iOS 26 releases on September 15: Read Apple’s release notes for iOS 26 rollout

Following its "Awe Dropping" event, Apple has released the Release Candidate (RC) version of iOS 26 to beta testers. This is the final pre-release version of the software and is expected to be identical to the public release, which is scheduled for September 15. This means Apple iOS 26 will rollout coming Monday.

Today's Apple event was headlined by the new iPhone 17 lineup and other hardware announcements, including new Apple Watches and AirPods. The release of the iOS 26 RC follows months of beta testing and gives developers and public testers a chance to explore the finished software before it's widely available.

Apple also shared the full release notes for iOS 26, which provide an extensive overview of the changes. While the notes don't detail every single feature, they highlight the biggest updates, including the new "Liquid Glass" design aesthetic, enhanced Apple Intelligence features, and a revamped CarPlay.

Some of the notable features in the iOS 26 release notes include:

Liquid Glass Design: A new, translucent design language with floating and pop-out menus that gives the interface a more dynamic feel.

New Apple Intelligence Features: This includes Visual Intelligence for understanding on-screen content, real-time Live Translation during phone calls, and updates to Genmoji and Image Playground for image generation.

Messages & Phone App Updates: The Messages app now supports customizable conversation backgrounds, in-chat polls, and typing indicators in group chats. The Phone app has a new unified layout and introduces Call Screening to filter unknown callers.

CarPlay Redesign: A new design with Liquid Glass elements and a compact layout for incoming calls to help you stay focused on the road.