Apple typically announces a major iOS release at WWDC in June and makes it available to the public in September, with point releases following throughout the year for bug fixes, security updates, and smaller features — though that’s the usual pattern, not a guarantee every year. Beginning in 2025, Apple adopted year-based numbering for its major software platforms: iOS 18 (2024) was followed by iOS 26 (2025), skipping the iOS 19 designation readers might otherwise expect. This page lists major releases, selected point releases, their dates, and notable changes — useful for checking software compatibility and understanding roughly how iOS has evolved, though it’s not an exhaustive log of every point release.
| Version | Released | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| iOS 16 | September 2022 | Lock Screen customization, editing/unsending messages, improved Focus features |
| iOS 17 | September 2023 | StandBy, Contact Posters, NameDrop, interactive widgets |
| iOS 18 | September 2024 | Home Screen/Control Center customization, redesigned Photos, RCS messaging support (Apple Intelligence features arrived in later iOS 18 point updates, and only on compatible devices) |
| iOS 26 | September 2025 | First release under Apple’s year-based numbering; Liquid Glass design, expanded Apple Intelligence, Live Translation |
| iOS 27.0 | 14 September 2026 | Major release introducing new system features and improvements |
| iOS 27.0.1 | 28 September 2026 | Point release for supported iPhones generally (iPhone 11 and later) |
| iOS 27.1 | 23 October 2026 | Released exclusively for iPhone Duo, with features built for its foldable form factor |
Current-version note, as of 24 October 2026: iOS 27.0.1 is the latest release for the broader supported iPhone lineup; iOS 27.1 is available only on iPhone Duo. This is exactly the kind of detail that shifts with the next update — check Apple’s official security-releases page before publishing or relying on this table.
How to check which iOS version a device is running
Settings → General → About → Software Version shows the exact version and build number currently installed. Settings → General → Software Update shows whether a newer version is available for that specific device — not every iPhone can install the newest major release, since Apple drops hardware support for older chips a few major versions in, and (as above) some releases target only specific hardware.
Why this matters beyond curiosity
- App minimum-version decisions — setting an app’s minimum supported iOS too low means maintaining compatibility code for versions with a shrinking install base; setting it too high locks out users on older-but-still-common hardware. Checking actual current adoption numbers (Apple publishes these for developers) is more reliable than guessing from release dates alone.
- Security — keeping a device updated helps protect it against known vulnerabilities, but don’t assume a fixed backporting window: Apple maintains separate security-release records for multiple supported branches, and which older versions still get patches varies by version and device over time. Check Apple’s security-releases history rather than assuming a particular older major version has or hasn’t stopped receiving patches.
See also: Latest Browser Versions: Chrome, Firefox, Edge & Safari Quick Reference for the same kind of quick-reference table on the browser side, and Android Versions for the equivalent on Android.