GoKawiilWhile the news coming out of WWDC 2026 is not as dramatic as last year's iOS 26 update, where the new Liquid Glass redesign caused a big stir, Apple’s presentation still made waves.
During the WWDC keynote, Apple walked through the new changes coming to the next version of its mobile operating systems, iOS 27 and iPadOS 27. These updates will roll out to iPhones and iPads later this year, likely in September.
iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 focus largely on stability improvements that enrich the everyday usability of the operating systems. There are several smaller quality-of-life improvements, but the big highlight is the Siri AI upgrades. Here's everything you need to know.
Is Your iPhone or iPad Compatible? AccordionItemContainerButton LargeChevron Apple sometimes cuts a few older devices from support list with every new iOS or iPadOS version, supposedly due to hardware age. (Apple typically supports iPhones and iPads for six to seven years.) But there's good news this year. iPhones from 2019 and newer—the iPhone 11 and up, including the iPhone SE (2nd Gen)—will support iOS 27. That means any iPhone that received iOS 26 is still compatible with iOS 27. If you're unsure about your iPhone model, head to Settings > General > About and look at the model name. iPads aren't as straightforward, as they have a unique naming structure. Apple retired the “generations” moniker and is now using the chipset to denote the model. You can figure out what model iPad you have by heading here. There are a few iPads that are now cut off from the iPadOS 27 update, including the 8th-gen iPad from 2020 and the 5th-gen iPad Mini. iPad : 9th gen and later, including A16
: 9th gen and later, including A16 iPad Mini : 6th gen and later, including A17 Pro
: 6th gen and later, including A17 Pro iPad Air 11-inch : 4th gen and later, including M2, M3, and M4
: 4th gen and later, including M2, M3, and M4 iPad Air 13-inch: M2 and later
M2 and later iPad Pro 11-inch : 2nd gen and later
: 2nd gen and later iPad Pro 12.9-inch: 4th gen and later
4th gen and later iPad Pro: M4 and later Should I Install the Developer Beta? AccordionItemContainerButton LargeChevron Anyone can install the developer beta of iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 right now. But it might not be a good idea, especially on a phone you use and rely on every day. Developer betas are notoriously buggy and sometimes have crippling issues that could make your phone inoperable. If you really want to give it a try, maybe use an older iPhone you have lying around. If you want to try it no matter what, make sure to back up your iPhone before installing the update. Then, head to Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates and choose iOS 27 Developer Beta or iPadOS 27 Developer Beta. You should see an option to install it right away. (Installation will take several minutes.) The public beta is often more stable and might be a better time to try the software. It's usually available in July, and the final version often rolls out mid-September. Apple Intelligence Only Works on Select iPhones AccordionItemContainerButton LargeChevron Remember—even though older iPhones and iPads may receive the iOS 27 or iPadOS 27 update, that doesn't mean all of the new features will be available. Apple Intelligence is still only compatible on the iPhone 15 Pro and newer and select iPads, meaning that several new artificial intelligence features are unavailable on older devices.
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