No iPhone Dropped: iOS 27 Supported Devices, Features and What Each iPhone Actually Gets
iOS 27 came out on 14 September 2026 and it runs on every iPhone from the iPhone 11 and the second-generation iPhone SE upwards. That is the same list as iOS 26, so no iPhone was dropped this year. What differs is how much of iOS 27 your phone actually gets: the new Siri AI needs an iPhone 15 Pro or any iPhone 16 or newer, and a few extras need the 12GB models. One more thing to know before you tap Install: since 21 September there is no official way back to iOS 26.
Start with the phone in your hand:
- iPhone 11 to iPhone 15You get iOS 27, faster app launches and the new controls, but no Siri AI or Apple Intelligence. What you get
- iPhone 15 Pro, any iPhone 16, 17 or 17eYou get Siri AI in beta, the AI photo tools and the rest. Budget up to 8GB of storage for it. Turn it on
- iPhone 17 Pro, Air, 18 ProYou get everything, including the expressive Siri voices. The full table
- Not updated yetYour phone offers iOS 26.7 first. iOS 27 sits further down the same screen. How to choose
- Updated and regret itYou cannot officially go back any more. Why
- Phone froze after a swipeA known iOS 27 bug with a ten-second fix. The fix
- iOS 27 release date: is iOS 27 out?
- iOS 27 supported devices: the full device list
- iOS 27 features by iPhone: the three tiers
- iOS 27 Siri AI in the UK: how to turn it on, and off
- How much storage iOS 27 and Apple Intelligence take
- How to get iOS 27, or stay on iOS 26.7 for now
- Can you downgrade iOS 27 to iOS 26?
- iOS 27 problems so far: the swipe freeze and battery drain
- Should you update to iOS 27? What we would actually do
- Quick answers
iOS 27 release date: is iOS 27 out?
Yes. Apple released iOS 27 on Monday 14 September 2026, the same day as iPadOS 27 and macOS Golden Gate 27. The date is on Apple’s list of software releases. If you are asking when iOS 27 comes out because your phone has not offered it yet, the answer is that it is already out, and your phone is probably showing you a different update first. More on that below.
Three things arrived on that date, and they are easy to mix up:
- iOS 27 itself, free for every supported iPhone.
- Siri AI, the rebuilt Siri, as an opt-in beta in English only. Apple says French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish follow in October (Apple Newsroom).
- iOS 26.7, a security-only update for people who want to stay on iOS 26 for now.
The version you get today is iOS 27.0. There has been no iOS 27.1 yet, and that is not a delay. Apple says the foldable iPhone Duo will be available with iOS 27.1 (Apple), so testers were given iOS 27.2 betas instead, which MacRumors reads as a way of keeping Duo details out of the code (MacRumors). The first iOS 27.2 public beta landed on 22 September with a redesigned Health app (9to5Mac). The iPhone Duo goes on sale on 23 October, so expect iOS 27.1 around then.
iOS 27 supported devices: the full device list
If your iPhone ran iOS 26, it runs iOS 27. Apple kept the list unchanged, so no model drops off this year. Here is the full iOS 27 device list, from Apple’s compatibility page:
- iPhone 11 family: iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone SE: second and third generation
- iPhone 12 family: iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13 family: iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 14 family: iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 15 family: iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 16 family: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 16e
- iPhone 17 family: iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air, iPhone 17e
- iPhone 18 family: iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the iPhone Duo when it ships on 23 October
Will the iPhone 11 get iOS 27? Yes. The iPhone 11 and the second-generation iPhone SE are the oldest phones on the list, and the reason is the chip: both run Apple’s A13 Bionic, and A13 is where Apple has drawn the line for both iOS 26 and iOS 27. The iPhone XS, XS Max and XR use the older A12, were dropped by iOS 26 last year and stay on iOS 18. They are not abandoned yet: Apple shipped iOS 18.7.10 with security fixes for them on 17 August 2026 (Apple’s security releases).
