Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

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Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the ‌iOS 26‌ software upgrade option more prominent.

ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade
Since ‌iOS 26‌ launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18 updates front and center.

Starting today, that's changing. iOS 18 users who have not upgraded to ‌iOS 26‌ will now see iOS 26.1 as the recommended iOS update in the Settings app. iOS 18 updates are still an option, but are now displayed at the bottom of the app.

Apple isn't forcing users to upgrade to ‌iOS 26‌, but it is pushing the update more heavily than it was before in an effort to increase installation numbers. Some users may be hesitant to upgrade to ‌iOS 26‌ because of the Liquid Glass design overhaul that makes major changes to the ‌iPhone‌ interface.

Allowing users to stay on the prior-generation version of iOS is an option that Apple has provided since iOS 15, but it doesn't last forever. Right now, Apple is providing iOS 18 security updates to those who choose to stay on that operating system, but that may stop in the coming months.

After pushing people to upgrade to ‌iOS 26‌ by making the option more prominent, Apple will likely remove the option to stay on iOS 18, providing ‌iOS 26‌ as the only upgrade available on devices that support the newer software. Eventually, customers who want to stay up to date on security fixes will need to transition to ‌iOS 26‌, though Apple will continue to provide iOS 18 updates for devices that do not support ‌iOS 26‌.

Apple hasn't released ‌iOS 26‌ adoption numbers, so it is unclear how many people have decided to upgrade. Apple typically updates its iOS numbers several months after a new version of iOS launches, so we could get details in January or February.

Upgrading to ‌iOS 26‌ from iOS 18 is irreversible, and Apple does not provide a way to downgrade back to the prior version of iOS.

(Thanks, Nicolás!)

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Top Rated Comments

sziehr Avatar
sziehr
6 weeks ago
yeah no apple, fix your software and then I will upgrade. They created this mess of non-compliant upgrade due to have such a horrible roll out.
Score: 63 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mr_Ed Avatar
Mr_Ed
6 weeks ago
Yeah . . . No, thank you.

When I update, others in my family will update as well (they wait for me to do it) and I'll be stuck answering the inevitable "Where did X go?" or "How can I make it look different?" questions.
Score: 41 Votes (Like | Disagree)
btbeme Avatar
btbeme
6 weeks ago
iOS is not only an eyesore, difficult to navigate, a horrible waste of screen space, but it is buggy. Really buggy. If I had the option on my new iPhone 17 Pro, I'd happily go to iOS 18. These new OS iterations are simply terrible, across the board. Exchanging functionality for buggy eye-candy is NOT progress. If I wanted my phone (or computer) to look and work like crap I would have bought something other than Apple and added some cheap $1.99 skin to the operating system.
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Neepman Avatar
Neepman
6 weeks ago
Please let us gimp your phone. And soon we will no long be saying please.
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BigMcGuire Avatar
BigMcGuire
6 weeks ago

I’ll upgrade when I see people here posting about how good it is.
It's really really good.

OK you're cleared to update.
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WarmWinterHat Avatar
WarmWinterHat
6 weeks ago
I have no choice on my work phone, so it's on 26.

On my personal phone? No... Let me disable the borders around icons and widgets, and I'll consider it.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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