Apple Reveals How Many iPhones Are Running iOS 26

[MacRumors]

Apple has shared updated iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 adoption figures, revealing how many iPhones and iPads are running those software versions.

These adoption numbers are based on iPhones and iPads that transacted on the App Store on February 12, 2026, according to Apple.

The statistics are as follows:

• 74% of all iPhones introduced in the last four years are running iOS 26.
• 66% of all iPhones are running iOS 26.
• 66% of all iPads introduced in the last four years are running iPadOS 26.
• 57% of all iPads are running iPadOS 26.

Here is how that compares to the iOS 18 adoption figures that Apple shared based on iPhones and iPads that transacted on the App Store on January 21, 2025:

• 76% of all iPhones introduced in the last four years were running iOS 18.
• 68% of all iPhones were running iOS 18.
• 63% of all iPads introduced in the last four years were running iPadOS 18.
• 53% of all iPads were running iPadOS 18.

Article Link: Apple Reveals How Many iPhones Are Running iOS 26

 

[MacUserFella]

I was expecting a lot less, like, I cannot stress how much less I was expecting

 

[kenta_]

100% of iPhones released in last 4 months running iOS 26... Amazing!

 

[AppleTO]

I was expecting a lot less, like, I cannot stress how much less I was expecting

I’m sure it would be less if they allowed downgrading. But you can’t, so I’m sure a percentage of those people don’t want to running the newer iOS.

 

[HouseLannister]

In other words, 26% of all iPhones released in the last four years have dozens of unpatched security flaws, at least 3 of which are being actively exploited.

 

[Black_Mage]

They finally got me with 26.3. 18.7.3 is no longer secure so there’s that. I may be in the minority here, but I have been enjoying 26.3. It has been running better than 18.7.3 on my phone. FaceTime was sluggish with 18.7.3 in comparison. I’m also enjoying Liquid Glass. Maybe 26.0 was a train wreck, but 26.3 seems ok to me. I’m glad I waited.

 

[B4U]

Thinking I might want to know the percentage when excluding the iPhone 17 series. 🤣

 

[tomekwsrod]

Give the option to downgrade and then show the statistics.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

In other words, 26% of all iPhones released in the last four years have dozens of unpatched security flaws, at least 3 of which are being actively exploited.

Yea I saw that. I keep nothing of value/interest on my phone, and i'm a pretty boring target, so it's a risk I'm willing to take.

If they release 18.7.whatever on my 16 Pro that fixes it, I'll update.

 

[I7guy]

I was expecting similar to previous years. And I questioned the original metrics first reported. These adoption numbers should put a lot of conversations to bed.

I remember the discussions some years when Apple had a string of record breaking quarters. And some posters were saying yeah it wasn’t as big of a record breaking quarter.🤷‍♀️

 

[Avenged110]

I realize the methodology is consistent year-to-year and that there is probably some amount of estimation going on, but so these numbers only count devices involved in App Store transactions on a specific day? That seems like something which would be inclined to undercount devices less likely to be updated.

 

[whiteashsaturday]

Most people wait until the x.3 release because it’s normally more stable.

I know a huge amount of my lag issues and app oddities have been corrected in the last couple days with this update.

 

[code-m]

They finally got me with 26.3. 18.7.3 is no longer secure so there’s that. I may be in the minority here, but I have been enjoying 26.3. It has been running better than 18.7.3 on my phone. FaceTime was sluggish with 18.7.3 in comparison. I’m also enjoying Liquid Glass. Maybe 26.0 was a train wreck, but 26.3 seems ok to me. I’m still glad I waited.

Shoo, bite your tongue and go sit in the corner and reflect on what you just said. Don’t let the other forum members hear you say you like LG. /s

 

[Thomasasz]

These adoption numbers are based on iPhones and iPads that transacted on the App Store on February 12, 2026, according to Apple

I wonder how well these figures represent the actual level of iOS26 adoption, considering that not everyone “transacts” via App Store regularly or even at all.

 

[Agent007]

Yeah cause they forced the update where possible and hounded users with the red notification in Settings. They also made it really easy to accidentally select iOS26 instead of 18.X when iOS18 updates were still available.

Apple, at this point, makes good computers. That's it. And, believe me, the A-series MacBook will only be the beginning of trimming the value from the Mac experience until it's basically a Chromebook. It'll still be a status symbol in China, though 😆

 

[TomaxXamot]

I was forced to upgrade in order to use my new AirTags and I’ve been surprisingly happy that in iOS 26 they’ve fixed a bunch of issues I’ve been having with Notes that have persisted for years. The most notable one for my usage is Find In Note. Seems to work every time now (knock on wood).

 

[DocMultimedia]

They need a downgrade option. That would cause the percentage to plunge.

 

[Soba]

This is not surprising because the update prompts are pushier and more persistent than ever. Even if the user is paying attention, it's very easy to accidentally start the upgrade even if they don't want to install it (as happened with several of my family members).

In the now-distant past, Apple published macOS upgrade statistics because the upgrade process was entirely voluntary and the user had to make the effort to obtain the install disc and manually start the upgrade; what Apple was touting was how much better the new version was compared to the last and how many people genuinely wanted it. In the present day, where the new version is more or less forced on every user, I'm not sure what such statistics are intended to show.

 

[svanstrom]

I was expecting a lot less, like, I cannot stress how much less I was expecting

That's because you/we are at least partially inside this bubble filled with grumpy old men throwing a major tantrum because they've reached that age where if anything changes even slightly too much they're going to die on their lil hill of the good old days. 😂

 

[AusMness]

This checks out, we like to see it

 

[ItsASpider]

I realize the methodology is consistent year-to-year and that there is probably some amount of estimation going on, but so these numbers only count devices involved in App Store transactions on a specific day? That seems like something which would be inclined to undercount devices less likely to be updated.

Why would older device be less involved in transactions on the App Store? Diving into my app store, I've got 5 apps that auto updated today, I don't even have that many apps installed. The odds of the average user not having had a transaction in the App Store are pretty slim. A "transaction" is any type of interaction with the App Store. It doesn't mean "person bought an app".

 

[Homme]

I was expecting a lot less, like, I cannot stress how much less I was expecting

Because you were like the chorus of all “let’s downgrade to iOS 18 because Liquid Ass sucks” yet we needed iOS 26 because the photos app in iOS 18 sucked as hell

 

[ProbablyDylan]

Now, how many of those users are happy with the update? Because having a thing and being happy with the thing are vastly different things.

 

[ItsASpider]

Of course these are the numbers. As said on that news item about the StatCounter data; their reporting is just absolute nonsense for matters like this. Most people don't and never will care about which version of iOS they run on their devices, people here claiming that if downgrading was an option that these numbers would be different are just kidding themselves.

 

[jjudson]

There's a lot of folks who are pi**ed because Apple sneakily updated their phones overnight not realizing the phone was on auto-update. I check mine every now and then to make sure it stays off. I sometimes wonder if Apple plays shenanigans with the auto-update feature to boost their adoption rate for shareholder meetings...