Apple just unveiled iOS 26, the official successor to iOS 18, at its WWDC 2025 keynote event. The jump in the version number mirrors the leap in design, with Apple calling it the biggest design overhaul since iOS 7. Right from brand-new design to powerful AI enhancements, iOS 26 brings several major upgrades over iOS 18. In this iOS 26 vs iOS 18 comparison, we’ll break down the key differences so you can decide if it’s worth updating to the new version when it arrives in September.
1. The Liquid Glass Glow Up
Hands down, the biggest difference you’ll notice between iOS 26 and iOS 18 is the design philosophy. While iOS 18 resembles the previous versions closely, iOS 26 takes a bold approach. Inspired by visionOS, the new design dubbed Liquid Glass flows across the UI.
It brings a complete visual overhaul with compact, translucent toolbars, floating search bars, and dynamic icons that shift with your actions. Also, apps like Safari now offer full-screen views with a shape-shifting toolbar that disappears as you scroll, while the text magnifier ripples like liquid as you move around.
2. A Fluid Lock Screen
As soon as you get your hands on the latest iOS 26, you’ll notice a fluid Lock Screen that feels alive. Compared to iOS 18, it’s more interactive, intelligent, and dynamic. All the elements, such as clock, notifications, and shortcuts, now boast a semi-transparent look that keeps your wallpaper vibrant and visible.
Perhaps the most noticeable change here is that the clock now dynamically adapts to the available space on the screen. It automatically adjusts its position, size, and shape, so it never blocks the subject of your wallpaper when a new notification rolls in.
3. Well Redesigned Camera App
When you start exploring iOS 26, you’ll quickly notice changes across many first-party apps such as Messages, Safari, and FaceTime. Interestingly, the biggest visual upgrade comes to the Camera app. Apple has removed various scrolling options from iOS 18 and simplified everything to Photo and Video modes. If you want to access the Portrait or Panorama modes, just swipe left/right in the Photo mode. Just swipe up and you’ll see advanced settings like aspect ratio. Compared to iOS 18, the Camera app in iOS 26 is clean, fast, and lets you focus on the moment you’re capturing.
4. A Better Layout for Photos App
If you’re someone like me who just can’t stand the overly complicated layout of the iOS 18 Photos app, iOS 26 will feel like a breath of fresh air. Yes, Apple has finally fixed the mess, and this shows up as soon as you open the Photos app. The new software update will greet you with a new Photos app layout that’s sleek, simple, and makes all the sense.
You’ll see just two main tabs: Library and Collections, bringing the pre-iOS 18 ease with a fresh look. With the cleaner layout and new filters, finding your shots is a lot easier and faster in iOS 26 compared to iOS 18.
5. Hold Assist and Call Screening in the Phone App
Last year, iOS 18 brought call recording to iPhones. This year, iOS 26 brings a new layout and adds even more useful features to the Phone app. Compared to iOS 18, the Phone app looks more streamlined on iOS 26. You’ll see Recents, Favorites, and Voicemails all in a single, unified view.
Apart from this, you’ll notice two standout additions to the Phone app. First is Hold Assist, which waits on hold for you and notifies you when the live agent is available— no more listening to that annoying recorded music.
Then, there’s Call Screening, which eliminates interruptions and protects you from spam calls. When you receive a call from an unknown number, the built-in assistant will ask the callers for their names and reasons for calling. You’ll get a quick summary, helping you decide whether to take or ignore the call.
6. The New Apple Games App
On iOS 18, you’ll find the new Games app. It’s a refreshed hub for your Game Center profile and Apple Arcade activity. Here, you’ll see highlights of your achievements, recently played titles, and multiplayer progress.
There’s a dedicated Apple Arcade tab, plus a Player tab where you can see what friends are playing and take on new challenges in real time. You can also pair a controller for a more console-like experience with supported games.
7. Smarter Apple Intelligence Integration
iOS 18 brought Apple Intelligence to compatible models, and now iOS 26 takes that AI magic to a whole new level. One of the most impressive features is Live Translation. Now you can chat across languages in Messages, FaceTime, and even phone calls, with captions and audio being translated in real-time. It’s like having a handy, personal translator in your pocket.
That’s not all. Genmoji now lets you create fun emojis using your friend’s photos, or even blend two emojis to create something totally new. Whereas, Image Playground brings smarter filters and access to ChatGPT’s image magic. The Shortcuts app in iOS 26 now offers smarter actions enabled by Apple Intelligence. If we compare IOS 26 vs iOS 18, the latest version offers more AI capabilities.
8. Next-Level Visual Intelligence
If you’ve got an iPhone 16 or other compatible models, you must have used the Visual Intelligence feature. This AI-powered feature is now a little more baked into the iOS 26 interface. On iOS 18 compatible models, Visual Intelligence can only identify real-world objects through the camera. In the new iOS 26, Visual Intelligence can now search for anything that pops up on the screen.
Think of it as the answer to Google’s popular Circle to Search feature but in Apple’s execution style. For instance, if you like a dress while scrolling through Instagram, you can take a screenshot and use Visual Intelligence to find similar images and products across the web/apps. You can also highlight specific areas for more accurate results.
The features go further, too. If you’re looking at an event, Visual Intelligence can instantly recognize it and suggest adding it to your calendar with key details like date, time, and location.
If you wish to try these features right now, here’s how to sign up for the iOS 26 developer beta.