Am I being tricked into installing iOS 26

[M@rc]

I am on iOS 18.7.8 on my iPhone 14. I just received a notification for an iOS 18 update. It it looks suspicious. There is an option to install 26.6, but at the bottom there is an option to ‘Upgrade to iOS 26’, with an iOS 18 logo. And when I click on it, it seems like it is iOS 18.7.8, but that was already running on this iPhone.

I do not want 26, so I think I should avoid this update, right? It’s confusing.

 

[theapplehead]

You should be good to install what the first screenshot is telling you, but not the second screenshot if you want to avoid iOS 26.

Also have to say that I love your profile picture! What a great show that was

 

[iStorm]

You should be good to install what the first screenshot is telling you, but not the second screenshot if you want to avoid iOS 26.

Not so fast... There is definitely something weird going on here.

1. The second screenshot says "Your iPhone is using iOS 18.7.8".
2. The description of the update in the first screenshot is actually for iOS 18.4.

@M@rc, what does Settings > General > About > iOS Version show?

If you are indeed on 18.7.8, I would restart the phone to see if anything changes with the update screens. You could also go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and delete whatever update it already downloaded to see if that straightens anything out.

 

[UliBaer]

Careful! 😲
If you really run on iOS 18.7.8, everything is ok. That is the last version of 18 offered to iPhones capable of iOS 26!
If there is anything, that wants to update, you'll finally end up being on 26! 😱

 

[theapplehead]

Not so fast... There is definitely something weird going on here.

1. The second screenshot says "Your iPhone is using iOS 18.7.8".
2. The description of the update in the first screenshot is actually for iOS 18.4.

@M@rc, what does Settings > General > About > iOS Version show?

If you are indeed on 18.7.8, I would restart the phone to see if anything changes with the update screens. You could also go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and delete whatever update it already downloaded to see if that straightens anything out.

Good point - I agree with this too and definitely think you should double check your current iOS version before anything else. Might be some strange glitch going on

 

[okkibs]

What exact version (build) are you on? You can see it in settings, general, about. You might have an earlier 18.7.8 build that was superseded by the build that it’s offering now. There are 2 versions, 22H351 is the older one, if your iPhone shows you are currently running 22H351 then it shows you correctly that there is a newer version of 18.7.8 available.

Either way, forget about this update. Wait for the next iOS 27 beta to release next week and then you can switch over and skip iOS 26 entirely. The next beta version will be one of the last ones before iOS 27 releases in September and that's the point where the big issues (before Apple considers it ready) have already been found and fixed.

I am already on iOS 27 on my iPhone 15 now (public beta 2) and it's fine but looking back at previous years it's better to wait for one more version (public beta 3). There are typically 3 more versions (public beta 4, 5, and 6) before the new version launches officially for everybody.

Or simply leave your iPhone as is and update to iOS 27 in September.

Keep in mind there is no way back to iOS 18 once you do upgrade. If you don't like iOS 27 or it ends up not working well your only choice at that point would be a factory reset to a fresh iOS 27 or downgrade to iOS 26.

 

[M@rc]

Settings shows that I am currently running iOS 18.7.8 (22H352).

I deleted the update that was downloaded, as suggested, and after checking for updates again the size of the suspicious update is now 7.99 GB! Surely that means it’s iOS 26. I will stay away from it for sure. Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts.

 

[serra]

Settings shows that I am currently running iOS 18.7.8 (22H352).

I deleted the update that was downloaded, as suggested, and after checking for updates again the size of the suspicious update is now 7.99 GB! Surely that means it’s iOS 26. I will stay away from it for sure. Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts.

I confirm that Apple is indeed trying to trick you into installing iOS 26.
Yesterday, I received a notification that a new version of iOS 18.7.8 was available. Without thinking much about it, I clicked "update now" and, as a result, received iOS 26, which I had intentionally avoided until now.
Given how hard Apple has pushed people to install iOS 26 over the past year, I have no doubt this is a deliberate action by Apple, not a bug.
I'm so mad at Apple now that I could throw my phone in the trash. They took control of my phone and installed something without my consent. This is unacceptable.

