After six weeks of beta testing, iOS 26.5 is now available to everyone. The update contains a handful of new features and changes. Here’s everything you need to know.
Updated May 12, 2026 with official release details.
iOS 26.5 Details
iOS 26.5 is now available to everyone. iPhone users can go to the Settings app, choose General, and then choose Software Update to install it.
iOS 26.5 Features and Changes
New wallpapers
iOS 26.5 adds new wallpapers for iPhone users. The new wallpapers are part of the Apple 2026 Pride collection. Pride Luminance wallpapers are highly customizable. Users can choose from dozens of different color combinations.
Apple says the Pride Luminance wallpaper highlights “colors that dynamically refract to celebrate the vibrancy, spirit and individuality of the LGBTQ+ community.” It’s a “happy, vibrant design” for iPhone users, complementing the Pride Band for Apple Watch and matching the Apple Watch face.
Learn more: iOS 26.5 adds great wallpapers for your iPhone, here’s what’s new
Apple Maps: suggested locations, upcoming announcements
Last month, Apple announced plans to introduce ads to Apple Maps this summer. iOS 26.5 lays the groundwork for this change, adding the following text: “Maps may show local ads based on your approximate location, current search terms, or the map view while you search.”
However, since iOS 26.5, Apple hasn’t actually rolled out ads to Apple Maps.
iOS 26.5 also enables a new Suggested Places feature in Apple Maps. This feature, which you can see above, will “show recommendations based on nearby trends, the user’s recent searches, and more.”
RCS encryption
Apple began testing end-to-end encryption for RCS messaging with iOS 26.4. However, the feature was not delivered as part of this update. Apple said this would be part of a future iOS 26 update.
Now, as part of iOS 26.5, RCS end-to-end encryption is rolling out to everyone. The feature is enabled by default. You can manage the option by going to Settings > Messages > RCS Messaging, where you’ll see a new “End-to-end encryption (beta)” toggle.
You can see which carriers support RCS end-to-end encryption on this webpage. The feature will be rolled out gradually over the coming months. Even if a carrier is listed on the web page above as supported, the feature may not be immediately available to all users of that carrier.
If RCS encryption is enabled on your device, you will see a lock icon at the top of the message thread in the Messages app.
Learn more: iOS 26.5 adds end-to-end encryption for RCS messaging, rolling out now
App Store purchasing options
iOS 26.5 allows new purchasing options in the App Store. This will include an option that allows developers to charge users monthly, but with a 12-month commitment. This is common on many other app store-style platforms and with many subscription services.
- “You can read pricing information for subscriptions that have a monthly billing plan setup with 12-month commitment…”
- “You can specify the type of billing plan to use for subscriptions that have a monthly billing plan configuration with 12 month commitment…”
Apple detailed this change in more detail in a developer announcement:
Today, we’re launching a new way to pay for your auto-renewing subscriptions on the App Store: monthly subscriptions with a 12-month commitment. This new payment option provides subscribers with more affordable options. Users can cancel their subscription at any time, which will prevent renewal of the subscription once they have made the agreed payments to fulfill their commitment.
To ensure transparency, users can easily view the number of completed and remaining payments for the subscription in their Apple account. Apple will also send emails and, if signed up, push notifications before the renewal date to remind them of their next purchase.
Interestingly, this option will be available in the App Store worldwide… but not in the US or Singapore. Apple hasn’t explained why.
Changes in the EU
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: there are more changes for iPhone users in the EU. As part of iOS 26.5, Apple is rolling out Live Activity support for third-party accessories. This will allow accessories to receive and display live activity from an iPhone.
Additionally, support for notifications and proximity pairing for third-party accessories continues to expand. Third-party audio switching is also in the works.
Magical agreement
With iOS 26.5, it’s now easier to pair a Magic Keyboard, Magic Trackpad, or Magic Mouse to your iPhone or iPad. When you connect any of these accessories via USB-C, it will now stay connected via Bluetooth once you unplug it. You no longer need to pair it manually in the Settings app.
More iOS 26.5 changes
iOS 26.5 introduces some minor updates:
- New Inuktitut keyboard layout
- Apple Books Features: There are hints of new “Year in Review 2026” features for Apple Books, including titles and medals for achievements like The Loyal Reader, Reading Royalty, The Power Reader, and more.
- Data transfer options: When transferring data from iPhone to Android, there are new options for sharing message attachments: None, 30 days, 1 year or all.
Security fixes
Finally, Apple says iOS 26.5 includes fixes for more than 50 iPhone security issues. As always, we recommend updating as soon as possible to ensure you have the most secure version of iOS possible on your iPhone.
Learn more: iOS 26.5 offers fixes for more than 50 security issues on iPhone, details here
Conclusion on iOS 26.5
As you can see, iOS 26.5 is a relatively small update compared to iOS 26.4. Internally, much of Apple’s attention is currently focused on iOS 27, which is expected to be announced at WWDC in June.
Have you spotted any other changes in iOS 26.5? Are there any last-minute updates you hope Apple will make to iOS 26 before focusing on iOS 27? Let us know in the comments.
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