Apple will release some of the biggest software updates for its iPhone, iPad and smartwatch on Monday, radically changing the way icons, the lock screen and the system looks, as well as adding features for compatible devices.
Announced at the company’s developer conference in June, iOS 26, iPadOS 26, watchOS 26 and macOS 26 Tahoe introduce Apple’s new Liquid Glass design, giving everything a softer, more rounded and semi-transparent look that has proved divisive.
Here’s what you need to know about the updates.
When can I get it?
Downloads for iOS, iPadOS, watchOS and macOS updates usually start at about 6pm UK time (1pm in New York; 3am in Sydney). Unlike other manufacturers, all eligible Apple devices will be able to download and install the update the moment it is released rather than in a staggered fashion.
Which devices can get it?
All Apple smartphones from 2019’s iPhone 11 or newer can install iOS 26. All tablets from the 2018 iPad Pro or 2019 iPad Air (3rd gen), iPad mini (5th gen) or iPad (8th gen) and newer can install iPadOS 26. All Apple Watches from the 2020’s Series 6 or newer can install watchOS 26. All MacBook Airs from 2020, 16in MacBook Pros from 2019, 13in MacBook Pros from 2020, Mac minis from 2020, iMacs from 2020, Mac Studios from 2022 and the 2019 Mac Pro or later can install macOS 26 Tahoe.
How do I get it?
Open the Settings app on an iPhone or iPad then navigate to General > Software Update. Tap install if available to download, verify and then reboot to finish. You can also install the update using a Mac or iTunes on a Windows computer.
WatchOS 26 requires an iPhone 11 or later to be running iOS 26 first. Then open the Watch app on the phone and navigate to General > Software Update to begin the installation. You will need to put the smartwatch on its charger to complete the update.
Macs are updated in System Settings, navigate to General > Software Update.
How much will it cost?
The updates are free from Apple. If you are being asked to pay for an update it is a scam.
What happened to iOS 19 to 25?
Apple has switched to a new year-based naming format for its software. That means iOS 18 and others that were released in September 2024 for the 2024-2025 period are being replaced with iOS 26 et al for 2025-2026. It’s a bit like sports seasons now.
Liquid Glass everywhere
All of Apple’s operating systems now sport the same semi-translucent design that looks a little like frosted glass bubbles floating above a flat background, bringing the depth-based interface from the Vision Pro headset to the iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad and Mac. Icons, notification banners, buttons and menus are more rounded with a sheen to them that reacts to movement, allowing you to partly see through them to your wallpaper, app or content beneath.
iOS 26
The Liquid Glass look for the home screen and icons is one of the biggest changes for iOS in many years. Composite: Apple
The Liquid Glass redesign has changed the shape and look of the icons and widgets on the home screen. In addition to the reworked standard app icons, you can now turn them all colourless and translucent, tint them with your choice of colour or use a dark version of the original icon.
Notifications and other elements now bounce into view from the top of the screen. Widgets display at the bottom of the lockscreen and the clock can dynamically scale in size depending on how many notifications take up the display.
Dynamic and hiding buttons
Various buttons now shrink away when you don’t interact with them. For example, the camera app has been streamlined to hide additional modes behind a slider or big pop-up menus. The address bar and navigation buttons in Safari now condense down to a small button at the bottom of the screen as you scroll. To get to your tabs and controls you need to swipe the address bar button upwards or press the three-dot button.
Filter spam more easily
Improved spam filtering is now part of the phone and messaging apps. Composite: Apple
The phone app can automatically screen calls from unknown numbers with the iPhone answering and asking for their name and reason for calling before alerting you so you can decide not to pick up. Messages can now screen texts from new senders and detect spam, filtering them out to separate inboxes. The phone app can also wait on hold for you until a customer services agent picks up and is ready to speak to you.
The phone app, FaceTime and messages now all have live translation built in too.
