iOS 26 Includes These 100 New Features and Changes for Your iPhone

[MacRumors]

Apple has announced iOS 26, and the upcoming software update includes a long list of new features and changes for iPhones.

The first iOS 26 developer beta is now available, and a public beta will follow next month. The update will be released later this year.

iOS 26 is compatible with the iPhone 11 and newer.

Below, we have provided a high-level overview of 100 new features and changes that are coming with iOS 26, in no particular order:

1. A new Liquid Glass design with shimmery app icons and a translucent interface that reflects and refracts the surrounding colors
2. There is a redesigned tab bar in apps
3. A new "Clear" option for Home Screen app icons and widgets, alongside the existing "Light" and "Dark" options
4. On the Lock Screen, the clock dynamically adapts to fill empty space
5. On the Lock Screen, there is an option to view full-screen album artwork
6. Polls in group chats in the Messages app
7. Add a custom background to any conversation in the Messages app
8. You can now send and receive Apple Cash in group chats in the Messages app
9. Typing indicators are now visible in group chats in the Messages app
10. There is a new "Add Contact" button in group chats in the Messages app
11. A new "Select" option in the Messages app lets you select a portion of text within a message bubble
12. Messages app can screen messages from unknown senders, placing them into an Unknown Senders folder
13. Messages app has gained natural language search
14. Hold Assist can wait on hold for you during a phone call, and notify you when the live agent is ready for you
15. Call Screening automatically answers unknown callers, and asks for their name and the reason for their call, before your iPhone rings
16. Live Translation for calls and texts across the Phone, FaceTime, and Messages apps
17. A preinstalled Apple Games app lets you discover games, in-game events, and compete with friends with new challenges
18. A preinstalled Preview app lets you create, edit, annotate, markup, and export PDFs, plus crop, flip, rotate, and resize images
19. Photos app is now split into Library and Collections tabs
20. Relevant video thumbnails are now shown in search results in the Photos app
21. In the Photos app, you can create 3D spatial versions of photos, which was previously only possible using the Apple Vision Pro
22. Camera app has a simpler design with Video and Photo tabs
23. In the Camera app, you will receive an alert if a camera lens needs to be cleaned, so long as "Lens Cleaning Hints" is toggled on in the Settings app
24. The screenshot editing interface has been slightly redesigned
25. In the Settings app, you can now turn off CarPlay screenshots under General → Screen Capture, so that taking a screenshot on your iPhone does not also generate a CarPlay screenshot while the device is connected to CarPlay
26. In the Settings app, can now turn off iCloud Drive syncing via cellular data
27. Phone app now has an optional all-in-one layout that combines Favorites, Recents, and Voicemails
28. Phone app now supports screen sharing and SharePlay during phone calls
29. Phone app offers new Monogram styles for contacts
30. A new Focus mode lets you silence an individual SIM
31. Journal app now lets you create multiple journals
32. Journal app entries can now be viewed on a map
33. Journal app now lets images be added inline with text
34. Passwords app now shows password history
35. Safari now has three layouts: Compact, Bottom, and Top
36. Safari now offers advanced fingerprinting protection for all browsing by default
37. Tips app now offers step-by-step guides for troubleshooting common iPhone issues
38. You can now test AirPods beta firmware directly via the Settings app
39. You can start recording video in the Camera app by pressing and holding on the stem of AirPods 4 or AirPods Pro 2
40. AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 now offer studio-quality audio recording
41. AirPods can now detect when you fall asleep and automatically pause audio
42. You are now notified when your AirPods are fully charged
43. You can be reminded to charge your AirPods when their battery life is low
44. AirPods audio can now automatically switch to CarPlay as necessary
45. You can now set a custom snooze duration of 1 to 15 minutes in the Clock app
46. Visual Intelligence now works with on-screen content, so you can ask ChatGPT questions about what you are looking at
47. Visual Intelligence can now read aloud and summarize screenshots with text
48. Genmoji can now combine two standard emoji into one custom one
49. Image Playground offers new ChatGPT image styles, including Oil Painting, Watercolor, Vector, Anime, and Print
50. In the Shortcuts app, there is a new set of shortcuts powered by Apple Intelligence
51. Apple Music lets you pin playlists, albums, and artists at the top of the Library tab
52. Apple Music lets you create playlist folders
53. Lyrics translation for Apple Music songs
54. AutoMix for Apple Music can seamlessly mix from one song to the next like a DJ
55. Live Activities support for boarding passes in the Apple Wallet app
56. Wallet app now displays relevant information below the boarding pass, such as Apple Maps directions to the appropriate airport terminal, and a shortcut to the Find My app's baggage tracking feature
57. Create a digital ID in the Wallet app using your U.S. passport, for age and identity verification in supported apps, and at select stores and TSA checkpoints
58. In participating U.S. states, "Verify with Wallet on the Web" enables you to present your driver's license or state ID in the Wallet app to websites for age and identity verification, starting with Chime, Turo, Uber Eats, and U.S. Bank, as well as the Arizona MVD, Georgia DDS, and Maryland MVA
59. You can now manage AutoFill credit cards in the Wallet app
60. When toggled on, a new Adaptive Power mode can make small adjustments to extend battery life, such as by slightly lowering display brightness or allowing certain background activities to take longer
61. In the Settings app, you can see how long it will take for your iPhone's battery to achieve a full charge when the device is charging
62. The entire Battery section of the Settings app was overhauled
63. A new "Keep Audio in Headphones" setting prevents audio from automatically switching to newly connected devices, like car speakers or Bluetooth speakers, when you are already listening through AirPods or other headphones
    
