// WIRED US/UK — MOBILE & WEB
The Top New Features in Apple’s iOS 27 and iPadOS 27
Apple's latest iPhone and iPad software—iOS 27 and iPadOS 27—is here. While this release won’t make as big of a splash as Apple’s big Liquid Glass redesign in the prior version, there's still plenty here that could change how you use your device.
iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 focus largely on stability improvements that you’ll notice in your everyday use. There are several quality-of-life improvements, like how Shortcuts are significantly easier to set up, but the big highlight is the Siri AI upgrade. Here's everything you need to know.
Updated September 14, 2026: We've refreshed this story to reflect the latest updates and that iOS and iPadOS 27 are rolling out today.
Apple sometimes drops a few older devices from the support list with new versions of its operating systems, supposedly because the aging hardware can’t run the latest screen behaviors without feeling sluggish. (Apple typically supports iPhones and iPads for six to seven years.) But there's good news this year. iPhones from 2019 and newer—the iPhone 11 and up, including the iPhone SE (2nd Gen)—will support iOS 27.
That means any iPhone that received iOS 26 is still compatible with iOS 27. If you're unsure of your iPhone model, go to Settings > General > About and look at the model name.
iPads aren't as straightforward, as they have a unique naming structure. Apple retired the “generations” moniker and is now using the chipset to denote the iPad model. You can check your iPad model using Apple’s support documentation. A few iPads are cut off from the iPadOS 27 update, including the 8th-gen iPad from 2020 and the 5th-gen iPad Mini.
The final versions of iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 are here. Before installing, it’s very important that you back up your devices. Head to Settings, tap your name at the top, and select iCloud. Then tap iCloud Backup, and tap Back Up Now. Read our How to Back Up Your iPhone or iPad guide for other methods and more details.
Then, head to Settings > General > Software Update and choose iOS 27 or iPadOS 27 when you see the option. Installation will take several minutes, and your iPhone or iPad will restart, so set aside several minutes for the whole process.
Siri AI, the new assistant, will ask to index your phone or iPad to learn more about you, your apps, and your data so it can be more helpful. This indexing takes a while—anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days—so be prepared to wait a bit.
Remember—even if older iPhones and iPads receive the iOS 27 or iPadOS 27 update, that doesn't mean all of the new features will be available. Apple Intelligence is still only compatible with the iPhone 15 Pro and newer and select iPads, meaning that several artificial intelligence features are unavailable on older devices.