The iPhone models best suited for the iOS 26 upgrade are those that are equipped with the A13 Bionic chipset or newer. Apple has confirmed that iOS 26 is compatible with all iPhone models from the iPhone 11 onward. This means iPhones with the A13 Bionic chip or more advanced processors will support iOS 26. The specific models that can install and run iOS 26 include:
- iPhone SE (2020) and iPhone SE (2022)
- iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 16e, iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max
- iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max
- iPhone Air
The iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR models are not supported for this upgrade and remain on iOS 18, the previous major update. Users with these models would need to upgrade their hardware to take advantage of iOS 26 features.
iOS 26 introduces significant enhancements, including a redesigned "Liquid Glass" interface and smarter Visual Intelligence search among other improvements. However, some advanced features under the "Apple Intelligence" umbrella, such as Genmoji, Image Playground, and the new Visual Intelligence search, are restricted to the newer models starting with the iPhone 15 Pro and continuing with the iPhone 16 and 17 Pro models. Older compatible devices will receive the core design changes and basic updates without these advanced AI-driven features.
In terms of performance and future-proofing, the iPhones with the A15 Bionic chip and newer (roughly from the iPhone 13 series onward) are often considered the best for iOS 26, as they not only support the update but also deliver better speed, camera capabilities, and longer software support. The iPhone SE (2022) also supports iOS 26 but with a less powerful chip compared to the flagship lines, though users still gain access to most of the new features.
For users intending to upgrade or purchase a device with iOS 26 compatibility in mind, choosing any iPhone 11 or later offers a strong balance of performance, functionality, and future updates. The latest models such as iPhone 17 series and the iPhone 16 series provide the most comprehensive experience concerning iOS 26 capabilities and upcoming software iterations.
This extensive compatibility ensures that Apple continues to support devices released in the last five to six years while pushing to leverage the capabilities of newer chipsets for more advanced features. The transition from iOS 18 to iOS 26 marks a step up in both the user interface design and the intelligent features integration, making newer models the best suited for this upgrade.