Apple will release iOS 26 today (Monday) globally, including in India. The new iPhone update was first previewed at the 2025 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, with multiple developer and public beta updates released in the following weeks. At its “Awe Dropping” event on September 9, the tech giant announced that the latest iPhone 17 models will be the first phones to run the OS out of the box. While the new phones won’t be available for purchase until September 19, users can now experience the latest iOS 26 on supported iPhone models.
iOS 26 released today: Estimated release time in India
According to Apple, the iOS 26 update will start rolling out today (Monday). While the tech giant didn’t specify when the OS update would be released, the previous iOS iteration rolled out at 10 AM PT (or 10:30 PM IST if you’re in India).
Therefore, we expect the latest update to be released around the same time.
How to Download iOS 26 and Supported iPhones
Apple said that all iPhone models that have joined the Beta program and received subsequent updates will support the stable version of iOS 26. This includes previous flagships like the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, as well as the affordable iPhone 16e.
At the same time, the iPhone 17 series and iPhone Air, which go on sale on September 19, will also come with the new iOS 26 update out of the box.
As always, Apple Intelligence functionality will be limited to iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16 series, iPhone 16e, iPhone 17 series, and iPhone Air. The complete equipment list includes:
1. iPhone 17 series
2.iPhone Air
3. iPhone 16e
4. iPhone 16 series
5. iPhone 15 series
6. iPhone 14 series
7. iPhone SE (2022)
8. iPhone 13 series
9. iPhone 12 series
10. iPhone 11 series
How to install iOS 26 on iPhone: A step-by-step guide
You can follow the steps below to install iOS 26 on your iPhone:
1. open set up on your iPhone
2. Navigate to General Find the “Software Update” option
3. iPhone will automatically check if there are any pending updates
4. Click Download and install options, read the terms and conditions and agree
5. Then, iOS 26 will be downloaded and installed on your iPhone
iOS 26: Key features
According to Apple, iOS 26 introduces the new Liquid Glass UI. It reflects and refracts light, thereby reacting to the visual elements around it. The tech giant says it brings a more cohesive look to Apple devices inspired by VisionOS. Customization options for both the lock screen and home screen have been expanded. There is a new “Clear” option that can be applied to icons, consistent with Liquid Glass.
In iOS 26, Apple has also overhauled the interface of the Camera app, which has an improved layout and allows for easy switching between different modes. Some changes to the Photos app that were introduced last year have been rolled back, with two separate tabs for Library and Collection views.
Apple’s latest operating system update also expands the Apple Intelligence Suite, adding real-time translation and call screening capabilities. The former uses on-device artificial intelligence models to automatically translate audio and text in English, French, German, Italian and other languages in real time.
The latter, meanwhile, is inspired by the product of the same name on Google Pixel devices, using Live Voicemail to gather information about callers and the purpose behind their calls. The recipient can then decide whether to answer the call.
Other changes in iOS 26 include automatic mixing and lyrics translation in Apple Music, a new Apple Games app, a Visited Places option in Maps, and more dedicated actions for the Image Playground and writing tools.
