iOS 26 design and interface changes

• New Liquid Glass design language.
• General decluttering and simplifying of the interface and app menus.

Apple

The biggest change in iOS 26 is a visual one: a bold new redesign known as Liquid Glass.

What is Liquid Glass?

The new design features a graphical user interface that Apple is calling Liquid Glass, which creates a translucent effect that mimics the qualities of glass.

The new Liquid Glass design language represents the biggest change to iOS since iOS 7 was introduced in 2013. Back then, Apple dropped the skeuomorphic design in favor of flat symbolic icons. This time everything is more curved, less flat, with translucent elements reflecting or refracting the content in the background, and resizing to fit around what is onscreen. The Liquid Glass elements will also change color to reflect the content beneath as you scroll, and it will be possible to see blurred and refracted elements of the background through the top layer.

Apple says that it will feel more like interacting with the physical world, with elements dynamically reacting to your touch. The company also says the changes “blur the lines between hardware and software”.

This new Liquid Glass design extends to all Apple products and apps. You’ll see the translucent effect on the Dock, widgets and icons. Panes, windows, buttons and menus will be presented as translucent layers with specular highlights.

Initial feedback to the new Liquid Glass design was negative with some beta testers complaining that content wasn’t visible due to the overlaying of menus over background images, later versions of the beta have dialled this back to make the menus more visible.

iOS 26 interface changes 

Apple

Apple says iOS 26 will also see design changes that simplify app interfaces to make the controls more visible. Apple is making it easier to find the tools you usually use, without the clutter of all the other features you don’t need.

Apple is adapting the interface to focus more on what is on the screen rather than cover things with tools and menu bars. Menus will shrink as you scroll to reveal the content below. Apple is also removing some of the clutter from menus to simplify things and emphasise the more frequently used options. For example, rather than occupying a rectangular bar at the bottom of the screen, groups of controls will appear on floating elements that pop out additional controls, change as you move between views, and are tucked away when you scroll.

These changes to the menus are designed to make it easier to access the features you use most often, and discover others. Apple is trying to make iOS and its apps more intuitive. 

A good example of how these design changes will be applied is the Lock Screen, which will be more adaptive. The image you choose as your wallpaper will be scaled to fit the height and width of the Lock Screen and positioned to fill the available space around elements like the time. Additionally, the wallpaper image will slide up as notifications come in.

Apple Intelligence in iOS 26

• New Siri AI features not expected until later in 2026.
• Improvements still expected for Visual Intelligence, Genmoji, and Image Playground at release.

Apple has been having trouble with some of its AI efforts, especially the Siri features that were touted at WWDC 2024. Apple had promised that iOS 18.4 would bring a major update to Siri, where it would be better at natural conversations with the user, using personal context, awareness of what is onscreen, and the ability to perform in-app actions.

Apple has since confirmed that these Siri-related features have been pushed back until 2026, which means they should come as an update to iOS 26, perhaps in March, but we could be waiting even longer.

Apple still had a number of impressive Apple Intelligence powered features to show off at WWDC though. In fact, some of the new features coming to Spotlight on the Mac look like some of the features promised for Siri.

Some of these new Apple Intelligence features will make a big impact in apps, especially the Phone app, which we will discuss below. Another beneficiary of Apple Intelligence is Visual Intelligence, which was introduced in iOS 18 and gains a very useful ability in iOS 26.

Visual Intelligence

IDG

In iOS 18 you can use Visual Intelligence by holding up the iPhone to view something you are curious about, triggering Visual Intelligence (via the Camera Control button if you have one, or via the Control Centre if not) and viewing information about what you were pointing the camera at. It could identify a building, or offer to add the date from a poster to your calendar, for example. That’s all very well when you are out and about, but what about when you are just browsing the web and want to know where something someone is wearing is from or where a video is being filmed?

