Software:IOS 18

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iOS 18
A version of the iOS operating system
iOS 18 home screen on an iPhone 15 Pro in Dark Mode
DeveloperApple
Written inC, C++, Objective-C, Swift, assembly language
OS familyiOS
Source modelClosed with open-source components
General
availability		September 16, 2024; 16 months ago (2024-09-16)
Available in42 languages[1]
List of languages
English (Australia, UK, U.S.), Chinese (Simplified, Traditional, Traditional – Hong Kong), French (Canada, France), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Lithuanian, Spanish (Latin America, Spain), Arabic, Bulgarian, Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Kazakh, Malay, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese
Update methodSoftware Update
Kernel typeHybrid (XNU)
LicenseProprietary software with open-source components
Preceded byiOS 17
Succeeded byiOS 26
Support status
Receiving security updates for iPhones that cannot be updated to iOS 26 or later. Widespread third-party app support.
Articles in the series
iPadOS 18 (derivative for iPad)

iOS 18 is the eighteenth major release of Apple's iOS operating system for the iPhone.[2][3][4][5][6] It was announced on June 10, 2024, at the 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), and made publicly available on September 16, 2024, as a free software update for supported iOS devices.[6] It is the direct successor to iOS 17 and was announced alongside iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia, watchOS 11, visionOS 2, and tvOS 18.

iOS 18 is the final version of iOS that supports the iPhone XS/XS Max and iPhone XR, thus ending support for iPhones with dedicated 3D Touch hardware, as its successor, iOS 26, dropped support for those models in 2025.[7][8]

System features

Apple Intelligence

Main article: Software:Apple Intelligence

The Apple Intelligence platform is available in iOS 18.1 and beyond, on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models as well as the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models. Apple Intelligence adds artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities and large language model integrations to Siri and other operating system functions, such as the Photos app and also the image creation tools.[2][9][10][11]

Apple's Intelligence features are set to be introduced gradually across several forthcoming updates. These features were not included in the initial release of the iPhone 16 models.[12]

Calculator

iOS 18's Calculator introduces Math Notes, a new feature that allows users to perform and track calculations on separate sheets, solve mathematical equations, and plot functions on graphs. With integrated handwriting recognition, Math Notes automatically evaluates user input and displays the results in their own handwriting. The redesigned Calculator app, now shared between iOS and iPadOS, marks the first time an official calculator has been available for iPad.[13]

Messages

iOS 18 supports Rich Communication Services (RCS) on supported conversations, including support for read receipts and higher-quality multimedia sharing across various platforms. As with SMS, it is designated with green message bubbles and buttons to distinguish it from blue iMessage conversations.[14][15] Availability of RCS messaging varies by carrier availability and compatibility.[16] Apple previously refused the adoption of RCS in iOS.[17]

In 2022, after being questioned about RCS potentially coming to iPhone to increase compatibility with Android, Tim Cook said that iPhone users were not expressing interest in RCS and instead suggested that a solution would be to switch to an iPhone to use iMessage. The person who asked the question followed up, explaining that they use an iPhone while their mom uses an Android phone, to which Tim Cook jokingly replied "Buy your mom an iPhone" to large controversy.[18] The quote was later cited in an anti-trust lawsuit against Apple Inc. filed by the United States Department of Justice.[19]

iOS 18.4 added RCS support for more carriers.[20]

In iMessage, Animated effects can be applied to any letter, word, or phrase, and text formatting such as bold, italic, underline, and strikethrough can be applied to any part of the text as well.[21] Both can be used simultaneously but cannot be used with the same selected text, however.

Photos

Main article: Software:Photos (Apple)

iOS 18 includes a significant redesign of the Photos app.[22][23] Slideshows known as collections are now automatically generated and visible at the top of the screen.[24] Support for encoding/decoding the ISO 21496-1 gain map standard for HDR images was added, which allows for cross-platform HDR compatibility while remaining backwards compatible with SDR displays.[25] This redesign has led to backlash from many users who find it too confusing and is said to be the most controversial change in iOS 18.[26][27]

Home screen

iOS 18 allows users to customize the icon color as well as the icon position and size on the home screen.[28]

A toggle to activate dark mode icons for first-party apps and many third party ones was implemented.

Previous iOS versions arranged icons on a preset grid, but now users can place them anywhere.

In iOS 18, App Widgets and some apps can now be enlarged or reduced as desired.

Many system icons were given gradients or had them removed.

