5 reasons to update your iPhone to iOS 26.2 - including security patches

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• iOS 26.2 offers information patches for 2 zero-day flaws.
• The update besides enhances AirDrop, Reminders, and Podcasts.
• Be definite to besides update your iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV.

iPhone owners who haven't yet jumped to iOS 26.2 volition privation to download and instal this latest update. That's due to the fact that it not lone offers important information fixes but, enhances respective built-in apps and features successful clever ways.

On Friday, Apple released the 26.2 updates for the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and different products. Though they each connection bug fixes and diagnostic improvements, iOS 26.2 whitethorn beryllium the astir impactful of the bunch. Here are 5 reasons you'll privation to leap to this latest version.

1. Security fixes

First and foremost is the accustomed lineup of information patches. With iOS 26.2, Apple has squashed 25 antithetic bugs affecting specified apps and services arsenic the App Store, FaceTime, Messages, and Photos. But astir important are the two-zero time vulnerabilities that could airs occupation for intended victims.

Reported arsenic exploited successful the wild, some zero days whitethorn person been utilized successful highly blase attacks against targeted individuals inactive moving versions of iOS earlier iOS 26, Apple explained. These 2 flaws interaction WebKit, the motor utilized to render web pages successful Safari and galore different apps.

The archetypal flaw, dubbed CVE-2025-43529, could let an attacker to remotely execute codification connected a instrumentality done a malicious website. Apple described this 1 arsenic a use-after-free issue, which means that the malicious contented could hack into representation that would different beryllium disconnected limits. Labeling it a representation corruption problem, Apple said that this was resolved with improved representation management.

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The different flaw, tracked arsenic CVE-2025-14174, is besides owed to corrupted representation with WebKit. Here, Apple said that it fixed the glitch with improved validation.

Though these 2 zero days people circumstantial individuals, each eligible iPhone (and iPad) owners should spot them done the latest updates. Further, iPhone and iPad users aren't the lone ones affected. The aforesaid flaws interaction MacOS Tahoe, WatchOS, TVOS, VisionOS, and Safari, requiring their respective 26.2 updates arsenic the fix.

2. Reminder alarms

I often acceptable reminders connected my iPhone to support way of items connected my to-do list. If you bash the same, you tin present instrumentality the process a measurement further.

With iOS 26.2, you're capable to acceptable an alarm for an important reminder. To bash this, occurrence up the Reminders app and make a caller reminder. At the details screen, crook connected the power for Urgent. You tin past alteration the default day and time. When the reminder comes due, an alarm volition popular up, providing some a ocular notification and an audible beep.

3. AirDrop security

Apple's AirDrop offers you a convenient mode to stock files and different contented with adjacent Apple users. In the past, you could stock contented lone with your contacts oregon with everyone for up to 10 minutes. Now, iOS 26.2 adds different option. With the caller update, you're capable to usage a one-time codification to let transfers with radical not successful your Contacts database and for much than conscionable 10 minutes.

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For this, the idiosyncratic who wants to person the contented generates a codification connected their device. The idiosyncratic sending the contented past enters the aforesaid codification connected their device. By matching the code, the transportation is validated. A generated codification volition past for 30 days, truthful you tin much easy usage AirDrop without having to adhd idiosyncratic to your Contacts database conscionable to transportation a file.

4. Sleep scores

In the past, I've utilized my trusty iPhone and Apple Watch to way my sleep. The adjacent morning, I tin cheque the Health app connected the telephone to observe however I slept by viewing my slumber scores. Previously, those scores utilized ranges of numbers that didn't accurately bespeak your slumber patterns. But with iOS 26.2, Apple has reset the ranges.

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To cheque your scores aft a nighttime of slumber tracking, unfastened the Health app, pat the Search icon, and prime Sleep from the results. Tap the enactment for Sleep Score and past cheque retired the charts. The scores usage the caller fig ranges and phrases ranging from Very Low to Very High. Select a circumstantial score, and the app volition explicate wherefore it awarded you that people based connected your slumber duration, bedtime consistency, and the fig of interruptions.

5. Podcast enhancements

I perceive to a big of podcasts done my iPhone, truthful I ever invited immoderate caller options to the built-in Podcasts app. With iOS 26.2 comes two caller skills.

First, you tin present presumption idiosyncratic chapters for podcast episodes. By seeing each section and the clip it appears successful the episode, you're capable to skip to a taxable that interests you. Some podcasts make the chapters themselves. But Apple is slowing starting to show section titles for episodes via AI.

To cheque this, commencement playing a podcast episode. If the podcast supports the caller option, pat the Transcript icon and past pat the drop-down arrow adjacent to the title. You should past spot the idiosyncratic section names.

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Second, a podcast occurrence tin present show links to different podcasts and definite outer contented straight successful the transcript. Podcast developers are capable to insert links from Apple Podcasts, Apple Music, Apple News, and Apple TV. Otherwise, Apple whitethorn automatically make a nexus for immoderate podcast that appears successful the transcript. For this one, conscionable look done a transcript and pat immoderate links that look to spot what pops up.

To update your iPhone to iOS 26.2, spell to Settings, prime General, and past pat Software Updates. You'll besides privation to update your iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and different Apple products to the latest 26.2 versions.