You will notice there is no plain iPhone 18 on the list. That is because Apple has not announced one yet. We track what is known about it in our iPhone 18 release date guide.
iOS 27 features by iPhone: the three tiers
Every supported phone gets iOS 27, but not every phone gets the same iOS 27. The new features fall into three tiers, and the dividing line is memory. Apple’s most capable on-device model, which it calls AFM Core Advanced, needs 12GB of RAM. MacRumors reports that only the iPhone 17 Pro models and the Air have that much in the current range, while the iPhone 17 and 17e have 8GB (MacRumors).
| Your iPhone | Siri AI | Siri voices | AI storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 11 range, SE (2nd, 3rd gen) | No | No | Not needed |
| iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 (every model) | No | No | Not needed |
| iPhone 14 (every model) | No | No | Not needed |
| iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus | No | No | Not needed |
| iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max | Yes | No | Up to 8GB |
| iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max, 16e | Yes | No | Up to 8GB |
| iPhone 17, iPhone 17e | Yes | No | Up to 8GB |
| iPhone 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air | Yes | Yes | Up to 14GB |
| iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max | Yes | Yes* | Not yet listed by Apple |
| iPhone Duo (from 23 October) | Yes | Yes | Not yet listed by Apple |
Every row gets iOS 27. Siri AI here means Siri AI plus the other Apple Intelligence features; Siri voices means the expressive voice controls. *The 18 Pro models and the Duo also get new texture and grain controls in Photographic Styles. Sources: Apple’s footnotes on its iOS 27 page, its Siri AI requirements and its Apple Intelligence storage figures. Apple’s storage page does not yet name the iPhone 18 Pro models or the Duo.
What every iPhone on the list gets
If you own an iPhone 11 to 15, these are the iOS 27 new features that are yours:
- Speed. Apple says apps launch up to 30% faster. The interesting part is the small print: Apple measured that on an iPhone 11 Pro Max, the oldest phone on the list. Photos loading up to 70% faster was tested on an iPhone 15, and AirDrop up to 80% faster on an iPhone 16 Plus.
- A Liquid Glass slider, so you choose how see-through the menus look, from clear to fully tinted. If the glass look of iOS 26 annoyed you, this is the fix.
- Smoother switching between wifi and mobile data, so a call does not drop as you walk out of the house.
- Better Mail search, with the most relevant result at the top.
- New parental controls, including Ask to Browse, where a child has to ask before opening a new website.
- Shared Albums that work for Android and Windows users on iCloud.com, at full resolution.
- AirPods Custom EQ, GymKit for gym machines, and sharper Flyover in Maps.
What Apple Intelligence iPhones add
On an iPhone 15 Pro, any iPhone 16, the iPhone 17 or the 17e, you also get Siri AI, the Siri app, Write with Siri, Siri mode in the Camera, and the new photo tools: Spatial Reframing, Extend and a stronger Clean Up. Safari can group your tabs by topic and watch a page for a price drop or a restock, and Call Context finds a booking code in your Mail while you are on the phone to the company.
What only the 12GB iPhones add
The iPhone 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, Air and 18 Pro models add Siri voices you can tune for pace and expressiveness. MacRumors says the same model also gives them more accurate dictation. The 18 Pro and the Duo go one step further: the new texture and grain controls in Photographic Styles work only on photos taken with those phones (Apple’s footnote). That one annoyed a lot of iPhone 16 and 17 owners on r/iphone, where people say they expected it on older models. Our iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 17 Pro comparison covers the camera hardware behind it.
iOS 27 Siri AI in the UK: how to turn it on, and off
Siri AI does not switch itself on when you install iOS 27. It is a beta and you have to ask for it. Here is how, from Apple’s instructions:
- Open Settings and tap Siri.
- Tap Try Siri AI (Beta). If Siri is off, turn it on first.
- Pick a voice, record your voice and review the privacy settings.
