These iPhone models won’t upgrade to iOS 26

Apple announced iOS 26 and iPadOS at WWDC 2025, revealing that several older devices, including the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and the 7th-generation iPad, will not receive the update. The move to iOS 26 follows Apple’s new naming convention, aligning the OS with the calendar year.

The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max, all equipped with the A12 Bionic chip and released in 2018, will not be eligible for iOS 26. These devices did receive iOS 18. Apple typically supports devices with major iOS updates for approximately six to seven years, citing aging hardware as the reason for ending support.

Devices eligible for the iOS 26 upgrade include the iPhone 11 series and newer, along with the 2nd and 3rd generation iPhone SE. Users of these devices can expect new features, such as the Apple Liquid Glass interface, live translation, and expanded Wallet storage.

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The 7th-generation iPad, released in 2019 with the A10 Fusion chip, will not receive iPadOS 26. All other iPads from 2019 onward will receive the update, including the 8th, 9th, and 10th-generation iPads (A12 chip and newer), the iPad Air (3rd generation and newer), the iPad Mini (5th generation and newer), and all iPad Pro models still in use.

iPadOS 26 aims to provide a more desktop-like experience on iPads, introducing a new windowing and tiling system. However, access to Apple Intelligence features, such as system-wide writing tools, Genmoji, and enhanced multitasking, will be limited to iPads with M-series chips or the A17 Pro due to the demands of on-device AI processing. While these devices will not receive the iOS 26 or iPadOS 26 updates, they are expected to continue receiving security updates for at least a couple more years.

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