In iOS 18, applications can now be locked or hidden. Locked apps require passcode/biometric authentication to run. Hidden apps are moved to a designated 'Hidden' folder in the App Library; accessing that folder requires passcode/biometric authentication.[29] Hidden apps do not show in other places on the phone such as Siri Suggestions and the Settings app.

In iOS 18.1, a new feature was introduced which enables users to edit the iPhone home screen through iPhone Mirroring.[30][31]

Control Center

Main article: Software:Control Center (Apple)

iOS 18 comes with a redesign to the Control Center, allowing for multiple pages of controls, resizable buttons, and third-party controls.[32]

Passwords

Apple introduced Passwords, a password manager aimed at simplifying password management for websites, applications, Wi-Fi, and verification codes.[33][34] This new app is heavily inspired by and replaces the Passwords section that was previously found in Settings, with the addition of Wi-Fi passwords. All existing passwords and codes in Settings are automatically moved to the Passwords app upon updating.

recoveryOS

iOS 18 includes recoveryOS for the iPhone 16 series that allows users to restore firmware wirelessly from another iPhone 16. While all iPhone devices running iOS 18 are able to recover and restore firmware for an iPhone 16 device, wireless firmware recovery can only work between iPhone 16 devices.[35]

Others

iOS 18 Settings

With iOS 18.1, iOS allows the detection and display of battery health information of a non-Apple battery.[36]

On devices with an OLED display, there is a bulge animation when a hardware button is pressed.[37]

With iOS 18.2, users are able to share a link with others or airlines to track the location of AirTags or other accessories in the Find My app.[38][39][40]

Reports from law enforcement suggested that a new security feature was added that would reboot iPhones after 72 hours of inactivity to make it harder to break into,[41][42] something that researchers were able to confirm while looking at the code for iOS 18.1.[43][44]

18.2 allowed app developers like Truecaller to add real-time Caller ID and spam-blocking.[45][46][47]

With iOS 18.5, Apple introduced the 2025 Pride wallpaper.[48] This update also fixed several security vulnerabilities.[49]

Supported devices

iOS 18 requires a device with an Apple A12 Bionic processor or newer, all iPhones that support iOS 17 are also compatible with iOS 18. The Apple Intelligence feature requires an Apple A17 Pro processor or newer.[9][50]

However, iPhones with an A12 Bionic or A13 Bionic[lower-alpha 1] SoC have limited support[lower-alpha 2] while iPhones with an A14 Bionic SoC and later[lower-alpha 3] are fully supported but older SoC lack Apple Intellgence.

iPhones that support iOS 18 are:

Device Supported Apple Intelligence support
iPhone XS & XS Max Yes No
iPhone XR Yes No
iPhone 11 Yes No
iPhone 11 Pro & 11 Pro Max Yes No
iPhone SE (2nd generation) Yes No
iPhone 12 & 12 Mini Yes No
iPhone 12 Pro & 12 Pro Max Yes No
iPhone 13 & 13 Mini Yes No
iPhone 13 Pro & 13 Pro Max Yes No
iPhone SE (3rd generation) Yes No
iPhone 14 & 14 Plus Yes No
iPhone 14 Pro & 14 Pro Max Yes No
iPhone 15 & 15 Plus Yes No
iPhone 15 Pro & Pro Max Yes Yes
iPhone 16 & 16 Plus Yes Yes
iPhone 16 Pro & 16 Pro Max Yes Yes
iPhone 16e Yes Yes

Release history

Version Build Release date Release notes
rowspan="2" 18.0 22A3351 2024 Initial release for iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro lineup
22A3354 2024 Developer release notes
18.0.1 22A3370 2024
18.1 22B83 2024 Developer release notes
18.1.1 22B91 2024
18.2 22C152 2024 Developer release notes
18.2.1 22C161 2025
rowspan="3" 18.3 22D63 2025 Developer release notes
22D64 2025 For iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max only[51]
22D8063 2025 Initial release for the iPhone 16e
rowspan="2" 18.3.1 22D72 2025
22D8075 2025 Day one update for iPhone 16e only
rowspan="2" 18.3.2 22D82 2025
22D8082 iPhone 16e only
18.4 22E240 2025[52] Developer release notes
18.4.1 22E252 2025[53]
18.5 22F76 2025[54] Developer release notes
18.6 22G86 2025[55] Developer release notes
18.6.1 22G90 2025[56] Re-enabled Blood Oxygen feature on Apple Watch
18.6.2 22G100 2025
18.7 22H20 2025
18.7.1 22H31 2025
18.7.2 RC 22H123 2025
{{{2}}}

