The entirety to grasp in regards to the loose iPhone device replace by means of NewsFlicks

If you have not already, you’ll be able to now obtain the brand new iOS 26 for your iPhone. Whenever you do, get able to peer a slew of adjustments, together with a brand new transparent design referred to as Liquid Glass. The translucent glance may also be discovered inside of apps in addition to your lock and residential displays. (If you do not find it irresistible, there is a method to scale back the transparency.) The overhaul is one among a number of large adjustments that include iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS and the remainder of Apple’s device suite — the brand new running device updates for the ones devices are additionally to be had to obtain now.

You’ll be able to additionally see a couple of helpful additions within the Telephone and Messages apps. As an example, the power to weed out unsolicited mail texts or unknown senders and an strategy to dangle your spot on a telephone name while you’ve been looking forward to a consultant to pick out up. And for a laugh, you’ll be able to now create polls in workforce texts. Different new enhancements coming come with a showed AirPods reside translation function, and a brand new bouncy animation at the passcode display and within the Keep an eye on Heart.

In case you are making plans to improve your telephone this yr, check out the entire new fashions Apple unveiled all the way through its iPhone 17 tournament, from the iPhone 17 lineup (take a look at our evaluate of the iPhone 17) to the all-new ultra-thin iPhone Air (check out our hands-on evaluate). Should you neglected the keynote, you’ll be able to compensate for the whole thing Apple introduced right here or rewatch the whole iPhone 17 release. The corporate rounded out its bulletins with 3 new Apple Watch fashions, in addition to the brand-new AirPods Professional 3.

Maximum more recent iPhone fashions are eligible to obtain iOS 26. We’ve got rounded up a complete record of latest options you’ll be able to have to take a look at.

What’s iOS 26 and will have to I obtain iOS 18.7 first?

As a substitute of liberating iOS 19, Apple skipped its naming conference forward to iOS 26. The corporate has determined to line up its iOS model numbers with a year-based device, very similar to automobile fashion years. So whilst iOS and its sibling running programs have been launched in 2025, they are all designated “26” to replicate the yr forward.

Apple additionally launched iOS 18.7 along iOS 26 to handle safety problems — nice information in the event you would not have a telephone that is eligible to run the newest OS. In case you are questioning which one to obtain first, it is truly as much as you. Do you wish to have to stay up for Apple to quash any insects in iOS 26 or do you wish to have get admission to to the entire new options everybody’s speaking about now?

What’s Liquid Glass design?

Let’s be fair. Out of the whole thing introduced at WWDC this yr, the new Liquid Glass design was once the big name of the display. The iPhone’s house and lock displays have appeared just about the similar yr after yr — the remaining thrilling factor (personally) was once the choice so as to add your individual aesthetic to your house display by means of customizing your apps and widgets. So seeing the house and lock displays’ new facelift is refreshing.

So what precisely is Liquid Glass? Apple calls it a “new translucent subject matter” since, neatly, the apps and widgets are transparent. Alternatively, the display can nonetheless adapt to darkish and light-weight modes, relying on environment. You’ll be able to additionally understand buttons with a brand new floating design in different apps, like Telephone and Maps. They are designed to be much less distracting than the present buttons, however are nonetheless simple to peer.

Whilst the design overhaul has confirmed to be arguable since its announcement, some — together with Engadget’s Devindra Hardawar — like the brand new route, despite the fact that it is slightly harking back to Microsoft’s translucent Home windows Vista Aero designs from just about 20 years in the past.

That stated, whilst it was once in beta mode, Apple integrated some person comments into the design, dialing again the transparency in no less than some puts. And whilst it is going to proceed to adapt, Apple customers will be unable to flee it: The corporate says Liquid Glass was once designed to make all of its platforms extra cohesive.

Here is a take a look at how the translucent aesthetic appears to be like with the brand new macOS Tahoe 26 for your desktop.

Easy methods to flip iOS 26 Liquid Glass settings off

Should you in finding you do not like the brand new transparent take care of downloading iOS 26, you’ll be able to exchange a pair Accessibility settings, even though you’ll be able to’t utterly flip off Liquid Glass. For starters, you’ll be able to scale back the liquid glance by means of going to Settings > Accessibility > Movement > toggle on Cut back Movement.

You’ll make your drop-down menus extra opaque as an alternative of translucent by means of going to Settings >Accessibility > Show & Textual content Measurement > toggle on Cut back Transparency.

