macOS 26.5 adds new way to control your Mac’s power state via switches
macOS Tahoe 26.5 was released today for all compatible Macs, and while it’s light on changes, the update does include an interesting new ‘Power control’ setting for Mac desktops. more…

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Apple Developer app gains Liquid Glass design and WWDC 2026 iMessage stickers
There’s a new version of the multi-platform Apple Developer app out today ahead of WWDC 2026. Apple Developer version 11.0 introduces a Liquid Glass design ahead of iOS 27. more…

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iOS 26.5 may be small, but it hides some incredible new features
Macworld With WWDC less than a month away, Apple has officially released iOS 26.5 to all iPhone users, and while it isn’t a major update, it introduces many long-awaited tweaks and improvements, as well as new options for customizing the look of your iPhone or iPad. From encrypted RCS messages to controversial changes in Maps and a beautiful new Pride wallpaper, here’s everything new in iOS 26.5. Encrypted RCS messaging One of the most notable additions in iOS 26.5 is support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging in the Messages app. While it’s still technically labeled as a beta feature and limited to supported carriers, it’s the first step toward iPhone users being able to chat securely with their Android friends. Apple had previously tested encrypted RCS during the iOS 26.4 beta cycle, but the feature didn’t make it into the general release. Now, it’s officially rolling out to users. iOS 26.5 brings encryption to RCS messages for the first time.Foundry RCS already brings iMessage-like improvements such as better media quality, typing indicators, and read receipts when messaging Android users. With end-to-end encryption, Apple is closing one of the biggest privacy gaps between iPhone and cross-platform conversations. That said, availability will vary depending on carrier support, so not everyone will see it right away. However, all three major carriers (Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile) are already beta-testing it, so it shouldn’t be long. You can enable encrypted RCS messages by going to Settings > Apps > Messages > RCS Messaging. Pride Luminance wallpaper As part of its annual Pride collection, Apple is introducing a new “Pride Luminance” wallpaper in iOS 26.5. There’s nothing new about that—Apple has released a new wallpaper to celebrate Pride Month for years—but this year’s design takes it to a new level. Pride Luminance isn’t just a static background. The wallpaper dynamically refracts colors as you move or unlock your iPhone, creating a subtle animated effect. Apple’s Pride Luminance wallpaper is as customizable as it is gorgeous.Foundry More interestingly, it’s highly customizable. Users can create their own version of the wallpaper by choosing from up to 12 different colors, making it one of the most flexible system wallpapers Apple has ever made. Not only that, but Apple Watch users will also find a new Pride Luminance watch face in watchOS 26.5 that perfectly matches the new wallpaper.  Apple Maps gets Suggested Places (and ads) iOS 26.5 paves the way for ads in Apple’s Maps app.Foundry iOS 26.5 also introduces a new “Suggested Places” feature in Apple Maps. This section shows recommendations based on what’s trending nearby, along with your recent searches. On the surface, it’s a discovery feature designed to help users find new restaurants, shops, and points of interest. But it also marks something more significant: the introduction of ads in Apple Maps. Businesses can now pay to have their locations promoted in search results, meaning some of the suggestions you see may be sponsored. According to the company, privacy remains a top priority. Ads won’t be linked to users, and advertisers won’t be able to target specific groups of users, Apple promises. Apple hasn’t made a big deal about this in its release notes, but it represents a notable shift for the platform. Easier accessory pairing via USB-C Pairing your Magic accessories with an iPhone or iPad is a little easier in iOS 26.5.Foundry Another small but very practical improvement is a new way to pair Apple accessories such as the Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard. With iOS 26.5, you can simply connect these devices to your iPhone or iPad using a USB-C cable, and they’ll automatically pair. After that, you can disconnect the cable, and they continue working wirelessly over Bluetooth. It’s a simple change, but one that removes friction, especially for users who rely on these accessories with multiple devices. Improvements for switching from iPhone to Android Following the introduction of a new tool that makes it easier to transfer data from an iPhone to an Android device with iOS 26.3, Apple is now giving users a little more choice. With iOS 26.5, the iPhone-to-Android transfer process now lets users choose which message attachments they want to keep for more control over what gets moved, instead of forcing a full transfer of all media. EU-exclusive features continue to expand As expected, iOS 26.5 includes additional region-specific changes for the European Union. With this update, users can mirror not only notifications but also Live Activities to non-Apple devices. iOS 26.5 also extends the same AirPods quick-pairing experience to third-party accessories. Unfortunately, since this is a requirement under EU law, these features aren’t available to iPhone users in the rest of the world. App marketplaces are coming to Brazil Users in Brazil will soon be able to access third-party app marketplaces.Foundry Following similar changes in the EU and Japan, iOS 26.5 lays the groundwork for alternative app marketplaces in Brazil. While the feature isn’t live for users yet, the update includes the necessary system support for third-party app distribution outside the App Store. That means iPhone users in Brazil will soon be able to download apps from alternative app stores, another international change driven by local regulatory changes. Update your iPhone right now In addition to these features, iOS 26.5 also includes bug fixes, performance improvements, and security updates. That’s why it’s always important to keep your devices updated with the latest software. That said, this is likely the last iOS 26 update ahead of WWDC 2026, where Apple is expected to give a sneak peek at what’s coming in iOS 27. You can install iOS 26.5 by going to Settings > General > Software Update. The update is available for iPhone 11 and later.

