Exciting changes are coming to your iPhone this fall, including a new aesthetic called Liquid Glass.

Liquid Glass is a huge new change coming to iOS 26. (Apple)

We’re getting closer to accessing all the cool new features coming with Apple iOS 26 this fall. But if you can’t wait that long, you can download and install the public beta as of today. Prefer more of a guided tour? Check out our preview of the iOS 26 public beta release. We’re pretty excited for the fresh home and lock screen redesign we’ve been waiting to see for years. Dubbed Liquid Glass, the new look and feel will extend across all of Apple’s upcoming operating systems. The overhaul was one of several big changes coming to iOS, macOS, iPadOS and the rest of Apple’s software suite, all of which were showcased during the company’s WWDC keynote on June 9.

After overpromising on AI plans last year, Apple kept its iOS roadmap focused more on basic quality of life improvements this year. There are multiple useful additions coming to the Phone and Messages apps on your iPhone, for instance: Apple execs outlined the ability to weed out spam texts or other unknown senders and an option to hold your spot on a phone call when you’ve been waiting for a representative to pick up. Plus, a treasured feature that we took for granted is coming back (hint: it’s in the Photos app).

Siri, meanwhile, is in a holding pattern. Apple has previously specified that its smarter voice assistant — first promised at WWDC 2024 — is delayed until some point “in the coming year,” so you shouldn’t expect any major changes in the current betas. But there are reports that Apple is aiming to give Siri a bigger brain transplant by basing it on third-party artificial intelligence models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Anthropic’s Claude, which could make 2026 a pivotal year.

ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement

With each beta, it seems like additional new improvements are popping up, like a newly discovered FaceTime feature that’ll freeze your video if it detects nudity. Most newer iPhone models are eligible to download iOS 26 (both the betas and final version). Want to see the full list of new features coming this fall? Read on.

What is iOS 26?

While the current iPhone operating system is iOS 18, Apple is skipping the numbering ahead to iOS 26 later this year. The company has decided to line up its iOS version numbers with a year-based system, similar to car model years. So while iOS and its sibling operating systems will be released in late 2025, they’re all designated “26” to reflect the year ahead. (Meanwhile, iOS 18 is still getting new versions this summer, too.)

It’s official, we’re moving to iOS 26. (Apple)

What is Liquid Glass design?

Let’s be honest. Out of everything announced at WWDC this year, the new Liquid Glass design was the star of the show. The iPhone’s home and lock screens have looked pretty much the same year after year — the last exciting thing (in my opinion) was the option to add your own aesthetic to your home screen by customizing your apps and widgets. So seeing the home and lock screens’ new facelift is refreshing.

ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement

So what exactly is Liquid Glass? Apple calls it a “new translucent material” since, well, the apps and widgets are clear. However, the screen can still adapt to dark and light modes, depending on surroundings. You’ll also notice buttons with a new floating design in several apps, like Phone and Maps. They’re designed to be less distracting than the current buttons, but are still easy to see. While the design overhaul has proven to be controversial since its announcement, some — including Engadget’s own Devindra Hardawar — like the new direction, even if it’s somewhat reminiscent of Microsoft’s translucent Windows Vista Aero designs from nearly twenty years ago.

That said, as of the release of the iOS 26 beta 2, Apple has already incorporated some user feedback into the design, dialing back the transparency in at least some places. And while it will continue to evolve, Apple users won’t be able to escape it: Liquid Glass was designed to make all of Apple’s OSes more cohesive. Here’s a look at how the translucent aesthetic will look with the new macOS Tahoe 26 on your desktop.

What are the new and notable features of iOS 26?

iOS 26 has a laundry list of new features. Among the most worthwhile:

Phone app redesign: You’ll finally be able to scroll through contacts, recent calls and voicemail messages all on one screen. It also comes with a new feature called Hold Assist that’ll notify you when an agent comes to the phone so you can avoid the elevator music and continue on with other tasks.

ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement

Live Translation in Phone, FaceTime and Messages: iOS 26 is bringing the ability to have a conversation via phone call or text message with someone who speaks another language. Live Translation will translate your conversation in real time, which results in some stop-and-go interactions in the examples Apple shared during its presentation.

Polls in group chats: Tired of sorting through what seems like hundreds of messages in your group chat? You and your friends will soon be able to create polls in group messages for deciding things like which brunch spot you’re eating at or whose car you’re taking on a road trip.

Filtering unknown senders in Messages: If you haven’t received spam texts about unpaid tolls or other citations, you’re lucky. For those of us who have, those annoying messages will soon be filtered away in a separate folder.

