Apple has officially previewed iOS 26, a major update that brings a stunning new design, advanced Apple Intelligence capabilities, and significant updates to core apps like Phone, Messages, CarPlay, Apple Music, Maps, Wallet, and the brand-new Apple Games app. Designed with both function and expression in mind, iOS 26 enhances how users interact with their iPhones while preserving the familiarity they’ve come to love.

A Beautiful New Design

iOS 26 introduces a bold new look crafted with Liquid Glass—a translucent material that reflects and refracts surroundings, enhancing controls, navigation, app icons, and widgets. Users will enjoy a more vibrant Lock Screen, with time that fluidly adapts to background images and spatial wallpapers that respond to motion. The Home Screen and system-wide elements now appear more dynamic while maintaining iOS’s signature simplicity.

App redesigns include a streamlined Camera interface, a more intuitive Photos app layout, Safari with edge-to-edge scrolling, and updated tab bars in Apple Music, News, and Podcasts that adapt as users scroll. Developers also get access to Liquid Glass APIs to extend the dynamic design to third-party apps.

Smarter Experiences with Apple Intelligence

Apple Intelligence becomes even more powerful in iOS 26. Live Translation now works seamlessly across Messages, FaceTime, and Phone, offering real-time text and audio translations—processed entirely on-device for maximum privacy.

Visual intelligence now allows users to search or take actions based on what they’re viewing. For example, users can ask ChatGPT about on-screen content, or instantly search for similar products across supported apps like Google and Etsy. If an event is detected, Apple Intelligence will suggest adding it to the calendar with autofilled details.

Users can also generate custom Genmoji by mixing emoji and descriptions, and use Image Playground to create expressive visual content. New intelligent Shortcuts and automatic email order tracking summaries make daily tasks more seamless.

Developers can now tap into the new Foundation Models framework, enabling apps to use Apple’s on-device AI foundation models for fast, private, and offline intelligence at no additional cost.

Enhanced Communication and Privacy Tools

The Phone app now features a unified view combining Favourites, Recents, and Voicemail. New Call Screening tools gather caller details so users can decide whether to answer, while Hold Assist alerts users when a live agent joins the call.

Messages gains advanced filtering for unknown senders, a dedicated folder for unknown texts, and tools to accept, ignore, or delete incoming messages. Users can also create polls and custom chat backgrounds, while group chats now show typing indicators.

CarPlay Upgrades

With over 600 million daily uses, CarPlay now includes a compact call interface, pinned conversations, and Tapbacks in Messages. Widgets and Live Activities are supported to keep drivers informed without distraction. CarPlay Ultra integrates iPhone and vehicle systems across all screens for a unified, immersive experience.

Updates to Apple Music, Maps, and Wallet

In Apple Music, new Lyrics Translation and Lyrics Pronunciation features make singing along easy, while AutoMix DJ-style transitions enhance playback. Apple Maps introduces Visited Places, securely storing user location history with end-to-end encryption, and uses on-device intelligence to recommend optimal daily routes with delay alerts and rerouting.

Apple Wallet introduces payment with installments and rewards using Apple Pay, and new boarding passes now show Live Activities for real-time flight updates. Travelers get access to airport Maps, Find My for baggage tracking, and essential trip tools.

All-New Apple Games App and AirPods Features

The Apple Games app provides a central hub for gaming, combining Apple Arcade with personalised recommendations, news, and game activity. It keeps players updated on the latest events and lets them discover new titles easily.

AirPods now support features like Voice Isolation for clearer calls, studio-quality recording, and camera remote control through a press-and-hold gesture. These additions apply to AirPods 4, AirPods 4 with ANC, and AirPods Pro 2.

Family, Privacy, and Accessibility

New Child Account controls simplify setup and permissions, while Communication Safety protects kids across Messages, FaceTime, and Shared Albums. Parents can now approve apps that exceed age ratings based on individual need.

Safari gets expanded fingerprinting protection, and new Accessibility Reader and Braille Access tools improve digital experiences for users with disabilities. Updates to Live Listen, Background Sounds, and Personal Voice further expand accessibility across the ecosystem.

Availability

iOS 26 is available today through the Apple Developer Program, with a public beta arriving next month. The update will be released as a free upgrade this fall for iPhone 11 and newer. Apple Intelligence features require iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, select iPads with A17 Pro chips, and Macs with M1 and later. Supported Siri languages at launch include English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and Simplified Chinese. More languages will be added by year-end.