See Apple's official release notes and official security update contents.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, and the second-generation SE
  2. ↑ Messages via Satellite, and certain Live Audio Transcription enhancements are not available on iPhones older than the iPhone 12 series.
  3. ↑ iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro, and 12 Pro Max

References

  1. ↑ "iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus - Technical Specifications" (in en-US). https://www.apple.com/iphone-16/specs/. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "iOS 18: Everything We Know". January 12, 2024. https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/ios-18/. 
  3. ↑ Peter, Kostadinov (June 10, 2024). "iOS 18: Release date predictions, anticipated features, and compatible iPhones". https://www.phonearena.com/ios-18-release-date-features-news-compatible-iphones. 
  4. ↑ Miller, Chance (June 10, 2024). "iOS 18 is coming today: Here's everything we know". https://9to5mac.com/2024/06/10/ios-18-new-features-release-date-more/. 
  5. ↑ Sareena, Dayaram (June 10, 2024). "iOS 18: New Features, Siri AI, Apple Intelligence and More Expected at WWDC". CNET. https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/ios-18-new-features-siri-ai-apple-intelligence-and-more-expected-at-wwdc/. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "iOS 18" (in en-US). https://www.apple.com/ios/ios-18/. 
  7. ↑ "OS - iOS 26" (in en-US). https://www.apple.com/os/ios/. 
  8. ↑ Younker, Scott (2025-06-09). "iOS 26 supported devices — here's the iPhones that do (and don't) make the cut" (in en). https://www.tomsguide.com/phones/iphones/ios-26-supported-devices-heres-the-iphones-that-do-and-dont-make-the-cut. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Prospero, Mike (June 10, 2024). "Here are the devices that will support Apple Intelligence — no older iPhones allowed" (in en). https://www.tomsguide.com/ai/here-are-the-devices-that-will-support-apple-intelligence-no-older-iphones-allowed. 
  10. ↑ Adorno, José (January 4, 2024). "iOS 18: Release date, AI, supported iPhones, and everything we know". https://bgr.com/guides/ios-18/. 
  11. ↑ "Apple Intelligence" (in en-US). https://www.apple.com/apple-intelligence/. 
  12. ↑ Spence, Ewan. "Apple's New iPhone 16 Pro Delivers Delight And Disappointment" (in en). https://www.forbes.com/sites/ewanspence/2024/09/22/apple-iphone-16-pro-review-good-bad-specs-camera-control-apple-intelligence-new-iphone/. 
  13. ↑ "Solve math with Math Notes in Calculator on iPhone". https://support.apple.com/en-bh/guide/iphone/iph46efa613a/ios. 
  14. ↑ Johnson, Allison (June 10, 2024). "Apple is bringing RCS to the iPhone in iOS 18" (in en). https://www.theverge.com/2024/6/10/24171315/apple-messages-rcs-ios-18-imessage-green-bubble. 
  15. ↑ Miller, Chance (November 17, 2023). "RCS messages will use green bubbles, Apple confirms". https://9to5mac.com/2023/11/16/apple-confirms-rcs-messages-will-have-green-bubbles/. 
  16. ↑ "Apple officially rolls out RCS for iPhone, but many carriers still don't support it" (in en). https://www.zdnet.com/article/apple-officially-rolls-out-rcs-for-iphone-but-many-carriers-still-dont-support-it/. 
  17. ↑ Ulanoff, Lance (November 16, 2023). "Hell freezes over – Apple to support RCS messages from Android phones next year". https://www.techradar.com/phones/iphone/breaking-apple-will-support-rcs-in-2024. 
  18. ↑ Lawler, Richard (2022-09-08). "Tim Cook says 'buy your mom an iPhone' if you want to end green bubbles" (in en). https://www.theverge.com/2022/9/7/23342243/tim-cook-apple-rcs-imessage-android-iphone-compatibility. 
  19. ↑ Bitter, Alex (March 22, 2024). "Watch Tim Cook's famous 'Buy your mom an iPhone' quip that caught the attention of the Justice Department" (in en-US). https://www.businessinsider.com/tim-cook-buy-your-mom-iphone-doj-apple-complaint-2024-3. 
  20. ↑ Christoffel, Ryan (March 5, 2025). "iOS 18.4 brings RCS messaging to some of the last big carrier holdouts". https://9to5mac.com/2025/03/05/ios-18-4-brings-rcs-messaging-to-some-of-the-last-big-carrier-holdouts/. 