Visual Intelligence: Similar to a reverse Google image search, this new feature will allow you to search for anything that’s on your iPhone screen. For instance, if you spot a pair of shoes someone is wearing in an Instagram photo, you can screenshot it and use Visual Intelligence to find those shoes (or similar ones) online.

Photos tabs are back: For anyone who’s still frustrated with the Photos changes made last year, you’ll be happy to know that your tabs are coming back. Library and Collections will have their own separate spaces so you don’t have to scroll to infinity to find what you’re looking for.

ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement

FaceTime “Communication Safety” feature: A newer addition to iOS 26 appears to be the FaceTime “Communication Safety” feature that pauses communications if and when nudity is detected. The feature appears to be a child safety feature that uses on-device detection, thus obviating any cloud-based privacy issues.

Apple’s Hold Assist will be nifty for those pesky services that put you on hold for 10 or more minutes. (Apple)

Which iPhones will be able to upgrade to iOS 26?

A few iPhone models that run the current version of iOS — iPhone XR, XS and XS Max — won’t be compatible with the latest upgrade. But any iPhones released in 2019 or later will be eligible for the iOS 26 update.

iPhone SE (second generation or later)

iPhone 11

iPhone 11 Pro

iPhone 11 Pro Max

iPhone 12

iPhone 12 mini

iPhone 12 Pro

iPhone 12 Pro Max

iPhone 13

iPhone 13 mini

iPhone 13 Pro

iPhone 13 Pro Max

iPhone 14

iPhone 14 Plus

iPhone 14 Pro

iPhone 14 Pro Max

iPhone 15

iPhone 15 Plus

iPhone 15 Pro

iPhone 15 Pro Max

iPhone 16e

iPhone 16

iPhone 16 Plus

iPhone 16 Pro

iPhone 16 Pro Max

Not listed here are the presumed new iPhone 17 models (or maybe iPhone 26?) that are all but certain to be announced and released in September.

When will the iOS 26 beta be available?

As of July 24, the iOS 26 public beta is available to download via the Apple Beta Software Program. If you’re not already a member, you’ll need to sign up to try out all the latest features. Just visit beta.apple.com and sign up with your phone number or email address. It’s free.

Once you’re in, you can install it by going to Settings > General > Software Update and selecting iOS 26 public beta.

A word of caution: Don’t sign up with your main iPhone unless you’re OK with any risks that occur with using an OS that isn’t finalized.

When will the final version of iOS 26 be released?

iOS 26 will be released to the public this fall. It usually comes in September, within a week of the Apple iPhone event. Last year, it rolled out to iPhone users on September 16 — exactly one week after the iPhone 16 lineup was announced.

If you’re more interested in the Apple Intelligence features coming, here’s everything Apple revealed for iOS, macOS and more during WWDC. Also, check out how iOS 26 screenshots could be an intriguing preview of Apple’s delayed Siri rework.

Update, July 24: Noted the iOS 26 public beta is now available.

Update, July 3: Noted new FaceTime feature found in the developer beta.

Update, June 30: Noted ongoing iOS 18 releases, and reports that Apple is considering additional external LLMs for Siri.

Update, June 25: Noted changes added in iOS 26 beta 2.

If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission.

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

Last month at WWDC, Apple announced its upcoming update for MacOS 26, dubbed “Tahoe,” which includes several app additions, a supercharged Spotlight feature, and a host of new design customizations anchored around Apple’s “Liquid Glass” UI aesthetic we’re seeing across its devices.

Also: Your old MacBook’s days are numbered, as Apple confirms end of support

But baked into all the updates, Apple quietly dropped the news that MacOS 26 will be the last operating system supported by Intel-based Macs. After this update, Apple will stop supporting these older devices with new updates and access to the latest operating systems.

Along those lines, not every Mac will support MacOS 26, as some of the pre-2020 MacBooks with Intel chips are not compatible. This news didn’t come as a major shock for most — Windows is dropping support for a wide swath of PCs later this year — but it’s still not what a lot of MacBook owners want to hear.

If you have a Mac and aren’t sure whether your device will support the new operating system, we’ve got the full list to make sense of the updates.

Which Mac models will get MacOS 26 Tahoe?

The following Macs will be able to support MacOS 26 when it releases this fall:

MacBook Pro M1 or later

MacBook Pro 16-inch (Intel) 2019

MacBook Pro 13-inch (Intel) 2020 with four Thunderbolt 3 ports

MacBook Air M1 or later

Mac Studio 2022 and later

Mac Pro 2019 or later

Mac mini 2020 or later

iMac 2020 or later

As Apple said, it will be the last operating system Intel-based devices will support, so if you have one of those on this list, you’ll probably want to upgrade and stay on Tahoe for the remainder of the device’s lifecycle.

