring new Voice Mail summaries to surface the most important informationbut even more excitingit is aiming to eliminate unwanted calls with a new Call Screening option that can answer the call in the backgroundask the caller to explain their reason for callingand then provide a text summary of those details to you before you decide whether or not to take the call. Of coursethis may make it harder to ignore calls from people you ought to actually speak tobut it will be a good way to siphon off spam and hoax calls from unknown numbers.

That’s not all. Another new feature is Hold Assistwhich will automatically detect hold music and mute the call until it is connected to an agent. As a resultyou can get things done without having to keep your phone speaker playing irritating hold music until someone answers. When an agent becomes free they will be informed that you are there and your phone will ring alerting you to the connection and you can take the call. It’s going to be like having your own receptionist. 

Another change in the Phone app should make it impossible to accidentally tap on contact in the Recents list and call them. Currentlyif you tap on a name in your Recents list it will automatically call that person. A new setting will allow you to turn off “Tap Recents to Call”.

Live Translations in iOS 26

• Real-time voice translations in EnglishFrenchGermanPortugueseand Spanish.
• Translated Live Captions in FaceTime video calls.
• Automated translations in Messages.
• Lyrics in your language in Apple Music.

Coming to the Phone appbut also present as a feature in Messages and FaceTimeis Live Translations. This will help you communicate with someone who speaks another language.

With this feature you will be able to have a conversation with some who speaks a different language to you. If you are familiar with the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy this is almost at the level of having a Babel Fish.

If you are speaking to someone via the phone appthe iPhone will translate what is being saidwith a spoken voice translating what has been said into your language. The recipient will also hear translations in their own language. Apparentlythey don’t need to have an iPhone. The main restriction right now is that Live Translation for Phone is available only for one-on-one calls in EnglishFrenchGermanPortugueseand Spanish.

As we said aboveit’s not only the Phone app that will get the Live Translation features. FaceTime and Messages will as well. And Translation is also finding its way into the Music app.

FaceTime translations

When speaking to someone via FaceTime you will see real-time captions in your own language. Live Captions aren’t entirely new to FaceTimeyou can already turn on that functionality in Accessibility > Live Captions – although this only works if your language is set to English U.S.

As well as the new Live Translation featureFaceTime also gets changes to the interface designed to surface the controls you need while keeping the caller visible. For examplecontrols float to the bottom right and recede when you don’t need them. 

The FaceTime call list also gets a new lookwith video messages autoplaying as you scroll. 

Messages translations

Apple

If you are using Messages to communicate with someone who speaks a different language what you type is translated into their language and vice versa.

As with the phoneMessages is getting a screening tool to combat spam. On-device spam detection will give you “total control over who appears in your conversation list,” according to Apple.

It is already possible to filter out spam by using the Unknown Senders list in Messagesbut in iOS 26 Messages will have a greater ability to screen for spamand it will make sure you still receive verification codes and other critical or time-sensitive messages.

Also in Messages you will be able to add a background image to Group Chatsand a new option to create a poll will be available. Messages will even suggest a poll if a situation calls for one. Anyone can add options to the poll. 

Those who have access to Apple Cash (still U.S. only) can also access this from group chats. 

Apple

A small but brilliant update coming to Messages is the ability to copy parts of a textrather than the whole thing. This is one of those incomprehensible failures of Messages on iPhone right now: the only option is to copy the entire messagepaste itand then edit out what you don’t want. When using Messages on the Mac you can just copy the part of the Message you need. It’s a long overdue feature for iPhone Messages.

Apple Music lyric translations

Apple

In Apple Music you will be able to follow the lyrics alongside the translation into your own language. For some languages you will even see a pronunciation guide.

Also coming to the Music app is a new auto-mix option that uses AI to fade between songs and match beats like a DJ wouldanimated Apple Music artwork option for the Lock Screenand interface changes that should make it faster and easier to get to the music you are into. For exampleyou can pin your favourite album or playlist to the top of your library.

Overhauled Camera & Photos apps in iOS 26

• Redesigned Camera app hides away less common shooting modes to declutter the interface.
• Quick access to more common settings.
• Add 3D effects to photos.

In iOS 26Apple has redesigned the camera apphiding most of the lesser-used camera shooting modes and options to simplify the increasingly cramped layout and giving users quick access to settings.

In the Photos app there is the ability to add 3D effects to photos.

We have a separate article covering how to use the iOS 26 Camera appincluding where to find camera modes and features how to change capture settings and how to use AirPods as a remote.

New Games app in iOS 26

• Find games that are perfect for you.
• Quickly discover all your previously played games.
• Challenge friends to battle.
• More consistent touch controls across games.

