Apple has set a date for the update: iOS 26 will be available to everyone on Monday, September 15.It follows the event where the new iPhone 17 and other products were unveiled, with a rollout that will follow the company's usual schedule.
Those who do not want to wait can now take the penultimate step: the iOS 26 Release Candidate (RC) has been released to beta subscribers and is, barring any surprises, the same build that will be distributed next week.
iOS 26 Release Date and Deployment
The company has confirmed that the update will be released on Monday 15 of September, with a staggered release by region. In parallel, the rest of the platforms will also receive their versions: iPadOS 26, watchOS 26, macOS 26 (Tahoe), tvOS 26, and visionOS 26.
The RC was enabled after the keynote on September 9 (19:00 PM in mainland Spain) and is spreading in the following hours; it is normal to see it. around 21:00 p.m. in Madrid, although it may take time if the deployment is progressive.
The new phones announced will arrive with the factory update: iPhone 17, 17 Air, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max They will come with iOS 26 installed from the first time they are turned on, as is customary with Apple.
It should be noted that some functions may not be available in all languages or regions for technical or regulatory reasons, something the company has already announced.
RC: Installation and what will happen on launch day
The Release Candidate is the final version candidate: Unless a critical bug appears at the last minute, it will be the exact same build that is offered on the 15th.
Steps for to install the RC on your iPhone if you are in the beta program (developer or public):
- Open Settings on your iPhone.
- Go to General > Software Update.
- Download and install the iOS 26 RC like any other update.
If you don't see it right away, don't worry: the deployment is usually gradual and it may take a while to appear for all users.
On the 15th, two scenarios can occur and both are normal: that no update appears (because the RC and the final are identical), or a minor tweaked version may emerge if Apple has made last-minute changes.
Compatible devices
The official list covers models from iPhone 11 onwards, in addition to the 2nd and 3rd generation iPhone SE. (See the unsupported models.) These are the teams that will be able to update:
- iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 16e.
- iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max.
- iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max.
- iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max.
- iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max.
- iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max.
- iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation).
The following are excluded from this round: iPhone XS, XS Max and XR, which are no longer on the compatibility list this year.
Key new features in iOS 26
The great protagonist is Liquid glass, a new visual language with translucent finishes and reflections that unifies the design of the system and apps, maintaining consistency across Apple platforms.
The aesthetic extends to controls, toolbars, tabs and icons, which now display a dynamic translucency to highlight content and context in navigation.
Apple Intelligence adds features such as live translation in calls and Messages, Genmoji creation, text summaries, and automatic reminder generation from emails. Some of these capabilities require recent models (from iPhone 15 Pro).
- Posts: integrated surveys y custom backgrounds for conversations.
- Phone: new unified view of contacts, recents and voicemail.
- Safari: Aesthetic Address Bar Liquid glass and greater visual clarity.
- Games: New dedicated app to centralize the gaming experience.
In the car, C adds the option of send multimedia content via AirPlay to the vehicle system, limited to when the car is stopped.
Battery, security and other improvements
iOS 26 completely redesigns the app section. Battery in Settings, with more detailed graphs and metrics to understand consumption and usage habits.
- Adaptive consumption: Extend battery life by adjusting brightness, resources, and activating low-power mode at 20%.
- Loading times: The system shows how much is left to reach 100% (or the limit you set).
- Improved notifications: Low battery alerts allow you to activate power saving mode from the notification.
- New icons: more information in the status bar about charging and temperature optimization.
In security and privacy, controls such as permission to Wired accessories with iPhone locked, a new Recovery Assistant to recover the system if it does not boot correctly and the adoption of Quantum-resistant TLS in communications.
In addition, the redesign of navigation elements and the contextual settings They make menus and tabs adapt to each screen, optimizing space and making it easier to locate functions.
To close the testing cycle, when iOS 26 is public you can leave the beta program from Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates > “No” to stay on stable versions.
With the calendar already defined, the RC available and an extensive list of changes - Liquid Glass design, improvements of Apple Intelligence, new battery options and security improvements—everything is ready for the update to arrive on the 15th for compatible iPhones.