Also: Every iPhone model that can be updated to Apple’s iOS 26 (and which ones can’t)

MacOS 26 Tahoe won’t be fully released to the public until September of this year, but if you’re itching for a sneak peek, you can participate in the beta test, which kicked off earlier this week.

How can I identify my Mac model?

This is the easy part. Just navigate to the Apple icon in the top left corner of the menu bar and click “About this Mac.” You’ll be able to see your model’s full name there.

Which Mac models will no longer be supported?

If you have a MacBook from before 2020 with an Intel chip, it likely won’t be supported (unless it’s one of the models listed above). This includes the MacBook Air from 2020 and the two-port MacBook Pro 13-inch, both with Intel processors. Anything from 2018 or earlier is also not supported.

Also: The best MacOS 26 features that Windows PC users have been enjoying for years

If you have one of these Macs, your device will still work, but you’ll need to remain on MacOS 15 Sequoia for the remainder of its lifecycle.

MacOS 26 public beta vs full release: What’s the difference?

The MacOS 26 beta version is different than the general release because it’s still in development during the beta. During the initial period, developers and testers can evaluate the software and optimize their apps and services for better launch stability. Now that the public beta is out, a good portion of the newly announced features are available, though they may not be optimized, may be buggy, or may not be fully complete.

Also: How to install MacOS 26 on your MacBook (and which models support it)

After months of beta testing, the general release should launch in tandem with Apple’s fall products, including the latest iPhone model. It is then that MacOS 26 will likely see a mass rollout, prompting all eligible Mac users to download the software.

While the full release typically doesn’t include as many bugs and glitches as the beta, users may experience some issues during the first few weeks and months. Regardless, you’ll want to look through the update logs as you’re downloading the software to fully understand the features and benefits you’re getting.

When will MacOS 26 be released?

Apple typically releases its new operating systems for public beta access a few weeks after WWDC, and it this year the public beta went live on July 24th. The public beta program lets users test developing software to pinpoint bugs and performance issues. This process lets software teams make any necessary fixes and releases before the new system reaches general availability.

Also: Your Mac is about to get a huge Spotlight upgrade – finally

Apple released MacOS 15 out of beta on Sept. 16, 2024, a week after its “Glowtime” event. We expect the same with MacOS 26.

What is a software beta?

A software beta is a version of a program or operating system initially released to a limited group of users to gather feedback and iron out bugs. The beta release lets a developer or company test its software program or system to emulate real-world use before a general release.

Also: Apple just gave me a compelling reason to ditch my MacBook for an iPad. Here’s why

The beta phase follows alpha testing, where software is developed and tested internally within the company.

Get the morning’s top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter.

‘ZDNET Recommends’: What exactly does it mean?

ZDNET’s recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.

When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.

ZDNET’s editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form.

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

Last month, Apple announced its latest update for MacOS 26, codenamed “Tahoe.” It’s full of new visual design elements like Apple’s Liquid Glass design theme, better integration with the iPhone, and a more robust Spotlight feature that’s better integrated with Shortcuts.

In fact, the theme of all of Apple’s updates this year is streamlining both the visual UI and feature sets across Apple devices, while making more apps and features available on them, punctuated by Apple Intelligence.

Also: The best MacBooks of 2025: Expert tested and reviewed

Although the official release of MacOS Tahoe won’t be until this fall, if you’re keen on trying them out early, the public beta is finally here. This means Apple has determined the operating system is stable enough to be opened up to the public at large, but keep in mind that there could still be bugs.

Let’s take a look at the biggest announcements Apple made for MacOS.

1. The Phone app on Mac

Apple

The Phone app has finally arrived on MacOS, allowing for a more streamlined user experience between your iPhone and computer. Users can now access recent calls and contacts synced from your iPhone, and make calls with a single click in the same way. What’s more, the Phone app will include the new features added in iOS 26, including Hold Assist and Call Screening.

Also: New to MacOS? 8 beginner tips and tricks to try first – and why

In addition to calls and contacts, live activities from the iPhone will be visible on your Mac, such as tracking an Uber or a delivery from Seamless. Clicking on the live activity will open up iPhone Mirroring, which will allow you to take action directly from your Mac.

2. Liquid Glass and visual consistency

Apple

Apple dropped a major visual overhaul for iOS with its Liquid Glass design theme, and many of those updates are filtering over to MacOS, streamlining the user experience across devices.

