Apple has released iOS 26.2, which brings many new convenience features and security updates. The update includes automatically generated chapters for episodes in the podcast app, the option to use verification codes to make AirDrop more secure, reminder alerts, and more. It also introduces new controls for how Liquid Glass appears on the lock screen, adding a slider to adjust transparency levels. The release also includes updates for iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS and tvOS.
What’s new in iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2
It’s not a major feature update, but iOS and iPadOS 26.2 brings a series of quality-of-life improvements to apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and games. In Apple Music, you can now see your favorite song playlists in the Top Picks section and make the lyrics of your downloaded songs available offline. In addition to the automatically generated chapters, Podcasts will also display links to any other podcasts mentioned in the episode you’re listening to. Also, Games is getting in-game score banners as well as library filters to make it easier to find games based on categories and other descriptors. Apple said it has also improved support for Backbone and Razer controllers.
In iOS 26.2, Apple has made safety alerts for natural disasters and other emergencies more detailed, now with maps of affected areas and other helpful information. For iPad users, Apple has added drag-and-drop gestures to its new window system to make multitasking smoother. The iPhone and iPad updates also address several potential security issues, including a vulnerability in WebKit that Apple said “may have been exploited in extremely sophisticated attacks against specific targeted individuals on iOS versions prior to iOS 26.” So if you’re not already running the latest operating system on your iPhone and iPad, now is a good time to update.
Operating system updates for other family members
In addition to iPhone and iPad, macOS Tahoe 26.2 also introduces Edge Light for Mac, which turns your display into a ring light for video calls. For Apple Watch, 26.2 fixes an issue with songs getting stuck in the Music app and adds some new controls for the Sleep app. The tvOS update brings the option to add a profile, even for those without an Apple account, as well as new restriction options for child profiles. In visionOS 26.2, Travel Mode now features settings for cars and buses, and you can now create hand-drawn content with Apple Vision Pro using space accessories, including “Logitech Muse in Notes, Freeform, and any PencilKit-enabled app.”
