iOS 26 release date in India announced: Rollout date, time, supported iPhones and more

iOS 26

Apple has confirmed that iOS 26 will officially roll out in India and other markets on September 15, 2025, days after unveiling the iPhone 17 lineup at its global event. The update will be available for download across a wide range of iPhone models, bringing new features and design changes.

iOS 26 compatible devices

The iOS 26 update will be available for iPhone 11 and newer devices, including the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 series. Older models such as the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone SE (2nd generation and later) will not receive the update. Apple said the rollout will begin on Monday evening IST, with staggered availability depending on region and device.

Key features in iOS 26

Apple has highlighted three major upgrades in the iOS 26 release notes. The first is the Liquid Glass design, a translucent interface with floating menus and smoother animations. Second, Apple Intelligence is expanding with Visual Intelligence, real-time Live Translation during phone calls, and updated tools such as Genmoji and Image Playground for image creation. Third, CarPlay has been redesigned with compact notifications and Liquid Glass elements, improving in-car usability.

The Messages app is also receiving conversation backgrounds, polls in group chats, and new typing indicators. Meanwhile, the Phone app now supports Call Screening, which filters unknown or spam callers.

iOS 26 availability in India

iOS 26 will be a free software update available for download on all supported devices in India from September 15. Users can install it via the Settings app under General > Software Update. Apple recommends keeping devices connected to Wi-Fi and backed up before updating.