    
64. You can now access a list of blocked contacts via the Settings app
65. Safety Check is now an option when blocking a contact
66. Apple News+ subscribers in the U.S. and Canada can play a new Emoji Game
67. A new set of Background Sounds include Babble, Steam, Airplane, Boat, Bus, Train, Rain on Roof, and Quiet Night
68. The so-called Home bar at the bottom of the screen is now hidden more often
69. Weather via satellite will allow you to receive the latest forecast information while outside of Wi-Fi or cellular range
70. In the Notes app, notes can be exported as a Markdown file
71. With Apple Intelligence, the Reminders app can suggest tasks, grocery items, and follow-ups based on emails or other text on your device
72. Apple Intelligence can automatically categorize reminders in the Reminders app
73. You can now create reminders in the Reminders app via the Action button
74. Apple Maps can now learn your commute between home and work, and notify you if there are any significant delays along your typical route, and offer alternate routes if available
75. Apple Maps can intelligently detect and save the places that you frequently visit and spend time in, such as restaurants or stores
76. Apple Maps now lets you choose from additional types of incidents on the "Report an Incident" screen
77. You can use an iPhone as a wireless microphone for the Apple Music Sing feature on the Apple TV 4K (3rd generation)
78. In the Apple Podcasts app, there are now a wider range of playback speed options, from 0.5x to 3x
79. In the Apple Podcasts app, an Enhance Dialogue option lets you hear speech more clearly over background sounds
80. In the Apple Wallet app, Apple Intelligence can now automatically identify, summarize, and display order tracking details from emails sent from merchants or delivery carriers
81. Apple Pay now lets you use rewards and installments for in-store purchases
82. Custom Plans in Apple Fitness+ now automatically create a personalized schedule based on users' workout and meditation preferences
83. New accessibility features, such as Accessibility Reader and Braille Access
84. Personal Voice can now create a smoother, more natural-sounding replication of your voice in less than a minute, using only 10 recorded phrases
85. Vehicle Motion Cues has gained new options to further help reduce motion sickness
86. Parents can now create or move kids into Child Accounts even more easily
87. Parents can grant an exception for their child to download an app with an age rating that exceeds the app content restriction they set
88. Enhancements across Communication Limits, Communication Safety, and the App Store include parental approvals for contact requests from kids, and blurring out sensitive content in FaceTime calls and photos in Shared Albums
89. There is a new "Transfer From Android" option during eSIM setup
90. Wi-Fi Aware is now supported
91. You can now sync captive Wi-Fi portal login information across Apple devices
92. Arabic calculator
93. Multiscript keyboard for Arabic/English
94. You can now specify spelling while using the Dictation feature
95. Liquid Glass design extends to CarPlay when using an iPhone running iOS 26
96. CarPlay now can now show Live Activities on the Dashboard screen
97. CarPlay can now display widgets for things like calendar appointments and Home app accessory controls (previously CarPlay Ultra only)
98. CarPlay now has a compact view for incoming phone calls
99. CarPlay now shows pinned conversations in the Messages app
100. CarPlay now lets you respond to messages with the standard set of Tapbacks in the Messages app

