Here are three very good reasons to update to iOS 26.2 if you are still on iOS 18.
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Apple’s iOS 26.2 update is arriving very soon — with the release candidate now available, it could even drop next week. Apple’s iOS 26 has been out for nearly three months now, so there are a bunch of reasons to upgrade to iOS 26.2 from iOS 18 when it lands.
Here are three very good reasons to update to iOS 26.2 if you are still on iOS 18.
Apple Is Now Recommending Updating To iOS 26
One very good reason to upgrade from iOS 18 to iOS 26.2 is that Apple itself is recommending iPhone users update to its iOS 26 software. That’s according to a new report on Apple focused site MacRumors, which describes how the iPhone maker is making iOS 26.1 the recommended iOS update in the Settings app.
This is a big change as since September, iOS 26 has merely been displayed as an optional upgrade, with iOS 18 users seeing the older iOS update “front and center,” according to the site.
The move means Apple must be confident any early bugs are being squashed and that iOS 26.1 is working well. By iOS 26.2, performance should be even better.
Apple Won’t Support iOS 18 For Long — And iOS 26.2 Will be More Secure
After releasing a new piece of software — in this case iOS 26 — Apple continues to update the older version, currently iOS 18, with security updates. But this only happens for a limited period and that time will be coming to an end soon.
After this, Apple will update iOS 18 with security fixes for older devices that don’t run iOS 26. If your iPhone can run iOS 26, you will need to upgrade to stay secure. It’s possible this will happen with iOS 26.2, which could be why Apple is pushing iOS 26.1 now.
Apple’s iOS 26.2 Comes With A Bunch Of Cool New iPhone Features
Apple’s iOS 26.2 will add to new features released in iOS 26, including the wonderful Call Screening — a useful tool that I use on my iPhone now. Meanwhile, Background Security Improvements in iOS 26.1 make your iPhone more secure.
In iOS 26.2, Apple will add improvements to Enhanced Safety Alerts, as well as new options for the controversial Liquid Glass feature, Podcast enhancements, offline lyric support in Apple Music, sleep score revisions, alarms for reminders and AirPods Live Translation in the EU.
All these features mean now could be the time to upgrade from iOS 18 to iOS 26.2. Keep checking my Forbes page or go Settings > General > Software Update to see when iOS 26.2 arrives.