Apple is set to release iOS 26 this fall, and the tech company said that iPhone update will bring a new Liquid Glass design, a new Games app and more to your iPhone. But Apple launched iOS 18.5 on May 12, and that update brought a new wallpaper, app tweaks and some bug fixes and security patches that everyone can access now.
You can download iOS 18.5 by going to Settings > General > Software Update, then tapping Update Now and following the prompts on your screen.
Here's what iOS 18.5 brings to your iPhone. Just a reminder, only people with an iPhone 15 Pro, Pro Max or the iPhone 16 lineup can access Apple Intelligence for now. If you have any other iPhone, you won't have access to those features. You can also check out what other iOS 18 updates brought to your iPhone.
New Pride wallpaper
Apple releases a new Pride wallpaper ahead of Pride Month every year, and this year is no different. iOS 18.5 includes the latest iteration of the wallpaper, Pride Harmony, which features bold stripes that shift and change position as you move.
The latest iOS update includes a new Pride wallpaper, left, next to wallpapers from previous years. Apple/Screenshot by CNET
iOS 18.5 tweaks Mail options
Uncheck the "Show Contact Photos" option to streamline your inbox. Apple/Screenshot by CNET
Apple introduced a few Mail app updates in iOS 18.5. One of those updates makes it easier to adjust the app's settings by showing or hiding contact photos in Mail. Contact photos are the images to the left of emails that help identify senders.
Mail will show Contact Posters by default, but you can turn them off from within the app with iOS 18.5. To do so, open Mail, tap the three dots (...) in the top-right corner of your screen, and then tap Show Contact Photos. Now, all your emails will just show the subject line and a preview of the message, similar to how Mail looked before iOS 18.
... continue reading