Everything to know about the free iPhone software update

Listen to the owners of iPhone! IOS 26 is finally available for download, as well as all other new operating systems of Apple. The first thing you will notice after installation is a new, clear language for design. The transparent appearance can be found inside the applications as well as lock screens and home screens. Reform is one of the big changes that come with iOS, MacOS, iPados, Watchos and the rest of Apple.

You will also see several useful additions to phone and messages applications. For example, the ability to get rid of random or unknown mail texts and a choice to keep your spots on a phone call when you are waiting to pick up a representative. For fun, you can now create opinion polls in the text of the group. Other new improvements include a confirmed AirPods translation feature, new animation fees on the passcode screen and in the control center.

If you do not have a compatible phone but plan to upgrade, Apple has unveiled many new models at the iPhone 17-the new iPhone 17 and the new iPhone Air. If you miss the keyword, you can catch up with everything Apple here or watch the full iPhone 17. The company collected its ads with three new Apple Watch models, as well as AirPods Pro 3.

Most of the latest iPhone models are qualified to download iOS 26. We have collected a full list of new features that you must check.

What is iOS 26?

Instead of iOS 19 version, Apple has skipped its conferences to iOS 26. The company decided to line up iOS numbers with a system -based system, similar to the years of auto model. So, while IOS and her brother’s operating systems were released in 2025, they were all appointed “26” to reflect the next year.

Apple has also released iOS 18.7 alongside iOS 26 to address safety problems – great news if you don’t have a qualified phone to run the latest operating system.

What is liquid glass design?

Let’s be honest. From all that was announced in WWDC this year, the new liquid glass design was the star of the show. The iPhone’s home and lock screens appeared in the same year after year – the last thing (in my opinion) was the option to add your own aesthetic to your main screen by customizing your applications and user interface elements. So seeing the new screens plastic surgery at home and locking is refreshing.

So what exactly is liquid glass? Apple calls it a “new transparent material” because applications and elements user interface are clear. However, the screen still adapts to dark and light conditions, depending on the surrounding areas. You will also notice buttons with a new floating design in many applications, such as phone and maps. It is designed to be less dispersed than the current buttons, but it is still easy to see. Although the design repair has proven controversial since its announcement, some – including Engadget’s Devindra hardawar – like the new direction, even if it reminds us to some extent with the transparent Window Aero designs from Microsoft nearly twenty years ago.

However, while he was in a beta position, the Apple merged some of the user notes in the design, and called for transparency in at least some places. Although it will continue to develop, Apple users will not be able to escape from it: the company says liquid glass is designed to make all its platforms more coherent. Here’s a look at how the transparent aesthetic appears with the new MacOS Tahoe 26 on the desktop.

What are the new and welded features of iOS 26?

IOS 26 has a new feature washing menu. Among the most worthy of attention:

Re -Design the phone application: You can now pass through the contacts, modern calls and voice mail messages on one screen. It also comes with a new feature called Hold Assist that will teach you when an agent comes to the phone so that you can avoid elevator music and follow up with other tasks.

Live translation in the phone, face and messages: IOS 26 brings the ability to have a conversation through a phone call, text message, or text message with someone who speaks another language. Live Apple Intelligence uses and will translate your conversation in actual time, leading to some reactions to stop stopping in the examples that Apple shared during the presentation.

Opinion polls in group chats: Tired of sorting through what appears to be like hundreds of messages in your group chat? You and your friends can now create opinion polls in collective messages to determine things like the lunch spot you take or your car on a wild trip.

Liquidation of an unknown messenger in the messages: If you have not received random mail texts about unpaid drawings or other categories, you are lucky. For those of us, these annoying messages will be filtered soon in a separate folder.

Optical Intelligence: Like Google Image’s reverse search, this new feature will allow you to search for anything on the iPhone. For example, if you discover a pair of shoes that someone wears in Instagram, you can snapshot and use visible intelligence to find these shoes (or similar) online.

Photo tab came back: For anyone who feels frustrated by the changes of last year in the application of photos, you will be happy to know that your tabs have returned. The library and groups have its own separate spaces, so you do not have to pass to Infinity to find what you are looking for.

Camera application updates: The mobility in the camera application should be simpler in iOS 26, as all the buttons and menus in comfortable locations – the least beating, and more images were made. In addition, there is a new feature that tells you if the lens need to clean it.

FaceTime: It seems that the new addition to iOS 26 appears to be the “Communications Safety” feature in FaceTime that stops communications if nudity is discovered. The feature appears to be a child’s safety feature that uses the detection of the device, thus avoiding any cloud -based special problems.

New lock screen options: The iPhone lock screen is more customized in iOS 26, with a cooler hour, 3D rear effects, more mini tools and better focus options.

