There will be security updates for iOS 18 for years. Hell, 15.8.5 was released in September and goes all the way back to the 6s.
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Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26
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There will be security updates for iOS 18 for years. Hell, 15.8.5 was released in September and goes all the way back to the 6s.
Macos upgrade is very tricky: almost illegal. Only if you click “?” Button you will get to unchecking hidden items. From a surface it doesn’t tell you are going one way tkt to macos26.I have several friends that Apple tricked into applying iOS 26, they chose the default update option and there’s no way they can go back when they called me.
Even macOS tries to trick you with the Safari update it also includes back OS 26 unless you uncheck it.
Until now. When iOS 26.2 (or 26.1.1, if that happens first) releases - that's the cutoff
"Unfinished software"? What? This isn't the beta and I'm not sure why you think it is - hasn't been for months now, and avoiding important security fixes for the sake of preserving minor amounts of battery is a rather poor way of handling updates. Let it be known I have been maining 26 since day one in June (13 Pro until 26.0.1, 17 Pro onwards) and while sure it was rocky then it's been smooth sailing since the RC and first release of 26.0.
"Worked perfectly fine yesterday" - that's yesterday. Soon or now, these older versions will be rendered unviable due to missing patches or bug fixes.
Don't do it! Stay on 18!
Much better UX, much faster ... the small number of actual features aren't nearly worth the disaster that is iOS 26.
Wish I could go back.
Much better UX, much faster ... the small number of actual features aren't nearly worth the disaster that is iOS 26.
Wish I could go back.
Yep. And can’t update my Apple Watch unless my iPhone is on iOS 26 yet had no problem updating my Apple TV to 26 without having to update my iPhone.
Forgot about that🤨, same here!!
Judging by what I've read on here, upgrading to iOS 26 will be the end of the world.
End of the world ... no
Make your life more difficult and less pleasant than under iOS 18 ... you bet
I had to upgrade my phone to work with my new AW S11, otherwise I wouldn't have. My Mac remains on MacOS 15.
In my case the push comes in the form of nagging notifications that now tell me “psst! iOS 26.1 is already out there. Update your old iPhone!”
Many others, and it is my case, are reluctant to update because the reported big loss in battery life that comes with it, especially on older devices such as A15-powered devices. Sad.
"Upgrading to iOS __ from iOS __ is irreversible, and Apple does not provide a way to downgrade back to the prior version of iOS."
This has been a long time practice, force feeding the latest OS version on customers whether they like it or not.
Usually followed up by an article bragging about how smartphone customers prefer iOS to Android.
Welcome everyone, it’s good to be Apple.
This has been a long time practice, force feeding the latest OS version on customers whether they like it or not.
Usually followed up by an article bragging about how smartphone customers prefer iOS to Android.
Welcome everyone, it’s good to be Apple.
After the buggy update from iOS 17 to iOS 18 last year I decided to wait until 26.1 to update this time around. So far no major issues or bugs. I haven’t updated my Mac and probably won’t anytime soon as I rely on it too much for productivity to risk any major bugs to disrupt my workflow.
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I’m still on 18 on all of my iOS/iPadOS devices. And I’m still on MacOS 15 on my Mac Studio and MacBook Pro. As soon as 26 came out, the red “Updates Available” alert came up on all of my machines and it won’t go away - even if I’m up to date on the previous OS. This never happened in the past. So Apple’s passive-aggressive games to “encourage” one to update have been underway for a while.
I use the App Store daily and only one app, 2 days ago, had an update that requires iOS 18+. I am still able to download apps, update apps, etc, and I'm still on iOS 17 [and macOS 14.7.5
].
Never downgrading from iOS 18. iOS 26 = Code Diaper.
What the heck is going on there? I haven’t had a single crash in ages. And I run betas as well… Currently on 26.2 beta 4 I think.
If your phone is crashing left and right, you’ve got your own particular issues there.
I have 26 on iPhone 16 Pro, 13 Pro, and a 12.
Some things on 26 need some getting used to, but overall there are new features which I appreciate. They have fixed some things which were jarring like the Phone app, photos…
26.2 beta 3 is running like a dream on my 16 Pro.
(earlier versions of 26 ran the phone hot and had reducing battery life. In my experience, those issues are solved on the latest betas.)
I've been procrastinating going from 17 to 18 on my '20 iPad Pro, but today's news was the needed kick in the pants.
Fortunately, 18.7.2, though now secondary, is still an option. For the time being.
I don't anticipate updating it to 26 before it is retired, so catching the elevator before the door closes seemed like the wise move.
Don't really notice much different with 18 so far. And thankfully, the payload size is barely larger than 17.
But I won't be surprised to see greater RAM consumption manifest itself at some point.
Fortunately, 18.7.2, though now secondary, is still an option. For the time being.
I don't anticipate updating it to 26 before it is retired, so catching the elevator before the door closes seemed like the wise move.
Don't really notice much different with 18 so far. And thankfully, the payload size is barely larger than 17.
But I won't be surprised to see greater RAM consumption manifest itself at some point.
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.
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!)
Article Link: Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26
No. I'm waiting it out a bit.
I highly regret updating to iOS 26 on my iPhone 15 Pro. Flagship phone only two years ago, laggy and buggy since liquid arse. Not buying another iPhone.
I already said NO to iOS 18 long time ago and 26 is no rising star also...
My 7th gen ipad is too old for ios 26. So I fixed that issue by buying a new ipad.