You’ll additionally exchange your transparent apps again to the best way they have been. Simply press and dangle any app for your display and choose Edit House Display. From right here, faucet Edit (most sensible left) and Customise. You’ll switch out to Default, Darkish or Tinted.

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

iOS 26 has a laundry record of latest options. A few of the maximum profitable:

Telephone app redesign: You’ll now scroll via contacts, contemporary calls and voicemail messages all on one display. It additionally comes with a brand new function referred to as Cling Help that’ll notify you when an agent involves the telephone so you’ll be able to keep away from the elevator track and proceed on with different duties.

Reside Translation in Telephone, FaceTime and Messages: iOS 26 brings the power to have a dialog by means of telephone name, FaceTime or textual content message with any person who speaks every other language. Reside Translation makes use of Apple Intelligence and it is going to translate your dialog in actual time, which leads to some stop-and-go interactions within the examples Apple shared all the way through its presentation.

Polls in workforce chats: Uninterested in sorting via what turns out like loads of messages to your workforce chat? You and your mates can now create polls in workforce messages to come to a decision such things as which brunch spot you are consuming at or whose automobile you take on a street commute.

Filtering unknown senders in Messages: If you have not won unsolicited mail texts about unpaid tolls or different citations, you are fortunate. For the ones people who’ve, the ones tense messages will quickly be filtered away in a separate folder.

Visible Intelligence: Very similar to a opposite Google symbol seek, this new function will mean you can seek for the rest that is for your iPhone display. As an example, in the event you spot a couple of brogues any person is dressed in in an Instagram photograph, you’ll be able to screenshot it and use Visible Intelligence to search out the ones footwear (or identical ones) on-line.

Pictures tabs are again: For somebody who is been pissed off with remaining yr’s adjustments to the Pictures app, you’ll be able to be at liberty to grasp that your tabs are again. Library and Collections have their very own separate areas so that you would not have to scroll to infinity to search out what you are on the lookout for.

Digital camera app updates: Navigating the Digital camera app will have to be more effective in iOS 26, as the entire buttons and menus are in handy spots — much less swiping, extra photograph taking. Plus, there is a new function that tells you in case your lens must be wiped clean.

FaceTime “Conversation Protection” function: A more recent addition to iOS 26 seems to be the FaceTime “Conversation Protection” function that pauses communications if and when nudity is detected. The function seems to be a kid protection function that makes use of on-device detection, thus obviating any cloud-based privateness problems.

New lock display choices: The iPhone lock display is extra customizable in iOS 26, with a cooler clock, 3-d wallpaper results, extra widgets and higher focal point mode choices.

New alarm surroundings: You’ll be able to now not be caught with the 9-minute snooze surroundings to your alarms. As a substitute, you presently give you the option to modify your snooze time from one to fifteen mins.

Screenshots glance other: You’ll be able to understand a number of new options when you’re taking a screenshot, together with “spotlight to go looking,” the strategy to seek your symbol on Google and ChatGPT is there for any questions you could have in regards to the symbol.

Preview on iOS 26: There is a new app referred to as Preview that allows you to scan paperwork, fill out PDF paperwork, in addition to spotlight, underline or strike via textual content in a PDF report. You’ll additionally take away backgrounds from photographs on this app.

New adjustments with iPadOS 26

Your iPad is not getting left at the back of in relation to large updates. Here is what to search for.

Multitasking and actual windowing: Whilst you obtain the latest replace, you are able to have a couple of apps operating for your display on the similar time. Whenever you open an app, it will seem for your display as standard however you are able to resize and transfer it throughout your display to make room for different apps. This selection is not obligatory so you’ll be able to flip it off if you do not find it irresistible.

Visible replace: Along side the opposite new OSes, iPadOS 26 additionally has the Liquid Glass aesthetic. This new glance seems at the lock and residential displays, in addition to the drop-down menus.

New menu bar: Whilst you swipe down for your display, the brand new menu bar will seem with choices like Report, Edit, Home windows and extra. There is additionally a seek possibility in case you are on the lookout for one thing explicit.

There is extra past that, so be certain that to take a look at our first impressions of iPadOS 26.

What about AirPods?

AirPods also are getting up to date with iOS 26. Listed here are one of the extra notable purposes.