Article Link: iOS 26 Includes These 100 New Features and Changes for Your iPhone

 

[BB8]

please retire alan dye

 

[Carlson-online]

Thank you for the single post about these and not 100 individual ones!
It's a nice readable, consise peice.

Though I'd like to add a 101: The settings app seems to now know that you are searching !

 

[jz0309]

thanks for providing the list, some useful, others not so much for me. Will upgrade though in Sep/Oct timeframe.

The list would probably easier to read if the bullets would start with a - vs[*]

 

[Joe Rossignol]

[…] not 100 individual ones!

Stay tuned!

 

[211]

After using the various OS26s, I feel people at Apple are finally using their products, thinking what do people want. There is still a learning curve, and there are things that need improving, but I feel this is a step in the right direction. A lot of the new features in previous OSs were gimmicky and not used IRL, whereas I feel these features can make a difference

 

[Black.Infinity]

I would definitely disable the liquid glass feature in favour of better performance.

 

[bollman]

It looks absolutely horrible. I really, really hope they make it possible to disable, although I highly doubt it. Just installed it on my iPad and it frankly looks unusable, makes me wanna leave the platform, just horrifying.

 

[almog]

95% of it is gimmick and useless
5% is gimmick with little use

 

[svish]

Great article. Some of the new features are very helpful. Waiting to try it out on my 15 Pro Max later this year. Call screening will be very useful.

 

[Apple Mac Daz]

Just give the option to remove the home bar permanently

 

[DTphonehome]

iOS 26 Has Led To The Publication of THESE 100 Macrumors Articles!

 

[aloysiusfreeman]

Thank you for the single post about these and not 100 individual ones!
It's a nice readable, consise peice.

Though I'd like to add a 101: The settings app seems to now know that you are searching !

The ADHD in me hates this list - can still count to 100 but have categories for the respective changes theyre being made to.

 

[stiligFox]

It looks absolutely horrible. I really, really hope they make it possible to disable, although I highly doubt it. Just installed it on my iPad and it frankly looks unusable, makes me wanna leave the platform, just horrifying.

In Accessibility settings, you can turn on "Reduce Transparency" and it does vastly improve the readability of the glass elements.

 

[JCM800]

Liquid Glass may get better with refinement and use, but what are they thinking putting small text over a blurry but still very discernible background image? And how does one look at the tvOS's current lovely, minimalistic pause/play control screen vs the liquid glass version with buttons and chrome and highlights everywhere and think LG is an improvement?

I hope I'm wrong.

 

[jlc1978]

How about 101:

When you delete and report junk the next text with the same junk message but a different spoofed mail, gets flagged to a junkfile, much like email can?

The phone feature, OTOH, sounds useful to shield all those "To speak to a representative press 1, to get on our no call list press 9..." junk calls.

 

[Donkey Man]

please retire alan dye

Now

thanks for providing the list, some useful, others not so much for me. Will upgrade though in Sep/Oct timeframe.

The list would probably easier to read if the bullets would start with a - vs[*]

It’s more like FIVE out of those are worth noting - select text inside a bubble? Gimme a break.

