When to Expect iOS 18 on Your iPhone as Beta Testing Wraps Up - MacRumors
Skip to Content

When to Expect iOS 18 on Your iPhone as Beta Testing Wraps Up

by

iOS 18 has been in beta testing for nearly three months, and the software update should finally be widely released later this month.

Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock
Below, we outline when to expect iOS 18 to be available on all compatible iPhones.

iOS 18: Beta Testing Wraps Up

In his Power On newsletter last weekend, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said iOS 18 beta 8 will likely be the final developer beta version for the update. This is a reasonable prediction, as previous updates like iOS 17, iOS 16, and iOS 15 each had a total of eight developer betas. iOS 12 was the last update with at least nine developer betas.

If history repeats itself, Apple should release the iOS 18 Release Candidate immediately following the iPhone 16 event on September 9. Apple considers a Release Candidate to be a "near final" version of an upcoming iOS update.

iOS 18: Release Timing

Apple will likely announce a release date for iOS 18 during its September 9 event. The update is most likely to be released on Monday, September 16, but Tuesday, September 17 and Wednesday, September 18 are also possibilities.

Gurman said Apple has already been installing iOS 18 on iPhone 16 models at factories. Those devices will likely be released on Friday, September 20.

iOS 18: Compatible iPhones

iOS 18 is compatible with the same iPhone models as iOS 17 is:

  • iPhone 15
  • iPhone 15 Plus
  • iPhone 15 Pro
  • iPhone 15 Pro Max
  • iPhone 14
  • iPhone 14 Plus
  • iPhone 14 Pro
  • iPhone 14 Pro Max
  • iPhone 13 mini
  • iPhone 13
  • iPhone 13 Pro
  • iPhone 13 Pro Max
  • iPhone 12 mini
  • iPhone 12
  • iPhone 12 Pro
  • iPhone 12 Pro Max
  • iPhone 11
  • iPhone 11 Pro
  • iPhone 11 Pro Max
  • iPhone XS
  • iPhone XS Max
  • iPhone XR
  • iPhone SE (2nd generation or later)

iOS 18 will be available in the Settings app under General → Software Update.

Related Forums: iOS 18, iPadOS 18

Popular Stories

Apple Skipping iPhone 18 This Year

Apple Skipping iPhone 18 Launch This Year

Wednesday August 12, 2026 6:59 am PDT by
Apple supplier Pegatron today indirectly confirmed that the standard iPhone 18 model will not be released until next year, according to a new report. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Pegatron held an earnings call for the second quarter of 2026 today. On the call, Taiwan's Economic Daily News said Pegatron indicated that one of its customers will be changing its...
Read Full Article • 68 comments
iPhone 18 Pro Rumored Colors

What's Coming in September: New iPhones, Apple Watches and More

Thursday August 13, 2026 4:20 pm PDT by
Apple will introduce at least five new devices at its iPhone-centric event next month, and it's also possible we'll get devices waiting on Siri AI like the Apple TV. iPhone 18 Pro The iPhone 18 Pro is going to look like the iPhone 17 Pro, but with a smaller Dynamic Island. It's getting some internal updates, including a new Wide camera with a variable aperture for more control over lighting ...
Read Full Article • 24 comments
Apple Event Logo

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Tuesday August 11, 2026 1:11 pm PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system that is essentially a mix of tvOS, watchOS, and iOS, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a recent report, he said the operating system will feature a grid of icons, widgets, and apps, along with customizable clock faces. The new software platform is intended for Apple's long-rumored smart home hub. With built-in facial recognition, the...
Read Full Article

Top Rated Comments

zarmanto Avatar
zarmanto
25 months ago

iOS 18 public beta isn't ready for anyone to use daily. ...
That hasn't been my experience. I've been using Apple's public betas for many years (I'm not quite adventurous enough to run the more buggy developer betas, these days) so I've likewise been running the public iOS 18 beta more recently. Personal opinion: It seems to me that this has been one of the least buggy iOS public beta releases, to date.

Of course, you and I likely use a completely different combination of apps, so the old "YMMV" disclaimer obviously applies.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
al256 Avatar
al256
25 months ago

That hasn't been my experience. I've been using Apple's public betas for many years (I'm not quite adventurous enough to run the more buggy developer betas, these days) so I've likewise been running the public iOS 18 beta more recently. Personal opinion: It seems to me that this has been one of the least buggy iOS public beta releases, to date.

Of course, you and I likely use a completely different combination of apps, so the old "YMMV" disclaimer obviously applies.
Same. iOS 18 has more polish than my previous experiences.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
S
stars_fan
25 months ago
iOS 18 public beta isn't ready for anyone to use daily. Tons of app crashes and general unstable behavior.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kerr Avatar
kerr
25 months ago
When to expect iOS 17.6.2?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zarmanto Avatar
zarmanto
25 months ago

Probably a dumb question, but if we are on the beta, how do we transition to the final release version?
Not a dumb question at all: if memory serves, when you receive the final "release candidate" version during the usual update cycle, you'll effectively be on the same version that everyone else will be receiving as the "final" release, with no further action required on your part. That last release candidate typically arrives at least a week or three before the final release becomes generally available.

What's perhaps more important is that I believe your agreement to participate in the beta program basically concludes with that release; if you want to participate in the iOS 19 betas when they start to become available, you'll have to specifically select that release option in the automatic update settings, just as you did for the iOS 18 betas.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
D
Danilamak
25 months ago

iOS 18 public beta isn't ready for anyone to use daily. Tons of app crashes and general unstable behavior.
In my daily use iPad as desktop (stage manager and external monitor) it feels more stable than 17

So I want to say that I was surprised how stable this beta was, because 16 and 17 were nightmare no matter stable it or beta
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments