Apple announcediOS 26atWWDC 2025, and the new iPhone update comes with a fresh new ‘Liquid Glass’ look and plenty of features – and there are loads of iOS 26 supported devices, which is great news.
And no, you haven’t missed a volley of updates since iOS 18 in 2024. Apple has skipped a bunch of numbers, so instead of giving us iOS 19 in 2025, we got iOS 26 alongsideiPadOS 26,macOS 26,watchOS 26andtvOS 26. In short, Apple’s brought its operating system numbering into line. Nice.
There’s a lot to like in the iOS 26 update, so you’ll probably want to know whether your iPhone qualifies for the upgrade.
Which iPhone models can download iOS 26?
To use the iOS 26, your iPhone must feature an A13 Bionic chip or newer. That means a staggering six generations of iPhone support the iOS 26 update, with iPhones dating back to 2019 in-line for the new software.
To be able to get the new iPhone update, you’ll need one of the following models:
There are a trio of iPhones that do miss out on the iOS 26 update however, after receiving the iOS 18 update last year.
It’s not a massive surprise, considering these handsets are now eight years old and running aging technology. If you currently own one of these iPhones, we’d recommend you consider an upgrade later this year to ensure you’re on the latest software, have access to the newest features, and benefit for ongoing security updates.
When will my iPhone get iOS 26?
If you are fortunate enough to own one of the iPhone models listed above, Apple has confirmed you’ll need to wait until ‘Fall’ (likely September) for the final version of the new operating system to arrive.
Judging by past iOS releases, we expect Apple will make iOS 26 available to everyone after theiPhone 17launch, which will likely take place around the middle of September.
If you don’t want to wait until September to try out iOS 26, you can look to download the iOS 26 public beta which will be available in July. But we warned, this is a development build of the platform and could be full of bugs.
If you depend on your iPhone for vital communication, we’d advise against downloading the beta software.
What about my other Apple devices?
Own more than just an iPhone? Then your other Apple devices could be in line for a major software upgrade as well. We’ve got all the information on theiPadOS 26 supported devicesandwatchOS 26 supported devices.
