iOS 18 release: Everything you need to know about Apple's big updates | Apple

Apple will release software updates for its iPhone, iPad, Mac and smartwatch on Monday, adding new features and designs for compatible devices.

Announced at the company's developer conference in June, iOS 18, iPadOS 18, watchOS 11, and macOS Sequoia offer extensive new customization options for the Home screen and Control Center, smart handwriting and math tools for note-taking, and new watch faces, among other new features.

Here's what you need to know about the updates.

When can I get it?

Downloads for iOS, iPadOS, watchOS and macOS updates typically begin at around 6pm UK time (1pm New York, 3am Sydney). Unlike other manufacturers, all eligible Apple devices will be able to download and install the update as soon as it is released, rather than on a staggered basis.

Which devices can get it?

All Apple smartphones from the iPhone XS from 2018 or later can install iOS 18. All tablets from the iPad Pro from 2018 or the iPad Air (3rd generation), iPad mini (5th generation) or iPad (6th generation) from 2019 and later can install iPadOS 18. All Apple Watches from Series 6 from 2020 or later can install watchOS 11. All MacBook Airs from 2020, MacBook Pros from 2018, Mac minis from 2018, iMacs from 2019, Mac Studios from 2022, the iMac Pro from 2017 and the Mac Pro from 2019 or later can install macOS Sequoia.

How do I get it?

Open the Settings app on an iPhone or iPad, then go to General > Software Update. Tap Install if it's available to download, check it, then reboot to install. You can also install the update using a Mac or iTunes on a Windows computer.

WatchOS 11 requires an iPhone XS or later running iOS 18 to begin. Then, open the Watch app on the phone and navigate to General > Software Update to begin the installation. To complete the update, you'll need to place the smartwatch on the charger.

Macs are updated in System Preferences. Navigate to General > Software Update.

How much will it cost?

Apple provides free updates. If you are asked to pay for an update, it is a scam.

Apple Intelligence is not yet available

Apple's various new AI tools, such as writing and speech tools, summaries, AI photo editing, and improved Siri, are not yet available and will be added to the company's products in beta later this year. The beta will begin in the US in October and in the UK in December.

iOS18

Customize your home screen and control center

Apple has finally allowed you to place app icons and widgets on the home screen in any pattern, not just from the top left. App icons can now be made larger and either colored to match dark mode or tinted with a color.

Control Center has been redesigned to add a wide range of quick settings in different sizes and shapes, and provide additional pages to scroll through. So you can dedicate one page to music or another to smart home controls. Quick controls on the lock screen can also be changed.

Redesigned Photos app

The Photos app has been redesigned with large featured photos and carousels. It now automatically creates photo collections based on themes like recent days, travel, or people and pets. You can create your own collections and pin the most important collections or albums for quick access, or reorganize the app to suit your preferences.

News

Apple has finally added RCS support to the Messages app, making it easier to send text messages to Android users, especially with media and read receipts. You can now schedule messages and send them at a later time, which is handy for sending birthday greetings. Text can now be animated in iMessages, and reactions can now include any emoji or sticker.

Notes, passwords and maps

The Notes app can now record audio and create live transcripts that can be searched or combined with other documents. It can also now solve math expressions and calculations for you.

Apple's keychain has been transformed into a real password manager with the new “Passwords” app and is available on all Apple devices and Windows.

Apple Maps can now store topographic maps offline and create custom routes for walks and hikes.

iPadOS 18

iPad has the same customization, photos, messaging, passwords, and maps features, plus some important upgrades just for the tablet.

Notes and calculator

The Notes app is getting a big upgrade for handwriting with Apple Pencil. It can automatically smooth out less legible writing, correct spelling, move written words around like printed text, and even paste text as a copy of your own handwriting.

The calculator app is finally available for the iPad, but with a special feature: it can perform calculations using handwritten expressions, including algebraic variables, and even draw graphs.

The same feature of Math Notes for instantly solving expressions is also available in the Notes app for inline calculations.

watchOS 11

Photos face

An updated Photo Watch Face is the new watch face for watchOS 11 that creates watch faces from your photos with smart framing and time placement. You can choose a selection of photos or have it automatically select the best ones from your library.

Vital substances

The new Vitals app gives the data recorded overnight while you sleep a new, more useful home. It tracks your heart rate, breathing rate, wrist temperature, blood oxygen and sleep duration and shows when any of these values ​​deviate from your usual range, highlighting any potential issues and providing a description of the possible cause of the deviations, such as alcohol consumption.

Training load

The Activity app can now track and display your training load for workouts and whether your body is recovering adequately between each workout. You can also track your effort rating, or see how hard each workout was based on your pace, elevation, heart rate, and other biometric data.

Live activities, double tap and pregnancy tracking

Live activities like running timers, music playing, Uber rides, or similar are now visible in the Smart Stack for quick access. The double tap gesture can now scroll in most apps, so you can scroll through things by double-pressing your finger and thumb together. The watch can now track pregnancies and display gestational age as part of its cycle tracking for women.

macOS Sequoia

MacOS gets most of the new features from the iPhone and iPad, plus some computer-specific additions.

iPhone mirroring on Mac

The big new feature is the ability to wirelessly mirror and control your iPhone on your Mac, allowing you to open apps, see notifications, and generally use a virtual version of your phone with a keyboard and mouse.

Easy tiling of windows

MacOS can now automatically tile your windows on your screen, for example by making windows halfway across the screen by dragging them left or right. Hover over the green button on a window to see a drop-down menu of tiling options.