While Apple is set to release iOS 26 this fall, the tech giant released an important iPhone security update in July. Apple released iOS 18.6 on July 29 and while the update doesn't change much on your device, it's filled with about two dozen bug and security fixes. One patch in particular is for a flaw that could be actively exploited.

The newest iPhone software release could be the last big update before Apple moves to the next-generation iOS 26. Here’s what’s in it.

RCS messaging between Android and iOS might get a major upgrade in the coming months based on code references in the iOS 26 beta.

With iOS 26, Apple fixes that, by building Visual Intelligence into the screenshot interface. Now you can use the same AI-powered features on any screenshot, from any app. It can be a web page, a video, a video game; if you can take a screenshot, you can use Visual Intelligence on it.

Tinted icons: A new and different option is to tint all of the app icons so they share the same color. In the Customize options at the bottom of the screen, choose Tinted as the icon style. You can then adjust the Hue (the slider with the color spectrum) and Luminosity (the slider with the dark to light range) to choose the color tint you prefer.

Sick and tired of iOS 26 issues? Learn how to downgrade iOS 26 to 18 on your iPhone in 4 ways, with pros and cons also mentioned!

Apple iOS updates often introduce advanced new iPhone features and CarPlay is expected to get a major upgrade. Here's what you need to know.

Discover iOS 26’s new Camera and Photos features, including AI tools, ProRes HDR, and smarter organization for stunning content creation.