- You join a waitlist. When your turn comes, Siri AI downloads by itself.
Your iPhone language and your Siri language must match, and for now both must be English. For UK readers, this is good news. Apple has held Siri AI back on iPhone and iPad across the European Union, but the UK is not in the EU, and Apple’s UK pages advertise Siri AI in English. A friend in Dublin or Paris will not get it on an iPhone; you will.
Two limits worth knowing before you get attached to it. First, Siri AI and the cloud-based photo and image tools have daily usage limits. Second, Apple’s small print says expanded access “will be available for a fee in the future”. So it is free today, but capped, and Apple has told you a paid tier is coming.
Early reactions are mixed. A busy r/iphone thread is full of people who find Siri AI smarter at questions and worse at the old basics, with several complaining that it now plays the wrong song in CarPlay. If you try it and want the old one back, Apple has a switch for that. Go to Settings, Siri, tap Turn Off Siri and confirm, then tap Turn on Siri and choose Siri Classic (Apple’s steps).
How much storage iOS 27 and Apple Intelligence take
This is the part that catches people out. Apple Intelligence downloads its models on to your phone, and with iOS 27 they are bigger. Apple’s figures:
- Up to 14GB on the iPhone 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max and Air.
- Up to 8GB on the other Apple Intelligence iPhones: the 15 Pro, the 16 range, the 17 and 17e.
That is on top of iOS 27 itself. On a 128GB iPhone that is already nearly full, you will feel it. Before you update, open Settings, General, iPhone Storage and look at the bar at the top. If you have less than about 20GB free on an Apple Intelligence iPhone, clear some space first. Old videos and the Recently Deleted album are the quickest wins.
Can you turn it off to get the space back? Less easily than before. Apple’s iOS 27 guide to turning Apple Intelligence off lists one switch per feature, for Siri AI, message and notification summaries, Call Context and so on, rather than a single off switch, and it does not say whether any of them frees the storage. So if space is tight, clear it before you update rather than counting on getting it back afterwards.
How to get iOS 27, or stay on iOS 26.7 for now
There is no separate iOS 27 download to hunt for. It comes through the phone itself. The catch is that Apple is not pushing it as the main update yet. When you open Software Update you will see iOS 26.7 at the top, and iOS 27 listed underneath as the other option (MacRumors). Pick the one you want:
- Back up first. iCloud or a computer, either is fine. It matters more than usual this year, for the reason in the next section.
- Plug the phone in and join wifi.
- Open Settings, General, Software Update.
- For iOS 27, tap the iOS 27 option below the main update, then Download and Install. For iOS 26.7, install the update at the top.
You can also update with a cable: in Finder on a Mac, or in iTunes on Windows, select your iPhone and click Check for Update (Apple’s steps).
Why would you choose iOS 26.7? It contains security fixes and nothing else. It keeps you safe while you wait for iOS 27 to settle. MacRumors expects Apple to make iOS 27 the main update within weeks, so staying on 26.7 buys you time, not a permanent exit. If you have automatic updates on, check Settings, General, Software Update, Automatic Updates so the choice stays yours.
If you are moving to a new iPhone at the same time, iOS 27 also brings iPhone Handoff for carriers that support it, which lets you switch your line back and forth between two iPhones. Our eSIM transfer guide covers the UK networks and the mistake that locks people out.
Can you downgrade iOS 27 to iOS 26?
No, not any more. Every time an iPhone installs an iOS version, Apple’s servers have to approve it. Apple calls this signing, and it usually stops approving old versions within weeks of a new release.
On 21 September Apple stopped signing iOS 26.6.2, the last iOS 26 version you could restore an iPhone to (9to5Mac). iOS 26.7 does not help either: Apple has not published an iPhone restore file for it, so it only exists as an over-the-air update for phones that are still on iOS 26. On 23 September, ipsw.me listed iOS 27.0 as the only signed version for the iPhone 11, the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 17 Pro.
