Apple releases iOS 18.6 with important bug fixes and security updates

Apple has started rolling out the latest iOS 18.6 software update for iPhones that includes essential bug fixes and 24 security updates. This update also addresses an issue within the Photos app. This release follows iOS 18.5, which was rolled out in May, suggesting the software's stability as it approaches its cycle's end. Apple is urging users to update their devices due to these 25 collective improvements. It was previously anticipated that iOS 18.5 would be followed by iOS 19 this fall. However, Apple recently announced a complete overhaul of its naming system, with each operating system now featuring a year number corresponding to its primary year of use, in this case, 2026. Here’s everything you need to know about the iOS 18.6 update :


Apple iOS 18.6 update: What’s new, how to download and more


This release is compatible with a wide range of iPhones, including all models from 2018 onwards. To download the update, open the iPhone Settings app, then navigate to General, and then select Software Update. Select Download and Install to begin the process. This is a sizable update, measuring 1.07GB on an iPhone 16 Pro Max.

While new features are uncommon this late in a release cycle, iOS 18.6 addresses a specific issue in the Photos app. In the release notes of iOS 18.6, Apple wrote: “This update provides important bug fixes and security updates, and fixes an issue in Photos that could prevent memory movies from being shared.”

This update also includes 24 security fixes. A third of these relate to WebKit, the engine behind Safari, which could have exposed sensitive user information or displayed incorrect web addresses on malicious sites.

Critical accessibility issues have also been addressed, such as one where VoiceOver could read a passcode aloud and another concerning incorrect display of privacy indicators (the orange dot for microphone use and green dot for camera activity).

The presence of many security fixes is partly due to the previous iOS update being released over 11 weeks ago. The next major update is expected to be iOS 26 in September.

iOS 18.6 is compatible with the following iPhones:

• iPhone Xs
• iPhone Xs Max
• iPhone XR
• iPhone SE (second-generation)
• iPhone SE (third-generation)
• All iPhone 16 series models, up to the iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 16e. (Note: iOS 26, currently in public beta, will only be compatible with iPhone 11 series and later, and is set for general release in September.)