Quick answer
iOS 27, announced on 8 June 2026 and released on 14 September 2026, centres on Siri AI: a conversational Siri with memory, on-screen awareness and its own app. Apple also confirmed a rebuilt search, a Liquid Glass transparency slider, plain-English Shortcuts, new Health and parental controls, and faster app launches. It runs on iPhone 11 and later.
Where iOS 27 stands today
iOS 27 is finished and on public release. Apple announced it at the WWDC 2026 keynote on 8 June 2026 and seeded developer beta 1 the same day. Eight betas and a release candidate later, iOS 27.0 reached everyone on 14 September 2026.
| Track | Version | Build | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Latest public release | iOS 27.0.1 | 24A446 | 28 September 2026 |
| First public release | iOS 27.0 | 24A437 | 14 September 2026 |
| Latest beta | iOS 27.2 beta 4 | 24B5110a | 13 October 2026 |
This page started life in May 2026 as a list of features reported before WWDC. It has been rebuilt around what Apple actually announced. The pre-launch reports that did not show up in the keynote now sit in their own section further down, clearly labelled, so you can tell the two apart.
What's new in iOS 27: the confirmed features
Apple's keynote highlights for iOS 27 fall into eight groups. The table gives the short version; the sections below explain each one.
| Feature | What it does | Needs Apple Intelligence? |
|---|---|---|
| Siri AI | Conversational Siri with memory, on-screen awareness, personal context and a standalone app | Yes |
| Rebuilt search | New foundation behind Spotlight, Photos, Mail and Messages with near-instant indexing | No |
| Liquid Glass personalisation | System-wide transparency slider and layered, near-3D app icons | No |
| Plain-English Shortcuts | Type the automation you want instead of assembling action blocks | Not confirmed |
| Health | Perimenopause and menopause tracking in Cycle Tracking | No |
| Family safety | Parents control who a child can reach and which apps and sites open | No |
| Performance | Apple cites up to 30% faster app launches and up to 70% quicker photo loading | No |
| Smaller changes | Full-resolution iCloud Shared Albums, AirPods custom EQ, self-updating Passwords | No |
Siri AI
Siri AI is the biggest change in iOS 27. Siri now remembers what you asked a moment ago, so you can follow up without repeating yourself. It understands what is on your screen, draws on personal context from Messages, Mail, Photos and Notes, and can act inside your apps rather than only opening them.
For the first time Siri also has a standalone app, which gives conversations a home of their own instead of a temporary overlay. At the keynote Apple said English support would arrive later in 2026, with more languages to follow. To see what your build offers, open Settings › Apple Intelligence & Siri.
Siri AI is part of Apple Intelligence, so it needs an iPhone with an A17 Pro chip or newer. Our Apple Intelligence availability guide covers devices and regions in more detail.
Rebuilt system search
Search in iOS 27 runs on a new foundation. Spotlight, Photos, Mail and Messages all use it, and Apple says new content is indexed almost instantly, so a photo you just took or an email that just arrived shows up in results straight away.
The trade-off comes right after you update. Your iPhone re-indexes everything for the new search, which can make it warm and use more battery for the first day or two. That is expected and settles on its own.
Liquid Glass, your way
iOS 26 introduced the Liquid Glass design with a single look for everyone. iOS 27 adds a system-wide slider that turns the transparency up or down, and app icons gain a layered, near-3D depth. Read the full explanation in our Liquid Glass slider guide.
Shortcuts in plain English
You can now type the automation you want in everyday language, and Shortcuts builds it. You no longer have to find and chain individual action blocks yourself, which has always been the part that put people off the app.
Health and Cycle Tracking
Cycle Tracking adds dedicated perimenopause and menopause tracking with personalised insights. You find it in the Health app alongside the existing cycle data.
Family and child safety
Parents get finer control over a child's iPhone. You decide exactly who your child can reach in Phone, FaceTime and Messages, and which apps and websites open at all.
Performance
Apple's keynote figures were up to 30% faster app launches across the system and up to 70% quicker photo loading right after capture. Apple said the gains apply to every supported iPhone back to the iPhone 11. These are Apple's claims; your results depend on the model, its battery health and how full the storage is.
The smaller details
- iCloud Shared Albums now keep photos at full resolution, and people on Android and Windows can take part.
- AirPods gain custom EQ presets.
- Passwords updates saved credentials for supported sites on its own.
Which iPhones get iOS 27 features?
Every iPhone that ran iOS 26 runs iOS 27. That is iPhone 11 and later plus iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation), 33 models in all. Apple dropped no iPhones this year, despite pre-launch reports that it would. The iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and older stay on earlier versions.
Apple Intelligence features, including Siri AI, are stricter. They need an A17 Pro chip or newer.
| iPhone | iOS 27 | Apple Intelligence and Siri AI |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, 17e, iPhone Air | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max, 16e | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone 15, 15 Plus | Yes | No (A16 chip) |
| iPhone 14, 13 and 12 series | Yes | No |
| iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max | Yes | No |
| iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation) | Yes | No |
| iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and older | No | No |
An older iPhone still gets the rebuilt search, the Liquid Glass slider, the Health and family features, the smaller changes and Apple's performance work. It just goes without Siri AI and the other Apple Intelligence tools. The full iOS 27 compatibility list has every model.
iPadOS 27 and macOS 27 at a glance
iPadOS 27 brings the same main pieces to iPad: Siri AI on iPads that support Apple Intelligence, the rebuilt search, the transparency slider and the performance work. Unlike iOS 27, it drops five models: iPad (8th generation), iPad Air (3rd generation), iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation) and iPad mini (5th generation). Check yours in the iPadOS 27 supported iPads list.
macOS 27 runs only on Apple silicon Macs; no Intel Mac appears in Apple's macOS 27 restore image. The macOS 27 features page covers the Mac side.