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It's time to update your Apple Watch to watchOS 26.5
While it certainly won't win any accolades for exciting new features, watchOS 26.5 will help keep your Apple Watch operating smoothly.Apple Watch Ultra 2Once again, Apple has rolled out a watchOS update with no apparent new features, suggesting that watchOS 26.5 is geared toward stability improvements and bug fixes. While Apple occasionally releases features with minor watchOS updates, typically, larger releases are where we see anything of note.Updates like these are crucial as they ensure optimal device operation. This is also where Apple fixes minor performance and compatibility issues, as well as potential security flaws. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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It's time to update your Apple Watch to watchOS 26.5
While it certainly won't win any accolades for exciting new features, watchOS 26.5 will help keep your Apple Watch operating smoothly.Apple Watch Ultra 2Once again, Apple has rolled out a watchOS update with no apparent new features, suggesting that watchOS 26.5 is geared toward stability improvements and bug fixes. While Apple occasionally releases features with minor watchOS updates, typically, larger releases are where we see anything of note.Updates like these are crucial as they ensure optimal device operation. This is also where Apple fixes minor performance and compatibility issues, as well as potential security flaws. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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macOS 26.5 arrives with no visible changes other than Maps ads & subscriptions
Apple's macOS 26.5 has been released, delivering a quiet update focused on stability, subscription changes, and system-level improvements rather than new user-facing features.MacBook modelsThe release arrives without major additions across the interface or built-in apps. macOS Tahoe 26.4, which shipped on March 24, 2026, introduced visible updates across apps and system features, while version 26.5 shifts attention to compatibility and platform work.Mac users shouldn't expect a major shift after installing it. Apple uses the release to support new App Store billing options and refine system behavior without changing how macOS works day to day. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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macOS 26.5 arrives with no visible changes other than Maps ads & subscriptions
Apple's macOS 26.5 has been released, delivering a quiet update focused on stability, subscription changes, and system-level improvements rather than new user-facing features.MacBook modelsThe release arrives without major additions across the interface or built-in apps. macOS Tahoe 26.4, which shipped on March 24, 2026, introduced visible updates across apps and system features, while version 26.5 shifts attention to compatibility and platform work.Mac users shouldn't expect a major shift after installing it. Apple uses the release to support new App Store billing options and refine system behavior without changing how macOS works day to day. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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visionOS 26.5 bug fix update is here for Apple Vision Pro users
Apple's focus in the current release cycle is on backend work that doesn't affect Apple Vision Pro, but visionOS 26.5 has been released with bug fixes.visionOS 26.5 is a bug fix updateThere are always some kind of updates to apply to an operating system, even if they don't change anything for the user. That's the case for the latest visionOS release.Apple has released visionOS 26.5 with barebones release notes that only mention bug fixes and feature optimizations. The latest OS updates primarily focus on background changes that prepare the systems for future features. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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visionOS 26.5 bug fix update is here for Apple Vision Pro users
Apple's focus in the current release cycle is on backend work that doesn't affect Apple Vision Pro, but visionOS 26.5 has been released with bug fixes.visionOS 26.5 is a bug fix updateThere are always some kind of updates to apply to an operating system, even if they don't change anything for the user. That's the case for the latest visionOS release.Apple has released visionOS 26.5 with barebones release notes that only mention bug fixes and feature optimizations. The latest OS updates primarily focus on background changes that prepare the systems for future features. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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iOS 26.5 adds end-to-end encryption for RCS messaging, rolling out now
iOS 26.5 is now available to everyone after six weeks of beta testing. The update adds fresh wallpapers, new features to Apple Maps, and more. Perhaps most notably, iOS 26.5 adds support for end-to-end encryption for RCS messaging. Apple says the feature, which is still a beta, will roll out gradually over the coming months … more…