Preparing a new warning: It is no longer stuck with nap preparation for 9 minutes in your alarm devices. Instead, you now have the option to change the nap time from a minute to 15 minutes.

Screen shots look different: You will notice many new features when picking a screenshot, including “Aightlight to Search”, the option to search for your picture on Google and Chatgpt is present in any questions you have about the image.

New changes with iPados 26

Your iPad does not lag after it comes to big updates. Here is what you are looking for.

Multiple tasks and real winds: When downloading the latest update, you will be able to run many applications on your screen at the same time. Once an application opens, it will appear on your screen as usual, but you will be able to change its size and transfer it via your screen to make room for other applications. This feature is optional so you can turn it off if you don’t like it.

Visual update: Along with other ONSES, iPados 26 also has aesthetic glass. This new outlook appears on the lock and home screens, as well as drop -down menus.

New menu bar: When scrolling down on your screen, the new menu bar will appear with options like files, editing, Windows and more. There is also a search option if you are looking for something specific.

There is more than that, so be sure to review our first impressions of iPados 26.

What about AirPods?

AirPods are also updated using iOS 26. Here are some of the most famous functions.

Record the improvement: Apple calls “studio quality” sound recording, however, you will notice more clarity during loud environments.

Camera dimension control: Using this, you can take an image or start recording the video and stop it with only one pressure on AirPods. When taking pictures, you will get the countdown for three seconds before the iPhone or iPad settles on the image.

Live Translation feature: The direct translation is available on AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 with AnC when they associate with iPhone devices that run on iOS 26. Apple says that when someone talks in a different language, you can use your airboards to translate what they say.

Heart rate monitoring: Apple has introduced the new AirPods Pro 3 headphones this month, which includes monitoring the heart rate. It will work with a healthy apple application and other fitness applications that follow heart rate.

Did Siri get an update?

Sir in a knot style. Apple has already determined that its most intelligent audio assistant – promised for the first time at WWDC 2024 – has been delayed until a point “next year”, so you should not expect any major changes at the present time. But there are reports that Apple aims to give Siri a larger brain transplant by placing it in third -party artificial models such as Openai’s Chatgpt or Anthropic’s Claud, which may make 2026 a central year. According to what the company was working on Chatbot from artificial intelligence “stripping” to compete Chatgpt.

What are the iPhone devices that will be able to upgrade to iOS 26?

A few iPhone models that run the current version of iOS – iPhone XR, XS and XS Max – do not correspond to the latest upgrade. But any iPhone from 2019 or later will be eligible for iOS 26:

• iPhone SE (second generation or later)

When is iOS 26 download?

IOS 26 was officially released for the public for free today, September 15.

If you are more interested in the new Apple Intelligence Video features, here is all the Apple for iOS, MacOS and more through WWDC. Also, check how iOS 26 screens are an interesting preview to reformulate the late Siri from Apple.

Update, September 15: IOS 26 is officially available for download.

Update, September 12: Noted iOS 26 is coming to qualified iPhone devices within a few days, TBD timing.

Update, September 11: The Apple products were added at the Tuesday event and noticed when IOS 26 is available for download.

Update, September 9: Note that the iPhone event begins soon.

Update, September 8: Note that the iPhone 17 event tomorrow.

Update, September 4: Add details on how to different screen shots in iOS 26.

Update, September 3: Apple is expected to note that iOS 18.7 besides iOS 26.

Update, September 2: Add more new new features with iOS 26.

Update, August 29: A new section was added about Siri and a link to what is new with the iOS 26 camera.

Update, August 27: The date of the official iPhone 17 event was added, as well as the possible version of iOS 26.

Update, August 25: He added rumors about monitoring the new AirPods heart rate.

Update, August 22: Note that Apple has officially stopped signing iOS 18.6.

Update, August 20: Note that iOS 26 Public Beta 4 and iOS 18.6.2 are now available for download.

Update, August 18: Add details about the possible 18.6 update.

Update, August 15: In addition to the association with what can be expected at the Apple iPhone event and details about what is available at the iOS 26 Editor.

Update, August 13: New AirPods details are added to Beta iOS 26.

Update, August 11: Note that iOS 26 Beta developer hit beta 6.

Update, August 8: New features are added to iPados 26 and AirPods.

Update, Aug 6: Note the iOS 26 Beta 5 version and the New Boundy feature on the traffic code screen and the control center.

Update, August 4: Note that Apple is working on a Chatgpt competitor.

Update, August 1: A quote from Tim Cook added about iOS 26.

Update, July 31: Note that iOS 18.6 is now available.

Update, July 24: I noticed that iOS 26 Bublic Beta is now available.

Update, July 3: The new FaceTime feature found in the developed Beta.

Update, June 30: Continuous versions iOS 18, and reports that Apple is considering an additional exterior LLMS for Siri.

Update, June 25: Famous changes added in iOS 26 Beta 2.