 

[M@rc]

That is

I confirm that Apple is indeed trying to trick you into installing iOS 26.
Yesterday, I received a notification that a new version of iOS 18.7.8 was available. Without thinking much about it, I clicked "update now" and, as a result, received iOS 26, which I had intentionally avoided until now.
Given how hard Apple has pushed people to install iOS 26 over the past year, I have no doubt this is a deliberate action by Apple, not a bug.
I'm so mad at Apple now that I could throw my phone in the trash. They took control of my phone and installed something without my consent. This is unacceptable.

Sorry to hear that, I totally get your frustration 🙁 I installed macOS 26 on my Mac Mini a few weeks ago and it is awful. So ugly.

 

[FeliApple]

Yeah OP, I have no clue what’s happening there on that screenshot, but if you’re already on iOS 18.7.8, there’s absolutely no reason at all for you to hit that update button if you don’t want 26.

There’s no newer version of iOS 18, and there’s no point in trying to update. If you did, it would be for… what exactly? You’re already running iOS 18.7.8 regardless.

Somebody reported that the same thing happened and it went to 26. An utterly pointless endeavour, honestly, there’s no reason to hit that button if you’re on iOS 18.7.8.

Just to clarify, this glitch isn’t there if you’re running an older version of iOS 18:

 

[FeliApple]

Wow… it is apparently a glitch and this is indeed happening! See: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/accidental-update-to-26-can-i-go-back-to-18.2486484/

OP, do NOT update to anything. You will be forced to 26 regardless.

 

[serra]

In my case, I clicked on a notification in the start page, not on the software update page inside settings. There, I only had a message saying that a new version of iOS18 was available and the button to update. No mention of iOS26 at all!

 

[UliBaer]

Settings shows that I am currently running iOS 18.7.8 (22H352).

I deleted the update that was downloaded, as suggested, and after checking for updates again the size of the suspicious update is now 7.99 GB! Surely that means it’s iOS 26. I will stay away from it for sure. Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts.

I prevented all actions like that by switching my phone to the iOS 18 beta profile. That way Apple can't trick me into "accidentally" installing 26 and the constant nagging to install 26 also vanished. I did the same with iOS 17 until app compatibility forced me to switch to iOS 18. 😠

Wow… it is apparently a glitch and this is indeed happening! See: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/accidental-update-to-26-can-i-go-back-to-18.2486484/

OP, do NOT update to anything. You will be forced to 26 regardless.

Wow, that's really an indicator Apple is going rogue on tricking users to install 26. 😡

 

[M@rc]

I prevented all actions like that by switching my phone to the iOS 18 beta profile. That way Apple can't trick me into "accidentally" installing 26 and the constant nagging to install 26 also vanished. I did the same with iOS 17 until app compatibility forced me to switch to iOS 18. 😠

Wow, that's really an indicator Apple is going rogue on tricking users to install 26. 😡

Interesting, I will switch to the 18 beta channel then 🙂

 

[winxmac]

I just gained access to an iPhone 16 already running iOS 18.7.8

I checked the Software Update section and it is the same as the screenshot above. I also checked the build and it is already 22H352 but when checking the Also Available, it shows iOS 18.7.8

I don't know whether something changed from the initial non-beta iOS 18.7.8 to the current iOS 18.7.8 that is available to iPhone models that can upgrade to iOS 26.x

Maybe it is indeed a trap from Apple. iOS 18.7.9 is available but only for iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max

 

[UliBaer]

For test purposes I switched off the 18 beta channel and searched for updates. Take a look at this screenshot, taken just a moment ago:



Take a look at the icon placed down below! 😡👎

[edit] Of course I immediately enabled the iOS 18 beta channel again and the threat is gone - phew! 😅 [/edit]

 

[klasma]

Settings shows that I am currently running iOS 18.7.8 (22H352).

I’m on the same version. I have been on the iOS 18 beta channel for a while, so am not getting any update notifications. I’m also not inclined to switch the channel just to see what happens. 😉

 

[c47v3770]

it's a trap. Someone on Reddit tried it and it installed 26.5. Easy to fall for it if you are not paying attention... especially after seeing the iOS 18 logo...

 

[FeliApple]

Wow, that's really an indicator Apple is going rogue on tricking users to install 26. 😡

Yeah, that’s garbage and the fact that they haven’t solved the issue is ridiculous.