What that means for you:
- Still on iOS 26? You can stay there with iOS 26.7. Decide before you tap anything.
- Already on iOS 27? You stay on iOS 27. A restore will put iOS 27 back on the phone.
- A website or app promising to downgrade you? Skip it. It cannot get past Apple’s signing check. If one asks you to install a profile on your iPhone, read our phone security guide first.
iOS 27 problems so far: the swipe freeze and battery drain
The swipe that freezes your iPhone
The iOS 27 bug everyone is talking about started as a PSA on r/iphone. If you pull down Notification Centre from the top left and, almost at the same moment, pull down Control Centre from the top right, the screen can lock up. Taps stop registering and you cannot swipe between Home Screens. Cult of Mac reproduced it and says it does not harm your data.
The fix takes ten seconds. It is a force restart:
- Press and quickly release volume up.
- Press and quickly release volume down.
- Press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears, then let go.
You do not need a reset or a trip to a repair shop. As of 23 September, Apple had not shipped iOS 27.0.1, so the bug was still there. Until it is fixed, open one of the two panels at a time.
Battery drain after the update
Reports of faster battery drain on iOS 27 are common, and the first days after any big update are the worst time to judge. A phone does a lot of background work after a major update, such as re-indexing photos and search, and on an Apple Intelligence iPhone it is also downloading gigabytes of AI models. Give it two or three nights on the charger. If it is still bad after that, open Settings, Battery and see which app is at the top of the list. That tells you far more than any general tips list.
Should you update to iOS 27? What we would actually do
Should you get iOS 27? For most people, yes, but not all at the same speed.
- iPhone 11 to iPhone 15: update, without rushing. You get the speed and the fixes, not the new Siri. If you depend on a work or banking app, give it a week and install iOS 26.7 in the meantime so you are still covered for security.
- iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16, 17 or 17e: update if you want Siri AI and the photo tools. Clear space first, because the AI models alone can take 8GB.
- iPhone 17 Pro, Air or 18 Pro: the 18 Pro ships with iOS 27, and on a 17 Pro or Air you have the most to gain. Update.
- Anyone: back up first. This year, that backup is your only undo button.
How long will an older iPhone keep getting updates? Apple does not publish an end date for the iPhone 11. It got iOS 27, so it will get iOS 27 security fixes. For the iPhone 15 range onwards there is a firmer answer, and it is a UK one: under the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure rules, Apple filed a minimum of five years of security updates from 22 September 2023 for the iPhone 15 series (MacRumors). That means September 2028 at the earliest.
If your older iPhone is struggling and you are weighing a replacement, the question is which tier you want to land in. Our iPhone 17 in 2026 guide covers whether last year’s model still makes sense, and you can compare current models in our Apple iPhone range.
Quick answers
Yes. Apple released iOS 27 on 14 September 2026 for every iPhone from the iPhone 11 and the second-generation iPhone SE onwards. Siri AI arrived the same day as an opt-in beta in English.
Every iPhone that ran iOS 26: the iPhone 11 range, the iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation), and every iPhone 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 Pro model, plus the iPhone Air. The iPhone Duo ships with it on 23 October.
The iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR and anything older. They were dropped by iOS 26 last year and stay on iOS 18. No iPhone was dropped between iOS 26 and iOS 27.
Yes. The iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max all get iOS 27, and Apple measured its own claim of up to 30% faster app launches on an iPhone 11 Pro Max. What the iPhone 11 does not get is Siri AI or Apple Intelligence, which need an iPhone 15 Pro or newer.
Yes, as far as Apple has shown. It runs iOS 27, the current version, so it gets the security fixes Apple releases for iOS 27. Apple has not published an end date for the iPhone 11. Whether iOS 28 supports it next year is not known yet.
For most people, yes. On an iPhone 15 Pro or newer, update if you want Siri AI and have the storage to spare. On an iPhone 11 to 15, the gain is speed and fixes, so there is no rush. Back up first, because you cannot go back to iOS 26 once you install it.
