Apple Now Pushing iPhone Users Towards iOS 26

It’s been over two months since iOS 26 launched in September. While Apple hasn’t released official adoption statistics, analysts indicate that only about 30% of iPhone owners have updated to Apple’s newest iPhone and iPad operating system.

There are plenty of reasons to embrace iOS 26. Aside from all the bells and whistles like Liquid Glass and Call Screening, protecting yourself with the latest privacy and security enhancements should also be a top consideration when deciding to move on from iOS 18.

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Still, we understand feeling reluctant about moving on when everything seems to be working fine. Users are often concerned about preserving storage capacity. iOS 26 requires as much as 20 GB of available storage during the download process. Some are worried about battery life taking a hit, and not everyone is a fan of Apple’s new Liquid Glass look.

Hesitations aside, Apple is now intentionally steering users towards iOS 26. Until now, iOS 26 was positioned below the more predominantly displayed iOS 18 version on the update page as an “Also Available” option.

Today, iOS 18 users will see this order switched: iOS 26 is now the top option and takes up the most screen space, with iOS 18.7.2 listed as “Also Available” below it. Clearly, Apple wants to increase the number of iOS 26 installs. For now, Apple is still releasing security updates for iOS 18 loyalists. However, users should anticipate Apple will eventually stop providing security fixes for iOS 18 for devices that support iOS 26. At that point, iOS 26 would be the only available update option. If you’re an iOS 18 user and have security concerns, you’ll eventually have to move up.

In June of this year, before iOS 26 became publicly available, Apple reported 88% of all iPhones and 81% of all iPads released in the previous four years were running iOS 18. While iOS 26 may seem far behind those figures today, adoption should begin to increase dramatically, even before the end of this year.

We think updating to iOS 26 today is worth the temporary adjustment period for both you and your iPhone. As mentioned earlier, any hit on your battery life should be short-term. There are also a variety of ways to free up storage if necessary. If you’re afraid of the new Liquid Glass design, Apple continues to release ways to adjust it. Give iOS 26 a shot. We’ll continue to keep you posted on all of the latest features and tips we discover.