iOS 26 & iPadOS 26 -- Will your iPhone or iPad work?

Apple today announced the new iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 software updates at WWDC 2025. The new updates will ship this fall, and now we know which iPhones and iPads will be supported.

With iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 now official, there's a lot to look forward to. A new Liquid Glass interface is the first change that most people will notice, but new features and improvements are everywhere.

Those improvements include updates to Apple Music, Maps, and Wallet, as well as a brand-new Games app. And that's just the beginning.

Apple also announced a revamped Camera app for iPhone and iPad. Users of the Messages app will also enjoy live translation, among other things.

But none of this matters if you're using an older iPhone or iPad that cannot install these new releases. Thankfully, the chances are good that your device is good to go.

iOS 26 device compatibility

It's bad news if you're the owner of an iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, or iPhone XR. Those three devices will not be supported by iOS 26 and will remain on iOS 18.x.

The iPhones that will work with iOS 26 include:

iPhone 16e
iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max
iPhone 16 and 16 Plus
iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max
iPhone 15 and 15 Plus
iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max
iPhone 14 and 14 Plus
iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max
iPhone 13 and 13 mini
iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max
iPhone 12 and 12 mini
iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max
iPhone 11
iPhone SE (2nd gen or newer)

iPadOS 26 device compatibility

If your iPad is relatively new, it will work with iPadOS 26 without issue. That includes the latest M4 iPad Pro, M2 iPad Air, and other recent releases.

In fact, Apple's list of compatible iPads shows that only one device has been cut adrift. Owners of the 7th-gen iPad will not be able to update and will remain stuck on iOS 18.x.

The iPadOS 26 update supports the following iPads:

M4 iPad Pro
11-inch iPad Pro (1st gen or newer)
12.9-inch iPad Pro (3rd gen or newer)
M2 iPad Air
iPad Air (3rd gen or newer)
A17 Pro iPad mini
iPad mini (5th gen or newer
A16 iPad
iPad (8th gen or later)

Apple has confirmed that the iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 software updates will be released to the public this fall. We expect that to be this September, when the iPhone 17 models are unveiled.

2 Comments

dewme 11 Years · 6049 comments

About 1 day ago

Thanks for the information. I can look forward to the iPadOS 26 upgrade on all but a couple of my devices. One of them will definitely get the first or second public beta.

TRAG 6 Years · 60 comments

Chuffed that my good old iPad Air 3 will get the latest. I thought they would cut it off. I continue to use products until they no longer serve a purpose so have old iPhones as security devices and an old MacBook Pro as a TV media player (and the only DVD player we have in our house). My main devices though I like to be snappy and though the iPad Air 3 is starting to show its age I don't really need a new one as a light iPad user.

Good on Apple giving it a new lease of life with multitasking and a fresh look.

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