Siri AI, a rebuilt and more conversational Siri with its own app; AI photo tools called Spatial Reframing, Extend and Clean Up; faster app launches; a slider for the Liquid Glass look; new parental controls; and Shared Albums that work for Android and Windows users. The AI features need an iPhone 15 Pro or newer.
Now, if your phone is backed up and you have the space. If you rely on apps for work or banking, waiting a week or two is sensible. Install iOS 26.7 while you wait so your phone still gets security fixes.
No. Apple stopped signing iOS 26.6.2 on 21 September 2026 and has not released an iPhone restore file for iOS 26.7, so there is no official way back. If you are still on iOS 26, you can stay there by choosing iOS 26.7.
Apple says up to 8GB on most Apple Intelligence iPhones and up to 14GB on the iPhone 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max and Air, on top of iOS 27 itself.
Sources
- Apple: iOS 27 (UK). The compatible device list, the Apple Intelligence device list, the 12GB-only features, the EU exclusion for Siri AI, the usage limits and future fee, and the devices Apple used for its speed claims.
- Apple Support: iPhone models compatible with iOS 27. The model-by-model compatibility list.
- Apple Support: Apple security releases. The 14 September 2026 release date for iOS 27 and iOS 26.7.
- Apple Support: How to get Siri AI. The opt-in steps, the waitlist, the language rule, the EU position and the AFM Core Advanced devices.
- Apple Support: How to get the next generation of Apple Intelligence. The up to 14GB and up to 8GB storage figures.
- Apple Newsroom: Major updates for Apple's software platforms are now available. Siri AI in beta in English, and the October languages.
- Apple Newsroom: Apple unveils iPhone Duo. The 16 October pre-order and 23 October availability dates, and the Duo shipping with iOS 27.1.
- Apple Newsroom: iPhone 18 Pro availability. The footnote limiting texture and grain controls to iPhone 18 Pro models and iPhone Duo.
- Apple Support: Update iOS on iPhone. The Settings and computer update steps.
- MacRumors: Apple releases iOS 26.7 with security fixes. IOS 26.7 shown as the default update, iOS 27 as the option below it.
- MacRumors: Which iPhones support every iOS 27 feature?. The 12GB and 8GB RAM figures and the dictation point.
- MacRumors: Why Apple released an iOS 27.2 beta instead of iOS 27.1. IPhone Duo shipping with iOS 27.1.
- 9to5Mac: first iOS 27.2 public beta. The 22 September public beta and the new Health app.
- 9to5Mac: iPhone users on iOS 27 can no longer downgrade. Apple ending signing for iOS 26.6.2 on 21 September, and the missing iOS 26.7 restore file.
- ipsw.me: iPhone 11 firmware and signing status. The signed versions.
- MacRumors: Apple commits to at least five years of iPhone security updates. The UK PSTI filing for the iPhone 15 series.
- Cult of Mac: the iOS 27 freeze bug. The swipe sequence and the force-restart fix.
- r/iphone: PSA on the Notification Centre and Control Centre swipe. The original report of the freeze.
- r/iphone: owners on Siri AI. Early reactions, including the CarPlay complaints.
- Apple Support: Turn off and restrict access to Apple Intelligence features on iPhone. The Siri Classic switch and the per-feature off switches in iOS 27.
- r/iphone: new Photographic Styles limited to newer models. Owner reaction to the iPhone 18 Pro camera limit.
- Pexels: thiago japyassu. The lead photograph of the orange iPhone 17 Pro, cropped to 16:9.
- Pexels: Melike B. The iPhone 11 photograph, cropped to 16:9.
- Pexels: Szabó Viktor. The titanium iPhone Pro photograph, cropped to 16:9.
- Pexels: Brett Jordan. The Settings app photograph, cropped to 16:9.
- Apple Newsroom: iPhone 18 Pro arrives in stores. The Covent Garden launch-day photograph, used unaltered.
