Have you not installed iOS 26 yet? Then you are not alone, because iOS 26 is less popular than iOS 18. That’s because of this change!
iOS 26 less popular
In 2025, iOS 26 was the biggest iPhone update in years. Apple introduced many features and a new interface with Liquid Glass. However, this does not appear to be a reason for all users to immediately install iOS 26, because the update is less popular than iOS 18. Every year, Apple shares an overview showing which versions of the operating system most iPhones run on. This is the overview of 2026:
| Device | iOS 18 (21-1-2025) | iOS 26 (12-2-2026) |
|---|---|---|
| iPhones from the past 4 years | 76 percent | 74 percent |
| Total number of iPhones | 68 percent | 66 percent |
| iPads from the past 4 years | 63 percent | 66 percent |
| Total number of iPads | 53 percent | 57 percent |
Apple makes a distinction in the statistics between the iPhones released in the past four years and the total number of iPhones. The percentage is usually higher for newer iPhones, because they are already updated to iOS 26 in the store. The data shows that iOS 26 is less popular than iOS 18. A total of 66 percent of iPhones now run on iOS 26, while this was already 68 percent with iOS 18 a year ago. The difference for newer iPhones is also two percent.
iOS 18 vs iOS 26
The differences between iOS 18 and iOS 26 are striking. A difference of two percent may not sound like much, but in practice it equates to a large number of iPhones. Apple also did not share the figures in the same period as 2025. The company published the statistics in 2025 on January 21, in 2026 they did not appear until February 12. That means by 2025, more iPhones had already been updated to iOS 18 at an earlier time.
The statistics were published three weeks later this year, but iOS 26 is still less popular compared to iOS 18 in 2025. The opposite applies to iPadOS 26, because that update is actually more popular than iPadOS 18. More iPads were updated to iPadOS 26 in 2026, compared to iPadOS 18 in 2025. This applies to both the recent iPads (66 percent) and the total number of iPads (57 percent).
Problems in iOS 26
It was already clear that iOS 26 was less popular than iOS 18, but Apple’s own statistics now confirm this. Many users postpone the update to iOS 26 because it is a very major software update. Major changes often also mean more problems, which Apple usually has to solve in the first software versions. It is therefore wise to wait for a later (and improved) software update.
Is that why you haven’t updated to iOS 26 yet? In that case we have good news, because most software errors have now been resolved. While Apple had problems with the readability of Liquid Glass shortly after its release, the interface works properly again in the latest software version. Apple has also made the new functions more efficient, so that iOS 26 has little or no negative effect on your iPhone’s battery. Many users had problems with the battery life of their iPhone after installing iOS 26, but that has been resolved.
Are you curious about the new design and all the functions of iOS 26? Then it is advisable to install iOS 26.3, which was released on Wednesday, February 11, 2026. Don’t want to miss an update from Apple? Then sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter!
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