Some people have asked me why I don’t even install point updates. Well… because of things like these. What if the update just installs the latest major update and disregards what you said? What can I do? Nothing. What if the update fails and all I can do is restore? What can I do? Nothing.

It’s too much of a trap. But this specific case is beyond ridiculous, I’d never heard of it before.

 

[FeliApple]

I just gained access to an iPhone 16 already running iOS 18.7.8

I checked the Software Update section and it is the same as the screenshot above. I also checked the build and it is already 22H352 but when checking the Also Available, it shows iOS 18.7.8

I don't know whether something changed from the initial non-beta iOS 18.7.8 to the current iOS 18.7.8 that is available to iPhone models that can upgrade to iOS 26.x

Maybe it is indeed a trap from Apple. iOS 18.7.9 is available but only for iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max

They messed up something, but the only solution is to never hit the update button, ever.

I do assume it is a bug though, this has never happened before, but you know what?

Just like with the iOS 9 activation bug that Apple neither fixed nor spoke about, Apple doesn’t care. Users must be aware of this. Apple doesn’t want you to stay behind. If the activation bug happened with a 26 update, they’d fix it immediately. But if you want to stay behind, Apple will never help.

 

[macfacts]

Yeah OP, I have no clue what’s happening there on that screenshot, but if you’re already on iOS 18.7.8, there’s absolutely no reason at all for you to hit that update button if you don’t want 26.

There’s no newer version of iOS 18, and there’s no point in trying to update. If you did, it would be for… what exactly? You’re already running iOS 18.7.8 regardless.

Somebody reported that the same thing happened and it went to 26. An utterly pointless endeavour, honestly, there’s no reason to hit that button if you’re on iOS 18.7.8.

Just to clarify, this glitch isn’t there if you’re running an older version of iOS 18:View attachment 2650452

Kinda scam my in copying MS with those options, "update tonight" and no explicit "no, don't update" option.

 

[FeliApple]

Kinda scam my in copying MS with those options, "update tonight" and no explicit "no, don't update" option.

Apple has always pushed quite hard with notifications for users to update, but… those notifications aren’t neither as annoying nor as frequent as some people make them out to be. Tolerance levels are different, but it’s not like it’s so annoying that it’s impossible to stay behind. In my opinion.

 

[boswald]

If it's truly manipulation then that's pretty shady and disgraceful. Nobody should be tricked into downloading anything! If you wanted 26, you'd have upgraded by yourself. I, personally, use and enjoy 26, but I respect those who don't.

 

[FeliApple]

If it's truly manipulation then that's pretty shady and disgraceful. Nobody should be tricked into downloading anything! If you wanted 26, you'd have upgraded by yourself. I, personally, use and enjoy 26, but I respect those who don't.

This is a poor side of a bad coin that has a worse side:

Apple did worse once. I don’t know if you are aware, but devices with the A9 processor (iPhone 6s, 9.7-inch iPad Pro, 1st-gen SE) that were running iOS 9 around two years after release (this started somewhere in 2018) were forcibly deactivated by Apple and forced to update.

My devices there (I had an iPad Pro 9.7-inch and an iPhone 6s) ran iOS 9 until 2019 and 2020 respectively, when they were forced to iOS 12 and 13. This massively affected the 6s and significantly affected the iPad, which had a battery life loss of 50 and 30% respectively.

Apple has never solved or acknowledged the issue. Today, these devices still cannot activate. I had to update because I needed them, sadly. I had no other iPad at the time and I gave the iPhone (which was supposed to remain on iOS 9) to a family member.

Is this shady? Is this disgraceful? Is this appalling and pathetic by Apple? Yes.

Does Apple care? No. Apple wants us on the latest version and if they force you, they won’t care. Neither will they solve the issue.

Honestly? At least this time you have to update the device yourself, even if it’s misleading. With iOS 9 Apple just disabled the device, mine rebooted on their own and greeted me with the hello setup screen.

 

[Steven SANH]

Installing iOS 18.7.8 question?

I have a 14 Pro Max and I'm running 17.7.

I have downloaded 26.6 but I have not installed it yet. I have an option to update to 18.7.8.

The question is, can I just tap on "update" to iOS 18.7.8, or do I have to delete the downloaded copy of 26.6, first? I'm asking, in case there could be some kind of conflict trying to update to 18.7.8, when 26.6 is already 'downloaded' on my iPhone?