Apple

Apple is finally tidying up the gaming experience on the iPhone with a brand-new Games app.

Apple says it is creating a new destination to help its gamers get more out of their games. The Games app offers various tabs to make finding the games you are playing or have played easier. The Home tab reveals what’s most relevant to you. The Library tab shows all the games you have ever downloaded. 

There is also a Play Together tab where you can see what your friends are playingplay games with themcompare scoresand invite them to play games. You can challenge them to beat your highest score in single player games. Turning single-player games into fun competitions with friendswith scores in real time. This will be Apple’s second attempt to get users to connect socially: remember iTunes Ping? (Apple would probably rather you forgot).

Another change to gaming on iPhone (and iPad) is a new consistency to how touch controls are applied in games. Developers working on an iPhone or iPad game that requires more advanced controls have always had to design their own touch controlsand this can be inconsistent. In iOS 26Apple will provide its own touch controls for buttonsthumbsticksdpadsthrottlesand touchpads.

More app changes in iOS 26

Apple Wallet

Like Apple Cashmany of the new Apple Wallet features are U.S. onlysuch as the ability to add Drivers Licenses to Apple Wallet. 

Apple says there will be more ways to pay with Apple Pay in iOS 26for example you can redeem points or choose to pay in instalments. That feature is currently available in nine states. From the fall Apple says it will be possible to add a U.S. passportbut only for use for flights inside the U.S. 

There will be a new API for developers to take advantage ofenabling them to provide customers with more information within the Wallet appsuch as details of the services included with the fare and upgrade options that can be accessed from within the Wallet app.

You can also track Apple Pay orderswith Apple Intelligence finding the order details and tracking information and keeping them together for you. 

Passwords

The Passwords appintroduced in iOS 18gets an update. You can check changes that you’ve made to accounts logged in the Passwords appview previous passwords that were used for these accountsand see when they were altered.

Passkeys

In additionApple has introduced improvements to iOS 26 that will make using passkeys easier. Passkeys is an authentication method that replaces traditional passwords with security keys and biometrics. Many apps and websites already provide support for passkeys andwith the iOS 26 updateit will be possible for iPhone and iPad apps to enable users to create a passkey with just a tap. Passkeys can be authenticated with Face ID or Touch IDand credentials will be synchronized between your Apple devices via iCloud.

Autofill

It will also be possible to pre-fill personal datasuch as name and emailso you no longer have to waste time filling in long sign-up forms. Even betteriOS 26 will be able to autofill verification codes from Gmail and WhatsApp. Verification code autofill may also work in Google Chrome; currently verification codes work only with Apple’s Safari browser.

Apple Maps 

Apple

The Maps app gets an updatenow using Apple Intelligence to understand your regular commutes and learn your favorites. With this information it will be able to warn you if you should take a different route due to heavy traffic. 

Another change to Maps is that it can log (on your devicewith encryption) Visited Placeswhich will make it easier to find and recall places you have been to in the past. It’s easy to delete this historytoo. 

Reminders

In iOS 26Reminders will suggest things such as tasks and grocery itemsplus follow-ups based on your emails or other text on your iPhoneMacand more.

Notes

Notes will gain Markdown support.

Weather

Satellite-based reporting.

Clock

You will finally be able to set a snooze duration of between one and 15 minutesrather than being stuck with set eight-minute snoozes!

You will also gain the ability to set alarms from inside other apps. For exampleyou could set an alarm from within a recipe app without you needing to open the Clock.

Other new features in iOS 26

There are lots of other changes coming to iOSmany of which will improve the overall user experience.

AirPods: Pause Media When Falling Asleep

Existing AirPods should get some new features due to the iOS 26 update. These include a new feature that will enable AirPods to pause when they sense the wearer has fallen asleep. Code in the iOS 26 beta indicates that this feature is tied to iOS 26rather than the AirPods line specifically – it may even work on Apple’s Beats headphones.

In additionit will be possible to easily switch between different audio input devices – so you could switch from AirPods as dedicated microphones to another devicefor example.

Running tasks in the background

iOS 26 will have a new API for running tasks in the background. Soyou won’t have to keep an app open when they’re doing something importantsuch as uploading files or exporting a video. Users can switch to other apps without interrupting the previous task.

Adaptive Power Mode

This feature aims to extend battery life by adjusting performance based on usage patterns. Where Low Power Mode throttles your iPhone’s performance and kills certain background activities to save energyAdaptive Power Mode makes smaller adjustments to your iPhone’s performance based on how you use it. As a result the impact should be subtlerand potentially something users could keep on at all times.

