Apple’s iOS 26 software program replace for iPhones is on the market in the present day to all customers utilizing iPhone 11, iPhone SE 2, and later. iOS 26’s marquee characteristic was Apple’s Liquid Glass design, which included parts on display that resembled a “glassy” look. Different options included a name screening assistant, a brand new gaming and preview app, in-app translation throughout the system, and updates to Genmoji and Picture Playground apps.
The working system replace additionally went by way of an enormous numerical change as Apple jumped from iOS 18 to iOS 26 for 2 key causes. First, it needed to convey all working programs — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and VisionOS — in sync. And it additionally needed to replicate the yr quantity through which the vast majority of the individuals will use this replace.
Liquid Glass
Liquid Glass design has been essentially the most vital visible overhaul for iOS in years. Apple’s intention with this redesign was to take inspiration from the Imaginative and prescient Professional interface and apply it to all of its working programs. The weather are supposed to appear to be they’re product of translucent glass. This resulted in challenges by way of readability and the way parts within the background look.
Since June, Apple has made adjustments to how “glassy” the interface appears a number of instances by way of beta releases. Whereas the corporate is releasing the steady model of iOS 26 in the present day, we would count on visible tweaks for improved readability and value within the coming months. This visible change may take a little bit of time for customers to regulate, and they won’t like sure parts straight away.
Apple apps
The Telephone app has a brand new unified look the place your favorites are up high in a card format with recents and voicemails on the identical display. You possibly can faucet the filter button on the highest proper and take a look at these sections individually as effectively. (In case you don’t like the brand new interface, Apple additionally offers you an possibility to change to the traditional look.)
iOS 26 additionally brings a name screening characteristic to iPhones, which is a private favourite. When an unknown quantity calls you, the system asks for his or her title and the aim of the decision. As soon as they provide this data, the system invokes the ringer and notifies you of the decision. You possibly can take a look at the dialog and interject at any time. Transcription of voicemail doesn’t work effectively for all languages, however name screening has lowered the variety of calls I’ve needed to decide up.
There’s additionally a holding help for when a restaurant or a helpline locations you on maintain; you should use name help to inform when an agent begins speaking once more.
Techcrunch occasion
San Francisco
|
October 27-29, 2025
The Messages app is attending to characteristic occasion with different chat apps like WhatsApp and Telegram with backgrounds, new dialog stream, polls, textual content choice, photograph previews, and typing indicators in teams. Apple has been engaged on SMS filtering for a number of years now. The corporate stated it up to date its spam filtering with this launch. Plus, it locations messages from unknown senders in a brand new folder. One factor I didn’t like about this replace is that it takes me a few faucets to go to the transactions tab.
The video games app overhaul means which you could take a look at the video games you might be enjoying (or have performed), arcade video games, challenges, and achievements in a single place, together with ideas for brand new titles. The app additionally reveals you what your pals are enjoying.
Apple lastly added Mac’s Preview app to iOS 26, which suggests you may edit, annotate, and signal PDFs extra simply.
In the meantime, Apple Music now has automixing for dynamic tune switching, together with lyrics translation and pronunciation. What’s extra, you may pin your favourite songs and playlists.
With iOS 26, Apple Maps enables you to outline most well-liked routes whereas commuting. In case your selection of route has extra site visitors or any incidents, Maps sends you a notification together with suggesting different routes. The app additionally enables you to simply view visited locations by way of a brand new locations library.
The Digicam app in iOS 26 adopts the Liquid Glass design with solely Video and Picture choices seen by default. You possibly can scroll to the left or proper to change between totally different modes. Apple has positioned some controls like Flash and Evening mode on the highest proper, and you’ll change them on/off with one contact. For extra choices like filters, kinds, publicity controls, and timer, you may swipe up from the underside of the display.
In case you didn’t just like the earlier Images app design, the tabs are again on this model.
AI options
In contrast to final yr’s grand launch of Apple Intelligence, this yr’s working system is gentle on AI options, particularly given delays in launching and rolling out options. The corporate is making AI-powered translation simply accessible in apps like Messages, FaceTime, and Telephone. Presently, this characteristic helps English (UK, US), French (France), German, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (Spain).
By means of iOS 26, the corporate can be launching reside translation on AirPods, together with the newly launched AirPods Professional 3, AirPods Professional 2, and AirPods 4.
iOS 26 updates visible intelligence to grasp the content material on the display. You must press Energy + quantity down button to convey up this menu. Apple Intelligence can then recommend occasions so as to add to your calendar. You can too ask questions concerning the content material on the display, utilizing Google Visible Search or ChatGPT. Apple can be releasing its personal “Circle to search” referred to as Spotlight.
Essentially the most complicated half about this replace is that the buttons used to convey up on-screen visible intelligence are the identical because the screenshot button. Due to this, it takes an additional step to avoid wasting a screenshot, and I’ve forgotten to avoid wasting necessary screenshots.
Apple is updating Genmoji with iOS 26 to allow you to merge two emojis with a textual content immediate and make one thing new. Now you can add expression to individuals in each Genmoji and Picture Playground. Replace to Picture Playground now permits you to modify attributes like hair and facial hair, together with new kinds from ChatGPT.
Different options
- Now you can set totally different snooze instances for alarms from 1 minute to fifteen minutes.
- The Pockets app replace permits you to create a digital ID by way of a passport to current to TSA on the airport. Plus, the app has a revamped boarding move display with extra data concerning the airport and flight.
- Voice recording on iOS 26 will allow you to decide the enter supply. It additionally gives voice isolation and the flexibility to seize audio and video regionally simply in your aspect. That is helpful for creators who document podcasts utilizing video calls.
- Apple is making reminders clever by auto-generating grocery objects from a recipe on a webpage. It might probably additionally floor reminders primarily based on an electronic mail, web site, or word you’re looking at.
- App Retailer now has accessibility vitamin labels to point the presence of options, together with VoiceOver, Voice Management, Bigger Textual content, Ample Distinction, Diminished Movement, and captions
- Apple has up to date parental management to restrict communication from new cellphone numbers with out approval, allow age-appropriate experiences in third-party apps, and the App Retailer.
Now we have an inventory of tons of small however helpful iOS options right here. You possibly can replace to iOS 26 by going to Settings>Common>Software program Replace and downloading the most recent model.