In iOS 26 it will be possible to take a screenshot and look up information about that image and products in it using Visual Intelligence. You can also ask ChatGPT for information about the screenshot. 

Genmoji

Apple

Also benefitting from Apple Intelligence is Genmoji, another feature that arrived with iOS 18. Genmoji lets you create custom emoji using AI. To create a Genmoji you type a description in the Describe an Emoji field and tap on Create New Emoji. You can use photos of people you know as a basis and refine the emoji until it represents what you are looking for. The emoji will then be available in your emoji keyboard to use.

In iOS 26 the Genmoji interface is getting a redesign. Users will be able to mix two emoji together, or alter an existing emoji to create something new, or even combine an emoji and a Sticker (which can be created from a photo). Users will be able to further customise emoji inside Image Playground, changing expressions.

Image Playground

Image Playground, which is Apple’s app for making AI-generated images, arrived in iOS 18 and is getting an update in iOS 26. In iOS 26 it will be possible to use ChatGPT styles and prompts, such as an oil painting as well as those provided by Apple to create images in Image Playground.

Overhauled Phone app in iOS 26 

• Call Screening answers the call, finds out why they are calling, and lets you know before you decide whether or not to take the call.
• Hold Assist stops you needing to sit in a queue to be connected with an agent.
• Voice Mail text summaries quickly surface the most important details of missed calls.

With each iteration of iOS the set of apps Apple provides grows and evolves, and many of the changes coming to the apps on the iPhone are shared by those same apps on Apple’s other devices. iOS 26 is no different.

This time some of the upcoming changes are going to be quite transformative to how you use the phone – and by which we mean the telephone aspect to the iPhone.  

The phone app might not be the one we use the most, but as Apple says, it is fundamental to the iPhone. With iOS 26 the phone app is getting a big update that essentially turns it into a PA and a spam filtering tool. 

Apple is tapping into Apple Intelligence to bring new Voice Mail summaries to surface the most important information, but even more exciting, it is aiming to eliminate unwanted calls with a new Call Screening option that can answer the call in the background, ask the caller to explain their reason for calling, and then provide a text summary of those details to you before you decide whether or not to take the call. Of course, this may make it harder to ignore calls from people you ought to actually speak to, but it will be a good way to siphon off spam and hoax calls from unknown numbers.

That’s not all. Another new feature is Hold Assist, which will automatically detect hold music and mute the call until it is connected to an agent. As a result, you can get things done without having to keep your phone speaker playing irritating hold music until someone answers. When an agent becomes free they will be informed that you are there and your phone will ring alerting you to the connection and you can take the call. It’s going to be like having your own receptionist. 

Another change in the Phone app should make it impossible to accidentally tap on contact in the Recents list and call them. Currently, if you tap on a name in your Recents list it will automatically call that person. A new setting will allow you to turn off “Tap Recents to Call”.

Live Translations in iOS 26

• Real-time voice translations in English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish.
• Translated Live Captions in FaceTime video calls.
• Automated translations in Messages.
• Lyrics in your language in Apple Music.

Coming to the Phone app, but also present as a feature in Messages and FaceTime, is Live Translations. This will help you communicate with someone who speaks another language.

With this feature you will be able to have a conversation with some who speaks a different language to you. If you are familiar with the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy this is almost at the level of having a Babel Fish.

If you are speaking to someone via the phone app, the iPhone will translate what is being said, with a spoken voice translating what has been said into your language. The recipient will also hear translations in their own language. Apparently, they don’t need to have an iPhone. The main restriction right now is that Live Translation for Phone is available only for one-on-one calls in English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish.

As we said above, it’s not only the Phone app that will get the Live Translation features. FaceTime and Messages will as well. And Translation is also finding its way into the Music app.

FaceTime translations

When speaking to someone via FaceTime you will see real-time captions in your own language. Live Captions aren’t entirely new to FaceTime, you can already turn on that functionality in Accessibility > Live Captions – although this only works if your language is set to English U.S.

