Apple has officially scheduled the public release of iOS 27 for Monday, September 14, 2026. The update rolls out globally as a free over-the-air installation starting typically at 10:00 AM PT / 1:00 PM ET.
The headline takeaway for users this year is hardware retention: Apple has maintained the same compatibility floor introduced with iOS 26. No devices were dropped from the upgrade cycle, meaning any device capable of running iOS 26 can install iOS 27. However, the software experience is separated into functional hardware tiers based on RAM and Neural Engine capabilities.
Official iOS 27 Compatibility List
To install iOS 27, your device must be an iPhone 11 or later, or a 2nd-generation iPhone SE or newer:
- iPhone 18 Series: iPhone 18, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iPhone Duo (ships with iOS 27 pre-installed)
- iPhone 17 Series: iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone 17e
- iPhone 16 Series: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 16e
- iPhone 15 Series: iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 14 Series: iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 13 Series: iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 12 Series: iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 11 Series: iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone SE: iPhone SE (2nd generation, 2020) and iPhone SE (3rd generation, 2022)
Unsupported Models
The following devices cannot run iOS 27 and remain capped at their final supported releases:
- iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max
- iPhone XR
- iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus
- iPhone SE (1st generation, 2016)
- All earlier iPhone generations
The Hardware Divide: Apple Intelligence & Siri AI
While the core OS installs across all supported hardware, system features are divided into three distinct operational tiers:
| Feature Tier | Hardware Requirement | Supported Devices | Available Capabilities |
| Tier 1: Full Siri AI & Next-Gen Intelligence | 12GB RAM + A19 Pro / A20 Pro | iPhone 18 Pro/Max, iPhone Duo, iPhone 17 Pro/Max, iPhone Air | Real-time cross-app context engines, on-device complex LLM pipelines, generative photo composition |
| Tier 2: Standard Apple Intelligence | 8GB RAM + A17 Pro / A18 | iPhone 16 series, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 17 base models | System-wide writing tools, standard Siri AI actions, visual cleanup, audio transcription |
| Tier 3: Core iOS 27 | Less than 8GB RAM | iPhone 15 base, iPhone 14 series, iPhone 13, 12, 11 series, iPhone SE (2nd/3rd gen) | Performance updates, revamped system apps, battery management, core security protections |
How to Prepare and Install the Update
- Perform a Full Backup: Navigate to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup and tap Back Up Now, or plug your device into a Mac/PC for a local encrypted archive.
- Clear Storage: iOS 27 requires roughly 12 GB to 15 GB of free temporary space for the installation package to unpack safely. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and offload unused apps or media if space is tight.
- Download and Install: On or after September 14 at 10:00 AM PT, open Settings > General > Software Update. When iOS 27 appears, select Download and Install while connected to Wi-Fi and power.