Battery Intelligence: AI-powered battery management

iOS 26 will introduce a feature dubbed Battery Intelligence. This presents the estimated charging duration to reach 80% (then 100%) when connected to a charger – so you know how long you will need to change your iPhone before you can leave the house.

A new adaptive low power mode has been spotted in the iOS 26 developer beta. This doesn’t replace the regular low power mode (that’s still around) but instead uses machine learning to make adjustments that could help eke out a little more juice from your battery.

In additionthe Lock Screen will now display estimated charging times to hit 80 percent and 100 percent battery power.

Support for Qi2 25W wireless charging

Since fall 2024Apple’s MagSafe Charger has supported up to 25W wireless iPhone charging on the iPhone 16 family. Third-party chargers—previously limited to a 15W maximum—will be able to match that speed with the release of the new Qi2 25Wwhich the iPhone 16 and later will support from iOS 26.

RCS Universal Profile 3.0 and other Android ‘friendly’ features

Support for RCS Universal Profile 3.0 may come in an update to iOS 26. RCS 3.0 will encrypt iPhone-to-Android messagesand offer other features to make communicating between iPhones and Android phones more seamless. CurrentlyAndroid users can edit a message within 15 minutes of it being sent – this works in iOS 18.5 and the iOS 26 developer beta but the iPhone displays the edited message as a new one with an asterisk rather than replacing the message with the edited message.

iPhone users are able to edit messages sent to other iPhonesbut they are not yet able to edit RCS messages sent to an Android phone. RCS 3.0 should also make this available to iPhone users.

There also be simplified eSIM transfer from Android.

iOS 26 release date

• First seen at WWDC on June 92025
• Available to download on September 152025

The release usually happens around the following times where most of our readers live. But note that Apple’s servers are likely to be overloaded so an early download may take a long time! If you wait a day or so the download will be faster – and Apple may have addressed any early bugs.

• U.S.: at 10 am (PST/PDT)11 am (MST/MDT)noon (CST/CDT)1 pm (EST/EDT)
• Canada: as aboveand 2 pm (AST/ADT)
• U.K.: at 6 pm (GMT/BST)
• Europe: at 7pm (CET/CEST)8 pm (EET/EEST)
• India: at 10.30 pm (IST)
• Australia: Next day at 1 am (AWST/AWDT)2.30 am (ACST/ACDT)3 am (AEST/AEDT)
• New Zealand: Next day at 5 am (NZST/NZDT)

For help installing iOS 26 read: How to update iOS on iPhone.

iOS 26 latest beta

• Latest Developer Beta: iOS 26.3
• Latest Public Beta: iOS 26.3

We have a separate article that details how to join Apple’s beta software program. Beta development of iOS 26 will continue even after the iOS update arrives with the publicwith even more new features being developed.

Anyone using the beta is encouraged to file bug reports using the included Apple’s Feedback Assistant app so that the company can address them. If you want to learn more about the beta read: What’s in the latest iOS beta and how to get it.

iOS 26 supported devices

• iOS 26 is a free software update for iPhone 11 and later.
• The iPhone XRXSand XS Max will miss out on iOS 26.

Apple has confirmed the following iPhones will be able to get iOS 26:

• iPhone 16e (2025)
• iPhone 16/16 Plus/16 Pro/16 Pro Max (2024)
• iPhone 15/15 Plus/15 Pro/15 Pro Max (2023)
• iPhone 14/14 Plus/14 Pro/14 Pro Max (2022)
• iPhone SE (3rd gen) (2022)
• iPhone 13/13 mini/13 Pro/13 Pro Max (2021)
• iPhone 12/12 mini/12 Pro/12 Pro Max (2020)
• iPhone SE (2nd gen) (2020)
• iPhone 11/11 Pro/11 Pro Max (2019)

When Apple updates the operating system for its devices it often means that certain models are not compatible with the update. The iPhone XRXSand XS Maxwhich were supported by iOS 18 and launched in 2018will miss out on iOS 26. 

This doesn’t mean that those 2018 iPhones are unsupported by Apple. Apple will continue to issue security-related software updates to iOS 18 for a few more years. Read about how long iPhones are supported to find out which iPhones are no longer supported with security updates. 

Nor does this mean that all the supported iPhones get all the new features. As was the case in 2024only certain iPhones can support Apple Intelligence powered features. That’s the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max and the whole of the iPhone 16 range. This means that if your phone isn’t one of those mentioned you miss out on features such as the Visual Intelligence and Genmoji updatesas well as the Phone app ability to manage your unwanted calls. 

Find out how the new iOS compares with the current version in our comparison of iOS 26 vs iOS 18: What’s differentwhat’s newand should you update?