Updated Sept. 20 with more details of the update and when we can expect the next update to land.
Apple’s latest iPhone software, iOS 26, is live now. It’s just days old but there’s already an update. A new version has appeared for two iPhones, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. It looks like all those buying any of the latest iPhones will need to update pronto. And now it seems that another iOS update is almost upon us already. Here’s all you need to know and when the next update could arrive (hint: soon).
This was actually the second iOS 26 update this week, but until now both have only been seen by review units of the iPhone. That changes now that the iPhones are on general sale.
On Monday, Sept. 15, iOS 26 went on general release. On Tuesday, Sept. 18, Series 17 iPhones were offered an update to take them to version 23A341, which is the same as the general release build.
On Thursday, Sept. 18, a new update arrived, but only for the two Series 17 Pro models. That’s build 23A345, according to a report in MacRumors.
So, what does this mean?
It means that all new iPhones in the fall 2025 generation will need a day one update when their new owners set them up. For the iPhone Air and iPhone 17, this turns out to be for the general release build, 23A341 and 23A345 for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
The new update is not huge, less than 800MB, so it looks like this is a tweak rather than a big change. But that’s only if you have installed the Tuesday update. For iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max buyers, the two will be combined into one download, which could be as much as 2.2GB, GSM Arena reports. This could slow down the set-up process, but it’s unavoidable.
Some of the early reviews of the iPhone Air reported a camera issue where glitches could appear if an LED light display was shining right at the camera, in “very rare cases” as Apple described it. The issue was found to be on the iPhone 17 Pro as well as the iPhone Air.
However, since the new update has not appeared for the iPhone Air, it’s unlikely the update is fixing that. Apple has said a fix is in the pipeline.
Additionally, Apple would have specified if there was an effect on the camera performance, and it hasn’t.
Exactly what is in the update, then, isn’t known, but it’s clear Apple wants to get ahead of something by releasing it in time for the first iPhones going on sale — it was timed to land even before the first iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max handsets went on sale in places like New Zealand and Australia.
So, what’s next? Well, if you’ve just bought a new iPhone you’ve probably done enough updating and installing for now. But brace yourself, it looks like iOS 26.0.1 is in the ether already and will land soon.
According to 9to5mac, an anonymous private account on X that regularly shares this kind of information, there’s evidence another update is imminent. There’s no indication exactly what will be in it, though there’s every chance it will address the photographic issue mentioned above, as Apple’s response to the problem seemed to hint it could be a quick fix.
If that’s not enough to sate your thirst for updates, you glutton for punishment, you, then the news that beta testing for iOS 26.1 could start as soon as next week may help scratch that itch.
As to when we should expect to see iOS 26.0.1, 9to5mac suggests it could be very close. “Generally, updates are released within several days of this account posting about them on social media,” the report says, which could mean it will arrive as early as next Monday or Tuesday, Sept. 22 or 23. I’ll report back the second it lands.
As it’s a small-number update, it’s likely that it will arrive without a beta version before it.
