When Apple launched iOS 26.2 on Dec. 12, the corporate wrote on-line that the replace patches two bugs which will have been actively exploited, so it’s best to obtain the replace now to guard your gadget.
You may obtain iOS 26.2 now by going to Settings and tapping Common. Subsequent, choose Software program Replace, faucet Replace Now and comply with the prompts in your display screen.
The replace additionally brings adjustments to Apple Podcasts and Apple Music apps, and it provides you the flexibility to regulate extra features of your iPhone’s Liquid Glass design. Apple launched Liquid Glass in September when the corporate launched iOS 26, and the design has had its fans and detractors.
Listed here are the options and safety updates iOS 26.2 brings to your iPhone.
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iOS 26.2 patches these zero-day bugs and extra
Apple writes on-line that iOS 26.2 patches greater than two dozen bugs in your iPhone. And the corporate wrote that two of these bugs may very well be utilized in “extraordinarily subtle assault[s] towards particular focused people on variations of iOS earlier than iOS 26.”
Each bugs are inside WebKit, Apple’s in-house-developed web browser engine utilized in Safari.
“Processing maliciously crafted internet content material could result in arbitrary code execution,” Apple wrote. Arbitrary code execution might permit a 3rd get together to steal your information or hack your gadget for different nefarious functions.
Apple wrote that the bugs had been discovered by the corporate itself in addition to the Google Risk Evaluation Group. Google’s Threat Analysis Group makes a speciality of uncovering government-backed cyberattacks, and every bug is assessed as a zero-day vulnerability since they had been exploited earlier than a patch was out there.
Whilst you is probably not the goal of those assaults, it is nonetheless vital to replace to guard your gadget and your information.
Liquid Glass slider on the Lock Display
With iOS 26.2, you possibly can alter the frostedness of Liquid Glass in your lock display screen’s clock. If you go to customise your lock display screen’s clock, you will see a brand new slider alongside the underside of the web page. Shifting the slider to the left makes the clock extra translucent, whereas transferring the slider to the correct makes it seem extra stable.
The brand new slider could make the clock ingredient far more seen or virtually invisible.
Liquid Glass has polarized iPhone customers since Apple introduced the redesign in June. Some people on Reddit word that the design could have some readability points, whereas others discover it fashionable and playful.
No matter how individuals really feel about Liquid Glass, the design is right here to remain.
Apple launched a Liquid Glass setting in iOS 16.1 for iPhone customers, permitting you to darken sure menus. With iOS 26.2 bringing extra customization choices for the design, I count on Apple to proceed increasing the flexibility to regulate Liquid Glass in future updates.
Liquid Glass involves your Measure app
The Measure app is a great tool that may give you an thought of an area’s measurements when you do not have a tape measure available, and it may well act as a stage for whenever you’re hanging an image in your wall. And iOS 26.2 redesigns the app’s Stage operate with Liquid Glass. It is a refined change that does not alter the Stage operate, however it serves as a reminder that Apple is working to convey Liquid Glass to each facet of your iPhone.
The Liquid Glass redesign of the Stage operate.
Offline lyrics in Apple Music
Apple additionally brings offline lyrics to Apple Music ($11 a month) with iOS 26.2. The corporate made a handful of additives and adjustments to Apple Music with iOS 26, together with lyric translation. With iOS 26.2, when subscribers obtain songs to their gadget, they will entry the lyrics to these songs even after they haven’t got a sign or web entry.
Take pleasure in lyrics to your downloaded music even with out an web connection.
Podcasts adjustments
The Podcasts app will get some new options with iOS 26.2. Certainly one of these options is Chapters, which makes it straightforward to navigate episodes. Chapters breaks in a podcast are represented by small hash marks within the Podcasts media participant.
Different adjustments in Podcasts embrace hyperlinks shared in a podcast immediately on the episode web page, in addition to a technique to comply with different Podcasts talked about throughout an episode, proper from the transcript.
The Podcasts app makes it a lot simpler to leap to different talked about podcasts.
Information app sections
Along with the adjustments in Podcasts, iOS 26.2 additionally brings a couple of changes to the Information app. The app now has a menu throughout the highest of the homepage divided into sections, like Sports activities and Politics.
Thanks for lastly letting me navigate the Information app in an affordable vogue.
The long-overdue change makes it straightforward to leap to a special part proper from the Information app’s homepage.
