iOS 26: Every New Feature You Need to Know

iOS 26 launched alongside the iPhone 17 in September 2025 and represents one of the most significant iOS redesigns in years. Here is everything you need to know.

Liquid Glass Design

The most visually dramatic change is the Liquid Glass design language. UI elements throughout the OS — menus, toolbars, notifications, and interface panels — feature a translucent dynamic glass appearance that adapts to your wallpaper and lighting conditions. It is a significant departure from the flat design era and feels genuinely premium once you adjust.

Apple Intelligence Expansion

Writing tools work across virtually every app. Expanded Siri takes actions across third-party apps not just Apple apps. Image Playground for AI image generation has improved quality and more styles. Genmoji creates custom emoji from text descriptions. Apple Intelligence expanded to significantly more countries and languages with iOS 26.

Improved Siri

Siri received its most substantial upgrade ever. Personal context awareness lets Siri understand your emails, messages, and calendar. Cross-app actions complete complex multi-step tasks with a single request. On-screen awareness lets Siri see what you are looking at and act on it directly.

Messages Updates

RCS improvements for better Android cross-platform messaging. Scheduled message delivery. Tapback reactions now support any emoji rather than six fixed options. Message formatting includes bold, italic, and lists.

Which iPhones Get iOS 26?

iOS 26 supports iPhone XS and later. All Apple Intelligence features require iPhone 15 Pro or later, or any iPhone 16 or 17 model. Check Settings → General → Software Update to install on your supported device.