As well as the new Live Translation feature, FaceTime also gets changes to the interface designed to surface the controls you need while keeping the caller visible. For example, controls float to the bottom right and recede when you don’t need them. 

The FaceTime call list also gets a new look, with video messages autoplaying as you scroll. 

Messages translations

Apple

If you are using Messages to communicate with someone who speaks a different language what you type is translated into their language and vice versa.

As with the phone, Messages is getting a screening tool to combat spam. On-device spam detection will give you “total control over who appears in your conversation list,” according to Apple.

It is already possible to filter out spam by using the Unknown Senders list in Messages, but in iOS 26 Messages will have a greater ability to screen for spam, and it will make sure you still receive verification codes and other critical or time-sensitive messages.

Also in Messages you will be able to add a background image to Group Chats, and a new option to create a poll will be available. Messages will even suggest a poll if a situation calls for one. Anyone can add options to the poll. 

Those who have access to Apple Cash (still U.S. only) can also access this from group chats. 

Apple

A small but brilliant update coming to Messages is the ability to copy parts of a text, rather than the whole thing. This is one of those incomprehensible failures of Messages on iPhone right now: the only option is to copy the entire message, paste it, and then edit out what you don’t want. When using Messages on the Mac you can just copy the part of the Message you need. It’s a long overdue feature for iPhone Messages.

Apple Music lyric translations

Apple

In Apple Music you will be able to follow the lyrics alongside the translation into your own language. For some languages you will even see a pronunciation guide.

Also coming to the Music app is a new auto-mix option that uses AI to fade between songs and match beats like a DJ would, animated Apple Music artwork option for the Lock Screen, and interface changes that should make it faster and easier to get to the music you are into. For example, you can pin your favourite album or playlist to the top of your library.

Overhauled Camera & Photos apps in iOS 26

• Redesigned Camera app hides away less common shooting modes to declutter the interface.
• Quick access to more common settings.
• Add 3D effects to photos.

In iOS 26, Apple is redesigned camera app, hiding most of the lesser used camera shooting modes and options to simplify the increasingly cramped layout and giving users quick access to settings.

In the Photos app there will be the ability to add 3D effects to photos.

We have a separate article covering how to use the iOS 26 Camera app, including where to find camera modes and features, how to change capture settings and how to use AirPods as a remote.

New Games app in iOS 26

• Find games that are perfect for you.
• Quickly discover all your previously played games.
• Challenge friends to battle.
• More consistent touch controls across games.

Apple

Apple is finally tidying up the gaming experience on the iPhone with a brand-new Games app.

Apple says it is creating a new destination to help its gamers get more out of their games. The Games app will offer various tabs to make finding the games you are playing or have played easier. The Home tab reveals what’s most relevant to you. The Library tab shows all the games you have ever downloaded. 

There is also a Play Together tab where you can see what your friends are playing, play games with them, compare scores, and invite them to play games. You can challenge them to beat your highest score in single player games. Turning single-player games into fun competitions with friends, with scores in real time. This will be Apple’s second attempt to get users to connect socially: remember iTunes Ping? (Apple would probably rather you forgot).

Another change coming to gaming on iPhone (and iPad) is a new consistency to how touch controls are applied in games. Developers working on an iPhone or iPad game that requires more advanced controls have always had to design their own touch controls, and this can be inconsistent. In iOS 26, Apple will provide its own touch controls for buttons, thumbsticks, dpads, throttles, and touchpads.

More app changes in iOS 26

Apple Wallet

Like Apple Cash many of the new Apple Wallet features are U.S. only, such as the ability to add Drivers Licenses to Apple Wallet. 

Apple says there will be more ways to pay with Apple Pay in iOS 26, for example you can redeem points or choose to pay in instalments. That feature is currently available in nine states. From the fall Apple says it will be possible to add a U.S. passport, but only for use for flights inside the U.S. 