Reported before WWDC but not confirmed
Before the keynote, this page listed features from news reports, code findings and leaks. The ones below did not appear in the WWDC highlights we track, so we cannot tell you they shipped. Some may be in iOS 27 without having had stage time, some may come in a later update, and some may never arrive.
| Pre-launch report | What was claimed | Status on this site |
|---|---|---|
| Siri in the Dynamic Island | A pill-shaped Siri animation and a "Search or Ask" bar opened by swiping down from the top centre | Not confirmed |
| Choice of third-party AI models | Pick ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude or others to power Apple Intelligence features | Not confirmed |
| Customisable Camera app | Per-mode controls from an "Add Widgets" tray, plus a Siri camera mode | Not confirmed |
| Create a Pass in Wallet | Turn QR codes and paper tickets into Wallet passes | Not confirmed |
| Extend, Enhance and Reframe | Three AI editing tools in Photos; reports said two might slip | Not confirmed |
| Core AI framework | A successor to Core ML for developers | Not confirmed |
| Writing Tools grammar check | Grammar checking on top of rewriting and proofreading | Not confirmed |
| Safari Start Page redesign | Four tabs for favourites, bookmarks, reading list and history; AI-named tab groups | Not confirmed |
| Image Playground wallpapers | AI-generated wallpapers and a "describe a change" option | Not confirmed |
| Visual Intelligence additions | Nutrition labels to Health, business cards to Contacts | Not confirmed |
| iPhone 11 and SE (2nd gen) dropped | A leaked compatibility list cut older iPhones | Wrong: both run iOS 27 |
The fastest way to check any of these is on your own iPhone, or on Apple's iOS page. Our iOS 27 leaks and rumours record keeps the full pre-launch picture for anyone who wants to compare.
How to get iOS 27 on your iPhone
If your iPhone is supported, iOS 27 is a normal free update. Back up first, then:
- Connect to Wi-Fi and plug in your iPhone.
- Open
Settings › General › Software Update. - Tap Update Now or Download and Install for iOS 27.0.1.
- Enter your passcode and leave the iPhone on the charger until it restarts.
To try features before they reach the public release, you can join the beta. It is free with any Apple Account and needs no configuration profile. Go to Settings › General › Software Update › Beta Updates and choose iOS 27 Public Beta or iOS 27 Developer Beta. A backup made on a beta cannot be restored onto an older iOS version, so archive a computer backup before you switch.
What to do next
If you want the newest build before everyone else, our iOS 27 beta download guide walks through the install step by step, including how to leave the beta again later.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main new features in iOS 27?
The headline addition is Siri AI, a conversational Siri with memory, on-screen awareness, personal context and a standalone app. Around it, Apple confirmed a rebuilt system search, a Liquid Glass transparency slider with layered app icons, Shortcuts you describe in plain English, perimenopause and menopause tracking in Cycle Tracking, tighter parental controls, full-resolution iCloud Shared Albums, custom AirPods EQ and a Passwords app that updates credentials on its own.
Which iPhones get iOS 27?
Every iPhone that ran iOS 26 also runs iOS 27: iPhone 11 and later, plus iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation). That is 33 models, up to iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. The iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and older do not get iOS 27. Our supported devices list names every model.
Do I need an iPhone 15 Pro for the new Siri?
Yes. Siri AI and the rest of Apple Intelligence need an A17 Pro chip or newer. On iPhone that means iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, every iPhone 16 model including 16e, every iPhone 17 model, iPhone Air, and iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max. The standard iPhone 15 and 15 Plus run iOS 27 but do not get Apple Intelligence.
Is iOS 27 out yet?
Yes. iOS 27.0 shipped to the public on 14 September 2026 as build 24A437, and iOS 27.0.1 (24A446) followed on 28 September. If you want to test what comes next, the current beta is iOS 27.2 beta 4 (24B5110a), released on 13 October 2026. Check for updates in Settings › General › Software Update.
Did Create a Pass, Camera widgets and the Extend photo tool ship in iOS 27?
We have not confirmed them. All three came from reports published before WWDC 2026, and none appears in the keynote highlights we track. Apple sometimes ships smaller features without stage time, so the honest answer is to check on your own iPhone or on Apple's iOS page. Until then, treat them as pre-launch reports, not features.
Can I turn off Liquid Glass in iOS 27?
Not entirely, but iOS 27 adds a system-wide slider that dials the transparency up or down. For solid backgrounds everywhere, turn on Settings › Accessibility › Display & Text Size › Reduce Transparency, which has been in iOS for years and still works. Our Liquid Glass slider guide explains how the two settings relate.
Is iOS 27 faster than iOS 26?
Apple says so. Its keynote figures were up to 30% faster app launches and up to 70% quicker photo loading right after capture, on every supported iPhone back to the iPhone 11. Those are Apple's numbers, not our measurements. The first day or two after any major update can feel slower while the iPhone re-indexes your library for the rebuilt search.