When does Apple release new iOS? The yearly schedule (2026)

The yearly iOS calendar

The cycle runs from June to the following September, and it’s been steady for more than a decade. Each major version is announced on the first day of WWDC, tested over the summer, and released to everyone in September. It then gets point updates for a year until the next version replaces it.

Here’s how the cycle ran for iOS 26 and iOS 27, using dates from Apple’s own release pages.

When	What happens	Recent example
Early June, WWDC Monday	New iOS announced; developer beta starts	iOS 27 announced June 8, 2026
July	Free public beta opens	iOS 27 public beta, July 2026
Early September	iPhone event; Apple gives the release date	September 9, 2026 event
Mid-September	Public release	iOS 27, September 14, 2026
Late September	First bug-fix update (x.0.1)	iOS 27.0.1, September 28, 2026
November to December	x.1 and x.2 feature updates	iOS 26.1, November 3, 2025; iOS 26.2, December 12, 2025
February to May	x.3, x.4 and x.5 updates	iOS 26.3, February 11; iOS 26.4, March 24; iOS 26.5, May 11, 2026
July to September	Final updates for the old version	iOS 26.6, July 27; iOS 26.7, September 14, 2026

The public beta is optional. Anyone can join through the Apple Beta Software Program at beta.apple.com, but it’s test software, so it isn’t a good idea on the only phone you rely on.

Every iOS release date since iOS 5

Every major iOS release since iOS 6 has landed between September 12 and September 20. The announcement always comes at WWDC in June.

Version	Announced	Released
iOS 5	June 6, 2011	October 12, 2011
iOS 6	June 11, 2012	September 19, 2012
iOS 7	June 10, 2013	September 18, 2013
iOS 8	June 2, 2014	September 17, 2014
iOS 9	June 8, 2015	September 16, 2015
iOS 10	June 13, 2016	September 13, 2016
iOS 11	June 5, 2017	September 19, 2017
iOS 12	June 4, 2018	September 17, 2018
iOS 13	June 3, 2019	September 19, 2019
iOS 14	June 22, 2020	September 16, 2020
iOS 15	June 7, 2021	September 20, 2021
iOS 16	June 6, 2022	September 12, 2022
iOS 17	June 5, 2023	September 18, 2023
iOS 18	June 10, 2024	September 16, 2024
iOS 26	June 9, 2025	September 15, 2025
iOS 27	June 8, 2026	September 14, 2026

Dates are from Wikipedia’s iOS version history and Apple’s security releases page.

There’s a jump from iOS 18 to iOS 26 because Apple switched to year-based version numbers in 2025. iOS 26 was the first to use them. The number matches the year after release, so iOS 26 covered most of 2026 and iOS 27 covers most of 2027.

On that pattern, the next version would be called iOS 28. You can expect a preview at WWDC in June 2027 and a release in September 2027. Apple hasn’t announced either, so treat both as an educated guess.

How the September pattern started in 2011

iOS moved to the fall in 2011, and it’s been tied to the September iPhone launch ever since. Before that, new versions shipped in June or July alongside new iPhones. iOS 4, for example, came out on June 21, 2010, with the iPhone 4.

In March 2011, TechCrunch’s MG Siegler reported that iOS 5 would slip to the fall, breaking the spring-preview, summer-launch habit. Gadget Daily News passed the rumor on at the time, with a note of doubt about Apple rumors in general. This one turned out to be right.

Apple previewed iOS 5 at WWDC on June 6, 2011 and released it on October 12, alongside the iPhone 4S. From iOS 6 in 2012 onward, the release moved a few weeks earlier, into mid-September, and it’s stayed there.

Point updates and security fixes

A September release is only the start. The numbering gives you a clue. A second digit (27.1, 27.2) marks a bigger update, and a third digit (27.0.1) marks a smaller one. Apple’s security releases page shows that some third-digit updates fix security holes and others list no security content at all, which means they’re bug fixes. Apple ships updates to each version for about a year, and keeps patching some older versions for longer.

For iOS 26, Apple released 26.0.1 two weeks after launch, then 26.1 in November, 26.2 in December, and further updates every month or two until 26.7 on September 14, 2026. That’s the same day iOS 27 came out. Then came iOS 26.7.1 on September 28 (Apple security releases).

Phones that can’t run the newest version still get some security fixes. iPhone XS, XS Max and XR owners got iOS 18.7.10 in August 2026. iPhone 6s and iPhone 7 owners got iOS 15.8.8 in May 2026. Those are security updates only, not new features.

Will your iPhone get the new version?

Yes, if you have an iPhone 11 or newer, or an iPhone SE (2nd generation or later). That’s Apple’s list for iOS 27, which supports exactly the same iPhones as iOS 26 (MacRumors).

iPhones older than that stay on earlier versions. The iPhone XS, XS Max and XR stop at iOS 18. The same thing happens to iPads: the iPad 2, for example, never got past iOS 9. Our guide on whether the iPad 2 is still usable covers what that means in practice.

Even on a supported iPhone, you may not get every feature. Apple says Siri AI and other Apple Intelligence features in iOS 27 need an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or an iPhone 16 model or later. A few go further. Apple’s footnotes say adjusting the expressivity and pace of Siri’s voice works only on iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, iPhone Air, iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, and iPhone Duo.

To check what you have, open Settings, then General, then About, and look at the model name. Apple’s “Identify your iPhone model” page matches model numbers to names if you’re unsure. To see whether an update is waiting, go to Settings, then General, then Software Update.

Should you update on day one?

If your iPhone is how you get paid, wait for the first bug-fix update. Apple shipped x.0.1 updates two weeks after each of the last two releases (iOS 26.0.1 on September 29, 2025 and iOS 27.0.1 on September 28, 2026).

If you like new features and can live with a bug for a week or two, updating on release day is fine. Either way, back up first, as Apple’s update guide tells you to.

New iOS versions are previewed at Apple’s developer conference each June. If you’re curious how that event works now, see how to get a ticket to WWDC.

What to do next

Check your model in Settings > General > About. If it’s an iPhone 11 or newer (or SE 2nd generation or later), you can run iOS 27.
Back up to iCloud or a computer before any major update.
If you rely on your phone for work, wait for the x.0.1 update. In 2025 and 2026 it arrived in the last week of September.
Put early June on your calendar for the next WWDC preview, and mid-September for the release.
If your iPhone is too old for the current version, install the latest security update it can get. If it no longer gets updates at all, plan an upgrade.

When does Apple release new iOS versions each year?