There will be a new API for developers to take advantage of, enabling them to provide customers with more information within the Wallet app, such as details of the services included with the fare and upgrade options that can be accessed from within the Wallet app.

You can also track Apple Pay orders, with Apple Intelligence finding the order details and tracking information and keeping them together for you. 

Passwords

The Passwords app, introduced in iOS 18, is getting an update. You can check changes that you’ve made to accounts logged in the Passwords app, view previous passwords that were used for these accounts, and see when they were altered.

Passkeys

In addition, Apple is introducing improvements to iOS 26 that will make using passkeys easier. Passkeys is an authentication method that replaces traditional passwords with security keys and biometrics. Many apps and websites already provide support for passkeys and, with the iOS 26 update, it will be possible for iPhone and iPad apps to enable users to create a passkey with just a tap. Passkeys can be authenticated with Face ID or Touch ID, and credentials will be synchronized between your Apple devices via iCloud.

Autofill

It will also be possible to pre-fill personal data, such as name and email, so you no longer have to waste time filling in long sign-up forms. Even better, iOS 26 will be able to autofill verification codes from Gmail and WhatsApp. Verification code autofill may also work in Google Chrome; currently verification codes work only with Apple’s Safari browser.

Apple Maps 

Apple

The Maps app gets an update, now using Apple Intelligence to understand your regular commutes and learn your favorites. With this information it will be able to warn you if you should take a different route due to heavy traffic. 

Another change to Maps is that it can log (with encryption) Visited Places, which will make it easier to find and recall places you have been to in the past. It’s easy to delete this history, too. 

Reminders

In iOS 26, Reminders will suggest things such as tasks and grocery items, plus follow-ups based on your emails or other text on your iPhone, Mac, and more.

Notes

Notes will gain Markdown.

Weather

Satellite-based reporting.

Clock

You will finally be able to set a snooze duration of between one and 15 minutes, rather than being stuck with set eight-minute snoozes!

You will also gain the ability to set alarms from inside other apps. For example, you could set an alarm from within a recipe app without you needing to open the Clock.

New features in iOS 26

There are lots of other changes coming to iOS, many of which will improve the overall user experience.

AirPods: Pause Media When Falling Asleep

Existing AirPods should get some new features due to the iOS 26 update. These include a new feature that will enable AirPods to pause when they sense the wearer has fallen asleep. Code in the iOS 26 beta indicates that this feature is tied to iOS 26, rather than the AirPods line specifically – it may even work on Apple’s Beats headphones.

In addition, it will be possible to easily switch between different audio input devices – so you could switch from AirPods as dedicated microphones to another device, for example.

Running tasks in the background

iOS 26 will have a new API for running tasks in the background. So, you won’t have to keep an app open when they’re doing something important, such as uploading files or exporting a video. Users can switch to other apps without interrupting the previous task.

Adaptive Power Mode

This feature aims to extend battery life by adjusting performance based on usage patterns. Where Low Power Mode throttles your iPhone’s performance and kills certain background activities to save energy, Adaptive Power Mode makes smaller adjustments to your iPhone’s performance based on how you use it. As a result the impact should be subtler, and potentially something users could keep on at all times.

Battery Intelligence: AI-powered battery management

iOS 26 will introduce a feature dubbed Battery Intelligence. This presents the estimated charging duration to reach 80% (then 100%) when connected to a charger – so you know how long you will need to change your iPhone before you can leave the house.

A new adaptive low power mode has been spotted in the iOS 26 developer beta. This doesn’t replace the regular low power mode (that’s still around) but instead uses machine learning to make adjustments that could help eke out a little more juice from your battery.

In addition, the Lock Screen will now display estimated charging times to hit 80 percent and 100 percent battery power.