The dock, sidebars, and toolbars have been redesigned in the same translucent aesthetic that’s intended to show more content on screen without UI clutter. In addition, the rounded elements and added dimensionality look a lot more like what you’d see on the iPhone. Customization also allows you to adjust the control center in the same way as the iPhone

Also: What is Liquid Glass? Here’s everything we know about Apple’s major UI overhaul at WWDC

Just like the iPhone, Macs will support additional personalization options, including dark or light mode, an all-clear icon, and dock theme, as well as customized color tones. This customization extends to folder icons themselves, with colors, themes, and even emojis.

3. Shortcuts and Spotlight get smarter

Apple

MacOS 26 adds a handful of smart integrations for the Spotlight feature. Instead of just being a simple search bar, Apple’s updates to Spotlight make it into a more powerful control panel that works with Shortcuts and can take app-specific actions, while powered by Apple Intelligence.

For example, during the WWDC keynote, we saw a demo in a photo editing app, with the user adjusting the color tone by searching for that function in the Spotlight. In a complex app like Photoshop, for example, if you can’t find a specific function, Spotlight could step in to act as a top-level search function.

Also: Apple’s secret sauce is exactly what AI is missing

In supporting additional productivity features, Spotlight will also contain clipboard history and allow you to create automations in conjunction with Apple Intelligence to make complex actions like summarizing text or creating images. You can access Apple Intelligence models on your device or ChatGPT.

Spotlight will also support a handful of shortcut Quick keys, such as “sm” for “send message,” for example. That opens a thread where you can send a message directly from the Spotlight app itself, without swapping to Messages.

4. Apple Intelligence, of course

Some of the Apple Intelligence features that debuted on the iPhone will now be available in MacOS, including a more robust, personalized Siri, and a smarter Shortcuts app.

Apple is also opening up MacOS 26 so third-party developers can start creating apps that actually integrate with Apple Intelligence. It’s a smart move, allowing some breathing room to further innovate on its own AI features (which some say have fallen behind competitors’) while allowing external developers to bring useful AI functions to the Mac.

5. Apple Games

Apple

Coinciding with the launch of the Games app on the iPhone, we’re also seeing Games come to MacOS 26 as a dedicated store, launcher, and leaderboard. The Games app also brings an overlay showing system settings like low power mode, as well as online friends and communications.

Metal 4 comes to MacOS 26 as well, offering higher quality graphics with MetalFX Frame Interpolation and MetalFX Denoising for smoother visuals and faster frame rates.

Let’s talk compatibility

All of these updates sound great, but not every Mac will be compatible with MacOS 26 Tahoe. Older Macs with Intel processors, unfortunately, will not support the new OS version. This means any Mac with an M1 processor or later will run MacOS 26, but most devices from before the 2020 mark will not.

Also: How to install the MacOS 26 beta on your Mac (and which models support it)

This move all but seals the deal on phasing out older Intel-based models, something we’ve been expecting from Apple for a while. If you do have a Mac computer with an Intel processor, you can still run the previous MacOS, Sequoia, or its predecessor, Sonoma, depending on how old your device is.

Get the morning’s top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter.

Apple mistakingly sent out public macOS Tahoe betas. Image source: Apple

Some beta testers that immediately downloaded what they expected to be the macOS Sequoia 15.6 RC got the macOS Tahoe 26 public beta by mistake, but Apple has since fixed the issue.

Apple is expected to release the OS 26 public betas by July 25, and more evidence of that expected move cropped up Monday. Those paying attention to Apple’s beta distribution servers noticed an errant macOS Tahoe release that seemed to make it to some unsuspecting users.

At 1:03 p.m. Eastern, AppleInsider staff noted a macOS Tahoe 26 release with the build 25A5316i. It never appeared on developer tester Macs, but it did populate for at least one user.

According to a social media post discovered by MacRumors, one user expected to get the latest public beta of macOS Sequoia 15.6, but instead got a version of macOS Tahoe. It seems to only have been distributed to users without Rosetta 2 installed running public betas.

The user had already downgraded from macOS Tahoe previously, so it is no doubt a surprise to find their Mac running a completely different operating system due to a beta update. As we’ve often repeated, running beta operating systems always can be perilous.

The build number is slightly higher than the current developer beta 3, which is 25A5306g, which indicates it is likely the developer beta 4, public beta 1 build due later in the week.

Apple has since pulled the errant update. It seems the public beta for macOS Tahoe was sent out in place of the update package for the macOS Sequoia RC.

Undoubtedly, very few people were able to download this build of macOS Tahoe. However, if you were one of the few, note that you’ll either have to manually downgrade or stick with the public beta.