Earlier than this replace, Information separated the homepage into completely different sections, however it was tough to navigate to them. You both needed to scroll down your homepage to search out them or seek for them in your Following web page. This small change allows you to navigate to a subject with relative ease.
Reminders can set alarms
Reminders may also set an alarm for you in iOS 26.2. If you create a reminder within the app, you possibly can mark it as Pressing, and the app will immediate you to schedule an alarm or timer to go off for that Reminder.
This toggle will allow you to affiliate an alarm together with your reminder.
New Enhanced Security Alerts
The iOS 26.2 replace may also introduce a brand new menu to your iPhone, offering extra security alerts, resembling earthquake and different risk alerts. To seek out these new alerts, go to Settings > Notifications > Enhanced Security Alerts. Right here you will discover toggles for Earthquake Alerts and Imminent Risk Alerts.
The brand new Enhanced Security Alerts menu.
“In emergency conditions, your iPhone can obtain security alerts and broadcast them anonymously to close by Apple units,” Apple writes within the menu.
There’s additionally a toggle for Enhance Alert Supply, which, if enabled, shares your approximate location with Apple to enhance the timeliness and reliability of the alerts.
Well being app Sleep Rating changes
In accordance with 9to5Mac, Sleep Scores within the Well being app are additionally adjusted with iOS 26.2 and WatchOS 26.2, elevating the brink for many scores.
Sleep Scores are designed to measure the restorative high quality of your sleep, and the characteristic categorizes your sleep on a scale of Very Excessive (previously Glorious), Excessive, OK, Low or Very Low. These classes are based mostly on a factors system measured by the period of your sleep, whenever you went to mattress and any sleep interruptions all through the night time. These scores had been added up and got the next grades:
- 0-29 factors: Very Low
- 30-49 factors: Low
- 50-69 factors: OK
- 70-89 factors: Excessive
- 90-100 factors: Glorious
9to5Mac studies that the ranges for these scores are up to date with iOS 26.2 and WatchOS 26.2. Listed here are the brand new ranges on your Sleep Rating:
- 0-40 factors: Very Low
- 41-60 factors: Low
- 61-80 factors: OK
- 81-95 factors: Excessive
- 96-100 factors: Very Excessive
iOS 26.2 launch notes
Listed here are the total launch notes for iOS 26.2.
Apple Music
- Favourite Songs playlist seems in Prime Picks on the house tab.
- Offline lyrics for downloaded songs so you possibly can view them with out an web connection.
Podcasts
- Routinely generated chapters make it simpler to navigate episodes.
- Hyperlinks to talked about podcasts allow you to see and comply with different podcasts talked about within the episode you are listening to immediately from the participant and transcript.
Video games
- Filters within the Video games library allow you to discover video games by class, dimension and extra.
- In-game problem rating banners present real-time updates when somebody new has taken the lead.
- Improved help for linked controllers resembling Spine and Razer.
This replace additionally consists of the next enhancements and bug fixes:
- Further Lock Display time customization possibility allows you to additional alter its look, giving the Liquid Glass materials roughly opacity.
- Enhanced Security Alerts can inform you about imminent threats resembling floods, pure disasters and different emergencies, with wealthy data like a map of affected areas and hyperlinks to extra security steering (out there within the US).
- Alarms for Reminders allow you to keep on high of pressing duties, and supply snooze and Reside Exercise help in case you’re not able to verify the reminder off.
- AirDrop codes provide a further layer of verification when utilizing AirDrop with unknown contacts by offering a code on the receiver’s gadget that the sender should enter to finish the switch.
- Apple Information Part hyperlinks on the high of the At the moment feed provide straightforward navigation to well-liked matters like Sports activities, Politics, Enterprise and Meals.
- Multipack accent pairing within the Residence app allows you to use the identical setup code to simply enroll a number of equipment when offered collectively.
- Flash for alerts in Accessibility Settings gives the extra choice to have the gadget display screen flash whenever you obtain a notification.
- Tables in Freeform can maintain textual content, photos, paperwork and drawings, with cells that intelligently resize to suit, bringing construction to the infinite canvas.
- Fixes a problem the place prerelease albums within the Apple Music library weren’t instantly playable at their launch time.
- Fixes a problem the place a Privateness and Safety setting could incorrectly be marked as managed by an enterprise group.
For extra iOS information, this is all the things iOS 26.1 delivered to your iPhone and my review of iOS 26. You too can try our iOS 26 cheat sheet.
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