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Apple ships tvOS 26.5, primarily focused on behind-the-scenes fixes
You can now update your Apple TV and HomePod to tvOS 26.5, though you won't see any exciting new features.Apple's bento box for tvOS 26As is often the case with tvOS updates, the latest update, tvOS 26.5, is largely a stability and performance update. These updates are crucial to ensure your device is functioning properly.While tvOS 26.5 didn't bring anything to write home about, tvOS 26.4 was quite a bit more notable. In that update, Apple officially removed the iTunes Movies and iTunes TV Shows apps from tvOS 26.4. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple ships tvOS 26.5, primarily focused on behind-the-scenes fixes
You can now update your Apple TV and HomePod to tvOS 26.5, though you won't see any exciting new features.Apple's bento box for tvOS 26As is often the case with tvOS updates, the latest update, tvOS 26.5, is largely a stability and performance update. These updates are crucial to ensure your device is functioning properly.While tvOS 26.5 didn't bring anything to write home about, tvOS 26.4 was quite a bit more notable. In that update, Apple officially removed the iTunes Movies and iTunes TV Shows apps from tvOS 26.4. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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No signs of upgraded Apple Intelligence as iOS 26.5 arrives for all users
It appears that iOS 26.5 is laying the groundwork for a lot of backend changes like ads in Apple Maps and Apple Intelligence in China, but there are no indications of AI upgrades.iOS 26.5 has arrivedThe early release time for upgraded Apple Intelligence features powered by new Apple Foundation Models has come and gone. At this point, it seems Apple will wait until WWDC to debut any changes to Apple Intelligence.The iOS 26.5 release that has arrived does have a few changes, but nothing user-facing. It does lay the groundwork for several new features and upcoming upgrades. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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No signs of upgraded Apple Intelligence as iOS 26.5 arrives for all users
It appears that iOS 26.5 is laying the groundwork for a lot of backend changes like ads in Apple Maps and Apple Intelligence in China, but there are no indications of AI upgrades.iOS 26.5 has arrivedThe early release time for upgraded Apple Intelligence features powered by new Apple Foundation Models has come and gone. At this point, it seems Apple will wait until WWDC to debut any changes to Apple Intelligence.The iOS 26.5 release that has arrived does have a few changes, but nothing user-facing. It does lay the groundwork for several new features and upcoming upgrades. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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watchOS 26.5 available now for Apple Watch, here’s what’s new
Apple has just released watchOS 26.5, the latest software update for Apple Watch. Here’s what’s new in today’s update. more…

