Apple has seeded the Release Candidate (RC) build of iOS 26 to developers and public beta testers, signaling the final version is nearly complete. Barring any last-minute issues, this is the software that will roll out to all compatible iPhones on Monday, September 15.
The extensive release notes detail a significant update headlined by the new “Liquid Glass” design language, which introduces dynamic refraction and reflection effects across the system. The update is packed with features powered by Apple Intelligence, including on-screen visual search, real-time Live Translation across apps, and enhanced Genmoji creation.
Key additions span the entire system:
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Camera & Photos: A streamlined camera UI, lens cleaning alerts, and a revamped Photos app with better event recognition.
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Communication: Call Screening for unknown numbers, message screening, and polls in Messages.
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CarPlay: A redesigned dashboard with Liquid Glass, compact call UI, and Message Tapbacks.
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New Apps: A dedicated “Apple Games” hub and a new “Preview” app for PDFs.
The update also brings major enhancements to Music, Maps, Wallet, and Accessibility, alongside new tools for health logging and child safety protections.
iOS 26 RC builds for watchOS, iPadOS, macOS Tahoe, tvOS, and visionOS are also now available for testing.