Apple website offers A list of nearly 200 new features and modifications (PDF file) included in the software update, published last month.
Apple also shared equivalent lists for iPados 26 And MacOS Tahoe.
iOS 26 is compatible with the iPhone 11 and more recent. To install the update, open the Settings app on your iPhone, press general and press the software update.
Below, we have highlighted eight new features and modifications included in iOS 26. Some of these features are only available on more recent iPhone models.
Liquid glass
IOS 26 has a whole new liquid glass design with menus, buttons and translucent icons.
Apple describes liquid glass as “a new translucent material which reflects and refracting its environment, providing greater concentration to content and offering a new level of vitality between controls, navigation, application icons, widgets, etc.”
Lock screen improvements
On iOS 26, the lock screen clock automatically adapts to fill the empty space, and you can display the full animated album of the album for Apple Music supported songs.
New features IMEAGE
Here are some of the new features and key changes to the messages on iOS 26:
- Background: You can now add an experience to any conversation, and all participants will see it. You can choose from the selection of Apple backgrounds, or you can define one of your own photos in the background. You can deactivate conversation backgrounds in the Settings application if you wish.
- Surveys: You can now create surveys in group cats, allowing people to vote on subjects or questions, such as the restaurant to go. Apple intelligence can detect when a survey can be useful and suggest one.
- Apple cash in group cats: You can now send and receive Apple species in group cats.
- Tapping of indicators in group cats: You can now see who type group cats.
- “Add a contact” to the button in group cats: This button facilitates the addition of people to the Contacts application in group cats.
- “Select” option: When you press and keep a message bubble, a new “select” option appears. The tapping allows you to select part of the text from a message, while you cannot previously copy a whole message.
- Screening of the unknown sender: When turned on, this parameter automatically moves the messages of unknown shipowners to the folder of unknown sender and hides notifications for them until you accept them.
Call screening and Hold Assist
IOS 26 adds some useful features for the application of the phone: calls for calls and helping aid.
Call screening is an opt-in parameter that requires unknown appellants for their names and the reason they call. And with Hold Assist, your iPhone can automatically wait until you have a call and inform you when the other line agent is ready.
Adaptive power mode
IOS 26 introduces an adaptive power mode on the iPhone, alongside the existing low power mode.
Apple says that the adaptive power supply mode can make “performance adjustments” if necessary to extend the battery life of an iPhone, including a slightly drop the brightness of the screen, allowing certain activities to “take more time” and automatically activate the low power mode when the lifespan of the remaining battery of the iPhone reaches the 20%bar.
The adaptive power supply mode is only available on iPhone 15 pro and more recent models. The parameter can be activated in the parameter application, under the battery → Power mode.
Automatic
A new automatic feature of the Apple Music application can transparently pass from one song to another, as a DJ would. Automix replaces the previous crossfade function.
Application overview
IOS 26 is expanding a version of the Apple’s Apple Apple application to the iPhone, offering you an integrated application to modify and mark PDF and images.
Carplay upgrades
When you use Carplay with an iPhone iOS 26, the new liquid glass design extends to the Carplay interface. As on the iPhone, the new look includes more shimmering application icons and translucent user interface elements.
Starting with iOS 26, you can respond to messages with standard tapbacks such as a heart, the boost or exclamation brands directly via Carplay.
You can now display your pinned conversations in the messages on carplay app.
Carplay has a new compact view for incoming telephone calls, so that you can always see other information on the screen, such as turning instructions.
The carplay dashboard screen can now show live activities, allowing you to keep track of things like the time of arrival of a flight at a glance.
The regular version of Carplay now has a widget screen, for things like calendar meetings and HomeKit accessory controls.
IPhone users will be able to wirelessly broadcast videos on the Carplay screen using AirPlay, according to Apple. For security reasons, video playback will only be available when the vehicle is parked to avoid driving distraction. The connected iPhone can detect when the vehicle is moving and ending the reading.
Car manufacturers must add this functionality management, it could therefore be limited to more recent vehicles and take a while to deploy.
