Apple’s next big iPhone update, iOS 26, will bring a Liquid Glass redesign and tons of new features. Beta testers can try out iOS 26 now, but its official release date for the public is getting very close—here’s when to expect its launch.
iOS 26 will launch this fall, with mid-September likely
So far, Apple has only officially confirmed that iOS 26 will arrive for all users this fall.
But looking at the history of software releases, we can get much more precise with our expectations.
Here are release dates for the last three major iOS versions:
- iOS 18: Monday, September 16, 2024
- iOS 17: Monday, September 18, 2023
- iOS 16: Monday, September 12, 2022
Each of these launches happened within a week of Apple’s big iPhone event.
In 2024, the event happened September 9, in 2023 it was September 12, and in 2022 September 7.
This pattern has been followed closely by Apple for years, and we shouldn’t expect anything different for 2025.
As a result, iOS 26 is expected to launch to all users in mid-September, shortly after Apple unveils the iPhone 17 lineup at its September 9 event.
Mid-September, then, will be when all users with a supported iPhone can install iOS 26 and get the new Liquid Glass redesign, big updates to Messages, Apple Music, Wallet, CarPlay, and much more.
Public beta for iOS 26 available now
If you don’t want to wait until September to try out iOS 26, you don’t have to.
As it does each year, Apple currently offers a public beta version of iOS 26.
This beta release is available to anyone who wants it via enrollment at beta.apple.com.
Like all pre-release software, iOS 26’s public beta includes some bugs and performance issues that may or may not impact your device experience. But since we’re getting so close to the September launch, bugs at this point are relatively minimal.
If you’re willing to accept the risk of your iPhone not performing as reliably, the public beta is a great way to gain early access to iOS 26’s new features.
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- AirPods Pro 2 (now only $199, down from $249)
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