  21. ↑ Rossignol, Joe (June 10, 2024). "iMessage on iOS 18 Features Bold, Underline, Italics, and Text Effects". https://www.macrumors.com/2024/06/10/ios-18-imessage-features/. 
  22. ↑ "iOS 18 Preview" (in en-US). https://www.apple.com/ios/ios-18-preview/. 
  23. ↑ Bell, Karissa (2024-06-10). "Apple redesigned the Photos app in iOS 18 to intelligently organize your memories". https://www.engadget.com/apple-redesigned-the-photos-app-in-ios-18-to-intelligently-organize-your-memories-174959393.html. 
  24. ↑ Younker, Scott (2024-07-08). "iOS 18 Photos — Apple explains the biggest redesign in years" (in en). https://www.tomsguide.com/phones/iphones/apple-explains-the-photos-app-redesign-what-they-think-you-want. 
  25. ↑ Mishaal, Rahman (2024-10-29). "Google and Apple are making HDR photos work better on Android and iOS" (in en). https://www.androidauthority.com/google-apple-hdr-photo-standard-3495035/. 
  26. ↑ "User backlash has reportedly caused Apple to rethink iOS 18's Photos redesign" (in en). 2024-08-11. https://www.imore.com/apps/user-backlash-has-reportedly-caused-apple-to-rethink-ios-18s-photos-redesign. 
  27. ↑ "Hate the new iOS 18 Photos app? Try these fixes to make it more like the old version" (in en). 2024-09-18. https://www.techradar.com/phones/iphone/hate-ios-18s-new-photos-app-try-these-fixes-to-make-it-more-like-the-old-version. 
  28. ↑ "What to Expect From iOS 18, Apple's Biggest iOS Update Yet - iDevice Central" (in en-US). March 27, 2024. https://idevicecentral.com/apple/what-to-expect-from-ios-18/. 
  29. ↑ Clover, Juli (June 10, 2024). "iOS 18 Lets You Lock and Hide Your Apps for Added Privacy". https://www.macrumors.com/2024/06/10/ios-18-hide-lock-apps/. 
  30. ↑ Mishra, Prakruti (2024-08-14). "Apple adds home screen management to iPhone mirroring in new betas: Report". https://www.business-standard.com/technology/tech-news/apple-adds-home-screen-management-to-iphone-mirroring-in-new-betas-report-124081400716_1.html. 
  31. ↑ McAuliffe, Zachary (2024-08-16). "Every Way You Can Customize Your iPhone's Home Screen in the iOS 18 Betas" (in en). https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/every-way-you-can-customize-your-iphones-home-screen-in-the-ios-18-betas/. 
  32. ↑ Hardwick, Tim (June 10, 2024). "iOS 18: New Control Center Features Multiple Customizable Screens" (in en-US). https://www.macrumors.com/2024/06/10/apple-ios-18-control-center-multiple-screens/. 
  33. ↑ Tibken, Shara; Stern, Joanna (June 11, 2024). "Password App, iPad Calculator, Scheduled Text Messages: What's Coming Soon to Your Apple Devices". The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/tech/personal-tech/ios-18-ipados-18-iphone-apple-features-fall-2024-70d28f09. 
  34. ↑ Spangler, Todd (2024-06-11). "Apple iOS 18: What's New in the Latest iPhone Software Release". Variety. https://variety.com/2024/digital/news/ios-18-whats-new-apple-iphone-release-1236033603/. Retrieved 2024-07-04. "The new Passwords app provides a single place to access passwords, passkeys, Wi-Fi passwords and verification codes. The app also includes alerts for users regarding common security weaknesses, such as passwords that are easily guessed or used multiple times, as well as those that appear in known data leaks.". 
  35. ↑ Shivam, Harsh (September 18, 2024). "Technology news: iPhone 16 allows wireless firmware recovery using another iPhone: Report". https://www.business-standard.com/technology/tech-news/iphone-16-allows-wireless-firmware-recovery-using-another-iphone-report-124091800692_1.html. 
  36. ↑ "iPhone Repair: Impact of iOS 18.1 on Aftermarket Parts" (in en-US). 2024-11-07. https://rewa.tech/impact-of-ios-18-1-on-aftermarket-parts/. 
  37. ↑ "iOS 18 Adds Pop-Out Bezel Animation When Pressing iPhone Buttons" (in en). 2024-06-11. https://www.macrumors.com/2024/06/11/ios-18-pop-out-button-animation/. 
  38. ↑ "Apple's Find My enables sharing location of lost items with third parties" (in en-US). https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2024/11/apples-find-my-enables-sharing-location-of-lost-items-with-third-parties/. 
