Apple has just shared details of how many people have updated their iPhones to the latest iOS 26 software. There had been reports that the adoption rate was very low. It's way bigger than previously rumored, but hundreds of millions of users are still on iOS 18.
The Official iOS 26 Adoption Stats
The information was shared on Apple's developer site, and the figures show that 74% of all devices introduced in the last four years have upgraded to iOS 26, with 20% still on iOS 18 and 6% on earlier operating systems.
As a point of reference, all iPhones introduced in the last four years are capable of running iOS 26. These devices are: iPhone SE third generation, iPhone 14 series, iPhone 15 series, iPhone 16 series (including iPhone 16e), iPhone 17 series and iPhone Air.
Across all active iPhones, the number drops to 66% with 24% still on iOS 18 and 10% on previous operating software. These figures are very closely in line with how many people had updated to iOS 18 when Apple released figures last year. Then, 76% of iPhones from the last four years were on the latest software and 68% of all active iPhones.
The figures aren't quite comparable as Apple released the new figures about three weeks later into the cycle than it did last year.
In other words, take-up has been a little slower this time around, but it's hardly the catastrophe some analysts had claimed.
The reason for the slower uptake seems to have been the Liquid Glass design which has been loved by many but disliked by others. Some users, for example, with low vision have found the new design less legible, though it's worth noting that Apple has refined the look significantly since its first launch.
Critical Security Risks in iOS 26.3
The problem is that more than a quarter of iPhones released in the last four years don't have the latest software on board, which means their devices are not secured against the latest risks -- the most recent release of iOS 26.3 fixed more than three dozen serious security flaws including a "zero-day" vulnerability (CVE-2026-20700) that Apple admits has already been used in sophisticated attacks.
There are plenty of new features in iOS 26 beyond the new look, including helpful innovations like call screening to block spam calls, or Hold Assist, which listens to hold music and alerts you when the live agent joins the call.
The message to those still waiting to update is that the security benefits now far outweigh any reasons not to jump aboard iOS 26.