Games app
A new Games app acts as the home for gaming on the iPhone. It contains your games library, highlights what your friends are playing and replaces Game Centre for tracking achievements, competitions and other gaming events.
iPadOS 26
iPadOS 26 marks a huge upgrade for multitasking on the iPad, bringing it more into line with macOS. Composite: Apple
The iPad gets the same visual redesign as the iPhone with clear icons and hiding buttons, but with more dramatic changes to the way iPadOS 26 works thanks to new multitasking capabilities designed for those that use an iPad as a computer replacement.
Mac-like menu bar and full windowing
The familiar macOS menu bar is now on the iPad. Composite: Apple
One big new addition to the iPad is the menu bar and window management abilities from the Mac. Swipe down from the centre of the top of the screen in an app to reveal its menu bar with all of the various functions, including the familiar settings, file, edit, view, window and help menus from the Mac.
It also has Apple’s traditional red, yellow and green three-dot menu for closing, minimising, shrinking or expanding the window. Press and hold the buttons to reveal tiling and moving controls, just like a Mac, or manually resize and move the window to any position you’d like. Swipe up and hold for Exposé, flick an app to the left or right to snap it to the side of the screen, or flick it up to go full screen.
You can open multiple windows and have them overlap, tile them side-by-side or just have a mess with the home screen acting like the desktop on a Mac.
Preview and Files app
The Files app has been revamped to make it easier to manage documents and files on your iPad, including being able to set the default app for opening particular file types as you would on a computer. Folders such as Downloads or Documents can be added directly to the Dock for easier access.
The Mac’s Preview app has been brought to the iPad, which can handle PDFs, images and various other documents, allowing you to view, edit or mark them up with an Apple Pencil.
watchOS 26
WatchOS 26 improves the workout experience and adds most of the new features from iOS 26. Composite: Apple
The glass-like design of the iPhone is even more apparent on the Apple Watch with notification bubbles overlaid on top of the watch face, floating buttons in apps and a softer look to the smart stack of widgets.
Workout Buddy
Apple’s new chatbot for fitness is Workout Buddy, which can talk to you, offering advice and encouragement while exercising similar to an Apple Fitness+ coach. It flags when you’ve hit certain milestones, goals, pace or thresholds during activities, such as a faster last kilometre, and then recaps your workout at the end. It works over Bluetooth headphones connected to the watch and needs an iPhone 15 Pro or later phone nearby.
Sleep scores and high blood pressure alerts
The sleep app now generates sleep scores each morning as a one-glance look at how well you slept. For Series 9 or Ultra 2 or later watches, a new blood pressure feature will notify you if it detects signs of hypertension over the last 30-day period.
Wrist flick
Apple has also added a great new gesture to the touch-free gestures available on newer Watches. Turn your wrist quickly away from you and back to dismiss notifications, alarms and other alerts. It joins the double-tap gesture as handy ways to clear things or use the watch without touching it.
New watch faces
There are various new and revamped watch faces to choose from as part of watchOS 26. Composite: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
Three new watch faces have been added. Flow is a large digital face that uses the Liquid Glass design to change colour and react to movement. Exactograph separates hours, minutes and seconds into their own analogue dials in various open or closed forms. The Ultra-exclusive Waypoint encircles the time with a live compass pointing to various landmarks and points of interest. A revamped Photos face is also available with floating numerals.
macOS 26 Tahoe
MacOS 26 Tahoe incorporates the same Liquid Glass design elements. Composite: Apple
MacOS gets most of the new features and design changes made to the iPhone and iPad, including more rounded window corners and glass-like effects.
Phone app
The phone app allows you to make, take and review calls without your phone. Composite: Apple
Apple has brought the full Phone app to the Mac for making calls through wifi calling and the connected iPhone. It shows recent calls, voicemails, contacts and supports the new call screening and hold assist features from the iPhone.
Live activities such as sports scores or delivery apps from the iPhone now appear in the menu bar on the Mac.
Spotlight
Actions have now been integrated into the Spotlight search system, which allows you to send messages and emails, create notes, add reminders and other actions straight from the search bar. You can now filter files by type, list them together, find documents on third-party cloud services and browse through apps, files, clipboard history and other bits instead of searching.