  39. ↑ "Apple Announces iOS 18.2's New AirTag Location Sharing Feature Coming to These 15+ Airlines" (in en). 2024-11-11. https://www.macrumors.com/2024/11/11/apple-announces-airtag-location-sharing/. 
  40. ↑ Miller, Chance (2024-11-11). "Apple teams up with airlines for new 'Share Item Location' AirTags feature in iOS 18.2" (in en-US). https://9to5mac.com/2024/11/11/ios-18-2-share-item-location-airtags-feature/. 
  41. ↑ Kantra, Suzanne (November 21, 2024). "Apple's Secret iOS 18 Security Update Makes iPhones Safer Than Ever" (in en). https://www.techlicious.com/blog/a-new-reason-to-upgrade-to-ios-18/#:~:text=And%20Apple%20is%20leveraging%20that,been%20inactive%20for%2072%20hours.&text=You'll%20know%20that%20your,ID%20%E2%80%93%20just%20your%20PIN%20code.. 
  42. ↑ Pritchard, Tom (2024-11-15). "iOS 18 will force your iPhone to reboot after 3 days — here's why that matters" (in en). https://www.tomsguide.com/phones/iphones/ios-18-will-force-your-iphone-to-reboot-after-3-days-heres-why-that-matters. 
  43. ↑ Espósito, Filipe (2024-11-18). "Researcher reverse engineers iPhone's Inactivity Reboot feature" (in en-US). https://9to5mac.com/2024/11/18/reverse-engineers-iphone-inactivity-reboot/. 
  44. ↑ "Reverse Engineering iOS 18 Inactivity Reboot". https://naehrdine.blogspot.com/2024/11/reverse-engineering-ios-18-inactivity.html. 
  45. ↑ "'Your iPhone will never be the same': Truecaller updates iOS app with big features" (in en). 2025-01-22. https://www.businesstoday.in/technology/news/story/your-iphone-will-never-be-the-same-truecaller-updates-ios-app-with-big-features-461655-2025-01-22. "CEO of Truecaller: "We are proud that, 15 years after our inception, we can offer iOS users the same world-class Caller ID and spam-blocking experience as Android users."" 
  46. ↑ Singh, Jagmeet; Mehta, Ivan (2025-01-22). "Truecaller brings real-time caller ID to iPhone users" (in en-US). https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/21/truecaller-brings-real-time-caller-id-to-iphone-users/. "The company was able to implement the feature because Apple introduced Live Caller ID Lookup in iOS 18, allowing third-party caller ID apps to securely make a call to their server to get information about the caller" 
  47. ↑ "Truecaller Finally Brings Real-Time Caller ID to iPhones – How to Use" (in en-US). 2025-01-22. https://www.news9live.com/technology/tech-news/truecaller-real-time-caller-id-iphone-update-2802760. "Truecaller’s latest update brings real-time caller ID and spam-blocking features to iPhones with iOS 18.2 and above." 
  48. ↑ "Apple introduces the 2025 Pride Collection" (in en-IN). https://www.apple.com/in/newsroom/2025/05/apple-introduces-the-2025-pride-collection/. 
  49. ↑ "About the security content of iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5" (in en). https://support.apple.com/en-us/122404. 
  50. ↑ "iOS 18 Preview" (in en-US). https://www.apple.com/ios/ios-18-preview/. 
  51. ↑ Clover, Juli (February 3, 2025). "Apple Releases New Version of iOS 18.3 for iPhone 11". https://www.macrumors.com/2025/02/03/apple-releases-new-ios-18-3-update-iphone-11/. 
  52. ↑ Clover, Juli (2025-03-31). "Apple Releases iOS 18.4 with Priority Notifications, Ambient Music, New Emoji and More". https://www.macrumors.com/2025/03/31/apple-releases-ios-18-4/. 
  53. ↑ Clover, Juli (2025-04-16). "Apple Releases iOS 18.4.1 with Bug Fixes". https://www.macrumors.com/2025/04/16/apple-releases-ios-18-4-1-with-bug-fixes/. 
  54. ↑ Peters, Jay (2025-05-12). "iOS 18.5 is out now" (in en-US). https://www.theverge.com/news/665066/ios-18-5-update-out-now-download-iphone-13-satellite. 
  55. ↑ "Apple Releases iOS 18.6 With Photos Bug Fix" (in en). 2025-07-29. https://www.macrumors.com/2025/07/29/apple-releases-ios-18-6/. 
  56. ↑ "An update on Blood Oxygen for Apple Watch in the U.S." (in en). 2025-08-14. https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/08/an-update-on-blood-oxygen-for-apple-watch-in-the-us/. 
Preceded by
iOS 17 		iOS 18
2024 		Succeeded by
iOS 26



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