Apple launched iOS 18.6 on July 29, forward of the corporate’s launch of iOS 26 this fall. Whereas the subsequent main iOS replace will carry Liquid Glass and extra to your iPhone, iOS 18.6 would not change a lot in your system. As an alternative of latest options, the replace is stuffed with about two dozen bug and safety fixes, together with a patch for a flaw that may very well be actively exploited.
You’ll be able to obtain iOS 18.6 by going to Settings, then tapping Common. Subsequent, choose Software program Replace, then faucet Replace Now and observe the prompts in your display screen.
Here is what iOS 18.6 brings to your iPhone.
This replace patches a zero-day flaw and different points
In line with Apple’s safety notes, iOS 18.6 fixes about two dozen safety points and bugs. However one subject in WebKit, Apple’s in-house-developed web browser engine utilized in Safari, might compromise your system and is being tracked as CVE-2025-6558.
“It is a vulnerability in open supply code and Apple Software program is among the many affected initiatives,” Apple wrote within the safety notes for this subject. The CVE Program, which helps establish, outline and catalog cybersecurity dangers, lists the severity of this subject as excessive.
This bug was recognized by a member of Google’s Risk Evaluation Group, and Google wrote on July 15 that it’s conscious that an exploit for this bug exists within the wild. So it’s best to obtain iOS 18.6 instantly to guard your system.
Are there any new options in iOS 18.6?
After downloading and testing iOS 18.6 in the course of the beta cycle, I discovered no new options or noticeable adjustments within the replace. That is not shocking contemplating Apple’s iOS launch schedule through the years.
Apple introduced iOS 18 at WWDC 2024 and launched iOS 17.6 greater than a month later in July. That replace was stuffed with greater than 30 vital bug fixes and safety patches, however no new options. Apple beneficial that everybody obtain the replace on the time, and it was the final main iOS 17 replace earlier than the discharge of iOS 18.
Apple did the identical factor in July 2023 when it launched iOS 16.6. When the tech big launched that replace, it was targeted on bug fixes and safety patches. After that, the subsequent main iOS launch was iOS 17.
Apple is probably going shifting gears and focusing extra on iOS 26. In truth, the corporate has already launched a number of betas of that iOS software program in preparation for its fall launch.
Whereas there are no new options in iOS 18.6, it’s best to nonetheless obtain the replace to your iPhone to maintain the safety points and bugs, particularly that zero-day flaw.
iOS 18.6 launch notes
The discharge notes for iOS 18.6 are fairly temporary, studying, “This replace gives vital bug fixes and safety updates, and fixes a difficulty in Images that would forestall reminiscence motion pictures from being shared.” If you’d like extra data on the safety content material of iOS 18.6, you possibly can try Apple’s web page breaking down the safety content material of this and different updates.
For extra on iOS 18, here is what you have to learn about iOS 18.5 and iOS 18.4, in addition to our iOS 18 cheat sheet. It’s also possible to try what it’s best to learn about iOS 26 and my first impressions of the iOS replace.
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