 

[psac]

>> Apple Maps can now learn your commute between home and work, and notify you if there are any significant delays along your typical route, and offer alternate routes if available

This a good one. My commute to work has two ways via highway, and a third way by a combination of highways-street-highways. The estimates are always for the two highway routes, and about 1/4 of the time it also gives my route as a third alternative (not coincidentally always faster than the other two unless there is an accident, which is why I take it every day.) If it learns I take that alternate route, it would be nice to always give that as one of the time estimates right from the start.

 

[ypl]

My view as a not-supported-by-AI language speaker
0/100 - must check
few/100 - nice to have
a few/100 - don't want (e.g. iOS "Vista" design)

I think it's the first year Apple's offer is so poor. Seems like they allocated half of their stuff to actually improve AI to make it at least usable, and other half to implement "AI flop smoke screen" Liquid Glass design. One cool feature I'm looking forward to is enhanced Spotlight, but it's macOS feature.

 

[Aaronp613]

Stay tuned!

Do it

 

[masotime]

Stay tuned!

ChatGPT o3 generated.

Category	Key additions
Visual & Interface	Liquid Glass UI; redesigned tab bars; “Clear” Home Screen option; adaptive Lock Screen clock; full-screen album art; Home bar hidden more often; refreshed screenshot editor
Messages & Group Chat	Polls in groups; custom chat backgrounds; Apple Cash in groups; typing indicators; Add Contact button; partial-text selection; unknown-sender filter; natural-language search
Phone & Calls	Hold Assist; Call Screening; live call/text translation; all-in-one Favorites-Recents-VM view; SharePlay & screen-share; monogram posters; silence-SIM Focus
Photos & Camera	Library/Collections tabs; video thumbnails in search; 3-D spatial photos; simpler Video/Photo tabs; lens-cleaning alert; disable CarPlay screenshots; on-screen visual Q&A; screenshot summaries; Genmoji mash-ups; Image Playground styles
Audio & AirPods	Install AirPods betas; stem video capture; studio-quality recording; auto-pause on sleep; full-charge & low-battery alerts; auto-switch to CarPlay; Keep Audio in Headphones; new Background Sounds; 1–15 min snooze; iPhone mic for Apple TV Sing; Podcast speed range & Enhance Dialogue
Apps & Media	Apple Games hub; Preview for PDFs/images; Journal upgrades; Tips troubleshooting; AI-powered Shortcuts; Music pins/folders/lyrics/AutoMix; News+ Emoji Game; Fitness+ Custom Plans; password history; export Notes as Markdown
Safari & Web	Compact, Bottom & Top layouts; default anti-fingerprinting
Wallet & Payments	Boarding-pass Live Activities & context; passport-based digital ID; Verify with Wallet on Web; manage AutoFill cards; AI order tracking; Apple Pay rewards & installments
Battery & Power	Adaptive Power mode; time-to-full-charge estimate; revamped Battery section
Maps & Weather	Offline satellite weather; commute delay alerts; frequent-place saving; extra incident types
Reminders & Productivity	AI-suggested tasks & groceries; auto-categorized lists; Action-button quick reminder
Accessibility & Safety	Accessibility Reader & Braille Access; 1-min Personal Voice; improved Vehicle Motion Cues; easier Child Accounts; parental age overrides; enhanced communication safety; Safety Check & blocked-contacts list
Connectivity & System	Disable iCloud Drive on cellular; Transfer From Android (eSIM); Wi-Fi Aware; captive-portal sync; Arabic calculator; Arabic/English keyboard; Dictation spelling
CarPlay & Auto	Liquid Glass look in CarPlay; Live Activities dashboard; widgets; compact call view; pinned conversations; Tapback replies

 

[Marzzz]

“Silence Unknown Callers” should be able to be turned on/off from the Control Center.

 

[citysnaps]

A nice set of new features - thanks for the list. I'll be using a lot of them.

 

[jz0309]

Stay tuned!

Nicely done!

 

[fatTribble]

Great list! I miss the lists Apple used to make available that had every little change. So this really helps.