Here is every thing it’s essential to find out about new Apple options and the right way to get it in your iPhone

Cannot wait till the autumn to entry all the brand new Apple iOS 26 options? You possibly can formally download and install the public beta when you’re wanting ahead to seeing what’s coming this 12 months. Want extra of a guided tour? Try our preview of the iOS 26 public beta release, which exhibits off the recent dwelling and lock display screen redesign we have been asking to see for years. Known as Liquid Glass, the brand new translucent look will lengthen throughout all of Apple’s upcoming working methods. The overhaul is considered one of a number of massive adjustments coming to iOS, macOS, iPadOS and the remainder of Apple’s software program suite, all of which had been showcased through the firm’s WWDC keynote on June 9.

After overpromising on AI plans final 12 months, Apple saved its iOS roadmap targeted extra on fundamental high quality of life enhancements this 12 months. There are a number of helpful additions coming to the Cellphone and Messages apps in your iPhone, as an illustration: Apple execs outlined the flexibility to weed out spam texts or different unknown senders and an choice to carry your spot on a telephone name once you’ve been ready for a consultant to select up. Plus, a treasured characteristic that we took without any consideration is coming again (trace: it is within the Images app).

Siri, in the meantime, is in a holding sample. Apple has beforehand specified that its smarter voice assistant — first promised at WWDC 2024 — is delayed till some level “in the coming year,” so that you should not count on any main adjustments within the present betas. However there are studies that Apple is aiming to present Siri an even bigger mind transplant by basing it on third-party artificial intelligence models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Anthropic’s Claude, which may make 2026 a pivotal 12 months.

With every beta, it looks as if extra new enhancements are popping up, like a newly found FaceTime characteristic that’ll freeze your video if it detects nudity. Most newer iPhone fashions are eligible to download iOS 26 (each the betas and last model). Need to see the complete record of recent options coming this fall? Learn on.

What’s iOS 26?

Whereas the present iPhone working system is iOS 18, Apple is skipping the numbering forward to iOS 26 later this 12 months. The corporate has determined to line up its iOS model numbers with a year-based system, much like automobile mannequin years. So whereas iOS and its sibling working methods will probably be launched in late 2025, they’re all designated “26” to replicate the 12 months forward. (In the meantime, iOS 18 is still getting new versions this summer, too.)

What’s Liquid Glass design?

Let’s be sincere. Out of every thing introduced at WWDC this 12 months, the new Liquid Glass design was the star of the present. The iPhone’s dwelling and lock screens have regarded just about the identical 12 months after 12 months — the final thrilling factor (in my view) was the choice so as to add your individual aesthetic to your own home display screen by customizing your apps and widgets. So seeing the house and lock screens’ new facelift is refreshing.

So what precisely is Liquid Glass? Apple calls it a “new translucent material” since, effectively, the apps and widgets are clear. Nonetheless, the display screen can nonetheless adapt to darkish and lightweight modes, relying on environment. You may additionally discover buttons with a brand new floating design in a number of apps, like Cellphone and Maps. They’re designed to be much less distracting than the present buttons, however are nonetheless straightforward to see. Whereas the design overhaul has confirmed to be controversial since its announcement, some — together with Engadget’s personal Devindra Hardawar — like the brand new path, even when it is considerably paying homage to Microsoft’s translucent Windows Vista Aero designs from almost twenty years in the past.

That stated, as of the discharge of the iOS 26 beta 2, Apple has already incorporated some user feedback into the design, dialing again the transparency in a minimum of some locations. And whereas it’s going to proceed to evolve, Apple customers will not be capable of escape it: Liquid Glass was designed to make all of Apple’s OSes extra cohesive. Here is a take a look at how the translucent aesthetic will look with the new macOS Tahoe 26 in your desktop.

What are the brand new and notable options of iOS 26?

iOS 26 has a laundry record of recent options. Among the many most worthwhile:

Cellphone app redesign: You may lastly be capable of scroll by contacts, current calls and voicemail messages all on one display screen. It additionally comes with a brand new characteristic referred to as Maintain Help that’ll notify you when an agent involves the telephone so you’ll be able to keep away from the elevator music and proceed on with different duties.

Reside Translation in Cellphone, FaceTime and Messages: iOS 26 is bringing the flexibility to have a dialog through telephone name or textual content message with somebody who speaks one other language. Reside Translation will translate your dialog in actual time, which ends up in some stop-and-go interactions within the examples Apple shared throughout its presentation.

Polls in group chats: Uninterested in sorting by what looks as if a whole bunch of messages in your group chat? You and your pals will quickly be capable of create polls in group messages for deciding issues like which brunch spot you are consuming at or whose automobile you take on a street journey.

Filtering unknown senders in Messages: If you have not obtained spam texts about unpaid tolls or different citations, you are fortunate. For these of us who’ve, these annoying messages will quickly be filtered away in a separate folder.

Visible Intelligence: Much like a reverse Google picture search, this new characteristic will assist you to seek for something that is in your iPhone display screen. As an illustration, when you spot a pair of sneakers somebody is sporting in an Instagram photograph, you’ll be able to screenshot it and use Visible Intelligence to search out these sneakers (or related ones) on-line.

Images tabs are again: For anybody who’s nonetheless annoyed with the Photos changes made last year, you will be comfortable to know that your tabs are coming again. Library and Collections can have their very own separate areas so you do not have to scroll to infinity to search out what you are in search of.

FaceTime “Communication Security” characteristic: A more recent addition to iOS 26 seems to be the FaceTime “Communication Safety” feature that pauses communications if and when nudity is detected. The characteristic seems to be a toddler security characteristic that makes use of on-device detection, thus obviating any cloud-based privateness points.

Which iPhones will be capable of improve to iOS 26?

Just a few iPhone fashions that run the present model of iOS — iPhone XR, XS and XS Max — will not be appropriate with the most recent improve. However any iPhones launched in 2019 or later will probably be eligible for the iOS 26 update.

Not listed below are the presumed new iPhone 17 models (or possibly iPhone 26?) which might be all however sure to be introduced and launched in September.

The way to set up iOS 26 beta

The iOS 26 public beta is now obtainable to obtain through the Apple Beta Software Program. In case you’re not already a member, you will want to enroll to check out all the most recent options. Simply go to beta.apple.com and join together with your telephone quantity or e-mail tackle. It is free.

When you’re in, you’ll be able to set up it by going to Settings > Normal > Software program Replace and choosing iOS 26 public beta.

A phrase of warning: Do not join together with your most important iPhone until you are OK with any dangers that happen with utilizing an OS that is not finalized.

When will the ultimate model of iOS 26 be launched?

iOS 26 will probably be launched to the general public this fall. It often is available in September, inside per week of the Apple iPhone occasion. Final 12 months, it rolled out to iPhone customers on September 16 — precisely one week after the iPhone 16 lineup was introduced.

In case you’re extra within the Apple Intelligence options coming, here is everything Apple revealed for iOS, macOS and more throughout WWDC. Additionally, try how iOS 26 screenshots might be an intriguing preview of Apple’s delayed Siri rework.

Replace, July 24: Famous the iOS 26 public beta is now obtainable.

Replace, July 3: Famous new FaceTime characteristic discovered within the developer beta.

Replace, June 30: Famous ongoing iOS 18 releases, and studies that Apple is contemplating extra exterior LLMs for Siri.

Replace, June 25: Famous adjustments added in iOS 26 beta 2.

In case you purchase one thing by a hyperlink on this article, we might earn fee.