When Will iOS 26 Be Released?
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Despite Apple’s secrecy, it’s relatively easy to predict the company’s launch dates throughout the year, particularly for its major yearly events.
For instance, we already know that Apple will have two major events in 2026: the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June and an iPhone event in September.
Each year, Apple announces its new software updates at WWDC, and in September, it confirms when most of these updates will be available to the public during its iPhone event.
Now that Apple has finally revealed when its September event will take place, we can predict when iOS 26 will be available to everyone.
Apple’s next big, glassy update is closer than you think. Although we don’t have a specific date, we have a fairly accurate estimate.
Mark Your Calendar: Apple’s iPhone Event Will Happen on September 9
After many weeks of leaks and speculation, Apple has finally confirmed the date of its September keynote.
Apple sent out the invitations for its “Awe Dropping” event yesterday, confirming that the event will be held on September 9 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time.
Of course, Apple didn’t specify which products it will announce, but we already know the new iPhone 17 lineup will be there, as well as the new Apple Watch Series 11 and likely the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3.
Not only that, but there are also rumors that we might see the new AirPods Pro 3, and if we’re really lucky, perhaps an update to the HomePod mini.
Among all these new hardware products, Apple typically takes a few minutes to announce when the next iOS software update will be available to the public.
When Will iOS 26 Be Available?
Luckily, we don’t have to wait for Apple to tell us when iOS 26 will be available on an iPhone near you. Instead, we can make an educated guess based on how Apple has handled these announcements in the past.
- iOS 15 was launched on Monday, September 20, 2021, six days after Apple’s “California Streaming” on Tuesday, September 14.
- iOS 16 was launched on Monday, September 12, 2022, five days after Apple’s “Far Out” event on Wednesday, September 7.
- iOS 17 was launched on Monday, September 18, 2023, six days after Apple’s “Wonderlust” event on Tuesday, September 12.
- iOS 18 was launched on Monday, September 16, 2024, seven days after Apple’s “Glowtime” event on Monday, September 9.
Are you seeing the pattern? Every major iOS update has come out the week after Apple’s fall iPhone events since the first one was held in 2011. The day of the week has changed over the years, but the last four have arrived on Mondays.
This makes it all but certain that iOS 26 will be available to the public the week after this year’s iPhone event.
To be more specific, since this year’s event is scheduled for Tuesday, September 9, we expect Apple to launch iOS 26 on Monday, September 15, 2025.
Get Ready for iOS 26
As a reminder, iOS 26 will be available for the iPhone 11 and later models. This includes the second-generation iPhone SE and the iPhone 16e.
This new software update comes with a lot of features, but the biggest change will be the design. Apple introduced a new “Liquid Glass” user interface, which gives tabs and controls a more glassy and transparent appearance.
While not many users are fans of this new UI, the truth is that it’s here to stay. If you want to try it as soon as possible, we recommend preparing by backing up your iPhone a couple of days after the event.
