Software

iOS 27: the new features worth knowing, and which iPhones get it

iOS 27 arrived on 14 September 2026. It runs on the iPhone 11 and newer, but the new Siri and the other Apple Intelligence features need an iPhone 15 Pro or later.

By the How To, Simply team · 1 October 2026 · 3 min read

Released

14 September 2026

Runs on

iPhone 11 and newer, iPhone SE (2nd generation and later)

Apple Intelligence needs

iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16 and later

New Siri

In beta, English first, not in the EU at launch

iOS 27 is this year's free software update for iPhone. Some of it works on every supported phone. The biggest additions belong to Apple Intelligence and only appear on newer models. This overview is based on Apple's feature list and launch reporting.

Which iPhones can install iOS 27

According to Apple, iOS 27 supports:

• iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max
• iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, 17e and iPhone Air
• iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max and 16e
• iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max
• iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max
• iPhone 13, 13 mini, 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max
• iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max
• iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max
• iPhone SE (2nd generation and later)

Not sure which iPhone and iOS version you have? Open Settings, General, About. Our step-by-step guide with screenshots shows where.

Features every supported iPhone gets

• A slider for Liquid Glass. The see-through look introduced last year can now be adjusted from clear to fully tinted, which helps if you found menus hard to read.
• Speed. Apple says apps open up to 30% faster and AirDrop transfers are quicker.
• Separate volume for alarms and timers. You no longer have to change the ringer volume to make an alarm quieter.
• Find My controls. Share your location for a custom length of time, or hide it from a contact for a while.
• Stronger parental controls. Ask to Browse, app schedules and daily time limits for children's devices. Limits for your own phone are set under Screen Time: see how to set a daily time limit for apps.
• CarPlay video apps. Watch video on the car's screen while parked, in cars that support it.
• AirPods custom EQ. Adjust the sound of your AirPods to your taste.

Features that need Apple Intelligence

These need an iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16 or later.

• The new Siri. Apple calls it Siri AI. It holds a conversation, can answer general questions, and can use what is in your messages, mail, calendar and notes when you ask. There is a Siri app where you can pick up earlier conversations. Apple labels it a beta. It started in English and was not available in the EU at launch.
• Write with Siri. Drafts and rewrites text in any app.
• Photo tools. Clean Up removes larger objects than before, Extend widens a photo beyond its edges, and Spatial Reframing shifts the viewpoint slightly after the shot.
• Safari. Tabs can be grouped by topic automatically, and Notify Me watches a page for changes such as a price drop.
• Call Context. Shows relevant information while you are on a call with a business.

Features limited by country or network

• Apple Cash bill splitting is US-only.
• iPhone Handoff, which lets two iPhones share one number, needs your mobile network to support it, and some networks charge for it.

Should you update now?

Security fixes are the best reason to update, and they come with every release. If your iPhone is your only phone and you rely on a banking or work app, a short wait for the first small update is a sensible habit, because early versions sometimes have battery or app problems. Before a big update, make a backup and free some space: our phone guides cover both.

To install it, open Settings, General, Software Update.