Support for Qi2 25W wireless charging

Since fall 2024, Apple’s MagSafe Charger has supported up to 25W wireless iPhone charging on the iPhone 16 family. Third-party chargers—previously limited to a 15W maximum—will be able to match that speed with the release of the new Qi2 25W, which the iPhone 16 and later will support from iOS 26.

RCS Universal Profile 3.0 and other Android ‘friendly’ features

Support for RCS Universal Profile 3.0 may come in an update to iOS 26. RCS 3.0 will encrypt iPhone-to-Android messages, and offer other features to make communicating between iPhones and Android phones more seamless. Currently, Android users can edit a message within 15 minutes of it being sent – this works in iOS 18.5 and the iOS 26 developer beta but the iPhone displays the edited message as a new one with an asterisk rather than replacing the message with the edited message.

iPhone users are able to edit messages sent to other iPhones, but they are not yet able to edit RCS messages sent to an Android phone. RCS 3.0 should also make this available to iPhone users.

There also be simplified eSIM transfer from Android.

iOS 26 release date

• First seen at WWDC on June 9, 2025
• Announcement of final version on September 9, 2025
• Available to download on September 15, 2025

iOS 26 isn’t out yet, at least not for the general public. It will be available to install on compatible iPhones on September 15, 2025.

iOS 26 Beta release date

• Latest Developer Beta: Release Candidate, September 9, 2025
• Latest Public Beta: Release Candidate, September 9, 2025

You don’t have to wait until the full release to try out the new software. Apple runs a developer beta and a public beta for those who want to try out the new features before they are released to the general public. Both betas are free, though the developer beta requires a free registration as a developer.

The first version of the iOS 26 developer beta was released following the WWDC keynote, so developers could immediately begin testing it with their products. This beta is not stable and there were reports of issues from those who installed it straight away. Apple updated the first developer beta a few days after the launch. As of August 18, the developer beta is in version 7.

Apple released the first Public Beta on July 24. It corresponds with the second release of Developer Beta 4 (build 23A5297m).

Between WWDC and the official release in the fall, Apple will released a string of beta releases. We have a separate article that details how to join Apple’s beta software program so you can test the new software as soon as the beta arrives.

Anyone using the beta is encouraged to file bug reports using the included Apple’s Feedback Assistant app so that the company can address them. If you want to learn more about the beta read: What’s in the latest iOS beta and how to get it.

iOS 26 supported devices

• iOS 26 is a free software update for iPhone 11 and later.
• The iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max will miss out on iOS 26.

Apple has confirmed the following iPhones will get iOS 26:

• iPhone 16e (2025)
• iPhone 16/16 Plus/16 Pro/16 Pro Max (2024)
• iPhone 15/15 Plus/15 Pro/15 Pro Max (2023)
• iPhone 14/14 Plus/14 Pro/14 Pro Max (2022)
• iPhone SE (3rd gen) (2022)
• iPhone 13/13 mini/13 Pro/13 Pro Max (2021)
• iPhone 12/12 mini/12 Pro/12 Pro Max (2020)
• iPhone SE (2nd gen) (2020)
• iPhone 11/11 Pro/11 Pro Max (2019)

When Apple updates the operating system for its devices it often means that certain models are not compatible with the update. The iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max, which were supported by iOS 18 and launched in 2018, will miss out on iOS 26. 

This doesn’t mean that those 2018 iPhones are unsupported by Apple. Apple will continue to issue security-related software updates to iOS 18 for a few more years. Read about how long iPhones are supported to find out which iPhones are no longer supported with security updates. 

Nor does this mean that all the supported iPhones get all the new features. As was the case in 2024, only certain iPhones can support Apple Intelligence powered features. That’s the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max and the whole of the iPhone 16 range. This means that if your phone isn’t one of those mentioned you miss out on features such as the Visual Intelligence and Genmoji updates, as well as the Phone app ability to manage your unwanted calls. 

Find out how the new iOS compares with the current version in our comparison of iOS 26 vs iOS 18: What’s different, what’s new, and should you update?