iOS 18 is available right now – how to get it and 5 reasons why you should

Get ready for an upgraded Home Screen, Control Center, Messages app, and more

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iOS 18is now rolling out across compatible devices.Apple’s latest software update began appearing for iPhone users at around 1pm ET / 10am PT / 6pm BST  on September 16 (3am September 17 AEST), though release times may vary between regions.

Incidentally, if you’re expecting to findApple Intelligence featuresin the launch version of iOS 18, think again. Apple has confirmed thatApple Intelligencewon’t be arrivinguntil iOS 18.1 in October, and even then,some Apple Intelligence features will be further delayed until later in the year. You can, however, takeApple Intelligence for a spin right now as part of the iOS 18.1 betaif you own aniPhone 15 ProoriPhone 15 Pro Max.

In this guide, we’re focusing on the launch version of iOS 18 specifically. Below, you’ll find a list of compatible iPhones, a brief guide on how to download the new software update, and a roundup of our favorite iOS 18 features.

iOS 18: compatible devices

You’ll need an iPhone XS or newer to download iOS 18 on your iPhone (in other words, any iPhone with the A12 Bionic chipset or newer). These are the same device requirements as iOS 17, so if you’re currently sporting that update, you’ll be able to download iOS 18.

Apple Intelligence features – when they do eventually launch – will be limited to theiPhone 16line, along with the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Below, we’ve detailed the full list of iOS 18-compatible iPhones. For more information, including confirmed iPadOS 18 compatibility, check out our dedicatediOS 18 and iPadOS 18 compatibilityexplainer.

How to download iOS 18

To check whether iOS 18 is available to download on your iPhone, go toSettings > General > Software Update. If iOS 18 is available, you’ll see aniOS 18 update messageat the bottom of the screen. TapDownload and Install, thenenter your passcode. Next,agree to the Terms and Conditions, andwait for iOS 18 to install.

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Incidentally, you’ll likely need between 5GB and 10GB of free storage space to download iOS 18. To check your iPhone’s current storage situation, go toSettings > General > iPhone storage. Here, you’ll be presented with some options to free up space (like Optimize Photos and Offload Unused Apps).

Best iOS 18 features

We’ve detailed the full list ofiOS 18 featureselsewhere on TechRadar, but below, we’ve highlighted five of our favorites.

Advanced Home Screen customization

If you’ve ever wanted to get more creative with the positioning of your Home Screen icons, now you can. iOS 18 grants users the ability to reposition apps and widgets at the bottom or side of the Home Screen, freeing up precious real estate for the wallpaper (furry or otherwise) that sits behind them. You’ll also be able to trigger a new dark mode for app icons in iOS 18, as well as add color tints.

Control Center upgrades

Like the Home Screen, Control Center also gets a makeover in iOS 18. Or rather, you’re now free to give it one. Specifically, iOS 18 lets you separate the Control Center into distinct function groups, like Home and Media, and you can now resize Control Center widgets, depending on which tools you use most often.

For the first time, you’re also now able to edit which Control Center widgets appear on the Lock Screen.

Redesigned Photos app

iOS 18 introduces the “biggest-ever redesign” of the Photos app. You’ll now see a simplified, single view comprising a photo grid and a dates grid, while collections will let you browse by themes (screenshots and groups, for instance) without having to organize content into albums.

There’s also anew ‘Recovered’ album feature in iOS 18, which houses any photos or videos that aren’t in your main photo gallery. Apple says this reduces the risk of database corruption or issues with third-party apps.

Messages upgrades

iOS 18 brings some major changes to the way you message on iPhone. For starters, you’re now able to react to messages using any emoji, and new text formatting means you can underline, strikethrough, or bold your messages, as well as add new text formatting like ripple effects.

Apple has also added the ability to schedule messages at a convenient time in the future, and the Messages app finally supports the RCS standard in iOS 18. The latter should facilitate a richer messaging experience when you’re communicating with someone who owns an Android phone (boo!).

Lastly, iOS 18 expands the SOS via satellite feature to let compatible iPhones (read: theiPhone 14or newer) send messages via satellite when cellular and Wi-Fi connections aren’t available.

A dedicated Passwords app

iOS 18 also launches with a new, built-in iPhone app: Passwords. As the name suggests, this Keychain-adjacent app acts as a one-stop shop for all your precious passwords, passkeys, and verification codes.

On top of its function as a digital storage vault, Passwords will alert you if you’re usingweak passwords, or if your details have been involved in adata breach, so it sounds like it could be among thebest password managers, period.

All of the information inside the Passwords app is protected by end-to-end encryption, and, of course, you’re able to lock it behind Touch or Face ID authentication. Nice work, Apple!

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Axel is TechRadar’s UK-based Phones Editor, reporting on everything from the latest Apple developments to newest AI breakthroughs as part of the site’s Mobile Computing vertical. Having previously written for publications including Esquire and FourFourTwo, Axel is well-versed in the applications of technology beyond the desktop, and his coverage extends from general reporting and analysis to in-depth interviews and opinion. 

Axel studied for a degree in English Literature at the University of Warwick before joining TechRadar in 2020, where he then earned an NCTJ qualification as part of the company’s inaugural digital training scheme.

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