Enhanced audio recording: Apple calls this “studio-quality” audio recording, and with it, you’ll be able to understand extra readability whilst in noisy environments.

Digital camera far flung keep watch over: The use of this, you’ll be able to take a photograph or get started and forestall video recording with only one press for your AirPods. When taking footage, you’ll be able to get a three-second countdown sooner than your iPhone or iPad snaps the image.

Reside translation function: Reside translation is to be had on AirPods Professional 3, AirPods Professional 2 and AirPods 4 with ANC when paired with iPhones operating iOS 26. Apple says that after any person speaks to you in a distinct language, you’ll be able to use your AirPods to translate what they’re pronouncing.

Middle price tracking: Apple offered new AirPods Professional 3 earbuds this month, which come with middle price tracking. It is going to paintings with Apple’s Well being app and different health apps that monitor middle charges.

Did Siri get an replace?

Siri is in a keeping development. Apple has up to now specified that its smarter voice assistant — first promised at WWDC 2024 — is not on time till some level “within the coming yr,” so you should not be expecting any main adjustments at the moment. However there are studies that Apple is aiming to present Siri a larger mind transplant by means of basing it on third-party synthetic intelligence fashions like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Anthropic’s Claude, which might make 2026 a pivotal yr. The corporate may be reportedly operating on a “stripped-down” AI chatbot to rival ChatGPT.

Which iPhones will have the ability to improve to iOS 26?

A couple of iPhone fashions that run the present model of iOS — iPhone XR, XS and XS Max — don’t seem to be suitable with the newest improve. However any iPhones from 2019 or later will likely be eligible for iOS 26:

• iPhone SE (moment era or later)

When are you able to obtain iOS 26?

iOS 26 has formally been launched to the general public at no cost as of September 15, 2025.

In case you are extra within the new Apple Intelligence options, here is the whole thing Apple printed for iOS, macOS and extra all the way through WWDC. Additionally, take a look at how iOS 26 screenshots might be an intriguing preview of Apple’s not on time Siri remodel.

Replace, September 18: Added information about Engadget’s iPhone 17 evaluate.

Replace, September 17: Added main points and hyperlink in regards to the new iPhone Air.

Replace, September 16: Added information about editing Liquid Glass settings, and new information in regards to the Preview app.

Replace, September 15: Famous iOS 26 is formally to be had for obtain.

Replace, September 12: Famous iOS 26 is coming to eligible iPhones in only a few days, timing TBD.

Replace, 9/11: Added the goods Apple launched at its Tuesday tournament and famous when iOS 26 will likely be to be had to obtain.

Replace, September 9: Famous the iPhone tournament is beginning quickly.

Replace, September 8: Famous the iPhone 17 tournament is the following day.

Replace, September 4: Added information about how screenshots are other in iOS 26.

Replace, September 3: Famous Apple is anticipated to unlock iOS 18.7 along iOS 26.

Replace, September 2: Added extra new options coming with iOS 26.

Replace, August 29: Added new phase about Siri and a hyperlink to what is new with the iOS 26 Digital camera app.

Replace, August 27: Added the legit iPhone 17 tournament date, in addition to the prospective iOS 26 unlock.

Replace, August 25: Added a rumor about new AirPods Professional having middle price tracking.

Replace, August 22: Famous that Apple has formally stopped signing iOS 18.6.

Replace, August 20: Famous that iOS 26 public beta 4 and iOS 18.6.2 at the moment are to be had to obtain.

Replace, August 18: Added information about a possible iOS 18.6 replace.

Replace, August 15: Added to hyperlink to what to anticipate on the Apple iPhone tournament and information about what is to be had within the iOS 26 screenshots editor.

Replace, August 13: Added new AirPods element noticed within the iOS 26 beta.

Replace, August 11: Famous that iOS 26 developer beta has hit beta 6.

Replace, August 8: Added new options coming with iPadOS 26 and AirPods.

Replace, August 6: Famous the discharge of iOS 26 beta 5 and the brand new bouncy function on passcode display and Keep an eye on Heart.

Replace, August 4: Famous that Apple is reportedly operating on a ChatGPT rival.

Replace, August 1: Added quote from Tim Cook dinner about iOS 26.

Replace, July 31: Famous that iOS 18.6 is now to be had.

Replace, July 24: Famous the iOS 26 public beta is now to be had.

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

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

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