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Users get an iPadOS 26.5 update focused on services & subscriptions
Apple has released iPadOS 26.5 for supported iPads, adding Maps ads, new App Store subscription options, and system-level updates as part of a rollout that prioritizes services and developer infrastructure.iPad modelsiPadOS 26.5 is a late-cycle release that focuses on platform changes instead of new interface features. Most updates happen behind the scenes and leave day-to-day use largely unchanged.Apple Maps is the first to see immediate change in regular use, and signals where Apple is focusing its efforts for future operations. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Users get an iPadOS 26.5 update focused on services & subscriptions
Apple has released iPadOS 26.5 for supported iPads, adding Maps ads, new App Store subscription options, and system-level updates as part of a rollout that prioritizes services and developer infrastructure.iPad modelsiPadOS 26.5 is a late-cycle release that focuses on platform changes instead of new interface features. Most updates happen behind the scenes and leave day-to-day use largely unchanged.Apple Maps is the first to see immediate change in regular use, and signals where Apple is focusing its efforts for future operations. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple isn’t bringing Touch ID to Apple Watch, leaker insists
Macworld The rumored arrival of fingerprint recognition on the Apple Watch may have to wait, if a new report from a prolific leaker is accurate. In fact the leaker’s latest public comment strongly hints that it might never happen at all. In a post to Weibo on Monday, the leaker known as Instant Digital poured scorn on the theory that Touch ID will feature on the new Apple Watch models coming later this year: “The current rumors about adding biometric authentication to Apple Watch and other wearable devices are completely false,” they write (via Google Translate). “Apple’s current strategy is still to have users unlock their devices via their phones.” For full disclosure, those “current rumors” actually originated here on Macworld. Last August our eagle-eyed expert Felipe Esposito found that Apple developer code for what was evidently the 2026 Apple Watch models mentioned “AppleMesa,” an internal codename for Touch ID. That term does not appear in the code for any current or previous Apple Watches, and strongly suggested that Apple was looking into the possibility of adding fingerprint recognition to what is now its next generation of smartwatches. Instant Digital doesn’t dispute the presence of the telltale references in the code, but does offer a rationale for why Touch ID isn’t happening. The issue is that Apple doesn’t want to accept the compromises that the fingerprint sensor would require (whether it’s under the display or concealed in the Digital Crown), and would rather devote its resources to increasing the capacity of the battery and adding more advanced health sensors. “Integrating fingerprint sensors would only increase costs for now and directly reduce battery space, which is extremely uneconomical from a product planning perspective,” the leaker writes. Putting the two factors together, it seems plausible that Apple has explored the idea of Touch ID on the watch but has concluded that it doesn’t make sense. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time such a thing happened; Steve Jobs famously said that “Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things.” Of the other products referenced or hinted at in the code we looked at last August, only the new Studio Display has actually launched. There’s still no sign of either the 5G MacBook Pro or the M4 Ultra chip, while the Mac Pro, which the M4 Ultra was expected to appear in, has been discontinued. That doesn’t mean the products weren’t in development when we found those clues, nor does it mean they won’t appear in the future (with the exception of the Mac Pro). It just means Apple sometimes changes its mind, or delays or cancels projects which seemed promising at an early stage of development. So fingerprint recognition may have been pushed back to the 2027 Apple Watch refresh, or it may not be practical for it to happen at all. But it is also possible that Instant Digital is mistaken. The account posts a lot of leaks to social media but doesn’t have much of a track record to speak of, and doesn’t provide a source for this latest claim. To find out more about what we expect later this year, check out our 2026 Apple Watch preview.

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Apple releases tvOS 26.5, HomePod 26.5, and visionOS 26.5
Apple’s newest software updates have just been released, including tvOS 26.5, HomePod 26.5, and visionOS 26.5. Here’s what to expect. more…

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macOS 26.5 now available, here’s everything new
Apple is rolling out macOS 26.5 to all Macs compatible with macOS Tahoe. Here’s what’s new. more…

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