iOS 16 release date: when is Apple update out - features explained, how to download and compatible iPhones

Apple fans and iPhone users don’t have long to wait until the newest software update, iOS 16, is made available to download for free.

According to Apple, the iOS update is focused on personalising the iPhone experience and introducing new options to change how the phone looks and performs.

Here is everything you need to know about it.

What’s new?

These are just some of the key features and enhancements that you can look forward to when iOS 16 finally drops.

Lock screen

The new update will offer a number of changes to the way that you interact with your lock screen, including being able to customise the font, colour and placement of elements on the lockscreen, a stylised date and time and multilayered photo effects.

You’ll also be able to switch your lock screen throughout the day by touching it, holding it and swiping.

Notifications, including your notification summary, will roll in from the bottom of your lock screen, and a new notification design boasts bolder text and images.

Messages

Ever sent a message and wished you could quickly just edit it? Or, even better, unsend it? Well your prayers have been answered - you’ll be able to edit or unsend a message for up to 15 minutes after sending it.

You’ll also be able to mark messages as unread, recover recently deleted messages for up to 30 days after deleting them and share synchronised activities over iMessage, like movies, music, workouts, games and more.

Privacy

The new iOS 16 update will introduce a new section of your settings called Safety Check, which is designed to help people in domestic or intimate partner violence situations quickly reset the access they’ve granted to others. It also helps you manage which people and apps you’ve given access to.

Apps will also need your permission before accessing the pasteboard to paste content from another app, and the Hidden and Recently Deleted albums are locked by default.

They can be unlocked using your iPhone authentication method, whether that’s using Face ID, Touch ID or a passcode.

Photos

You’ll be able to copy the edits you make to a photo and paste them onto another photo, or batch of photos. You’ll also be able to undo and redo multiple edit steps in your photos as well.

Photos will be able to identify duplicate photos in Albums > Utilities, so you can quickly clean up your library. You’ll be able to sort your People album alphabetically.

Other updates

Other new features and updates also include:

• Focus schedules: have Focus turn on automatically at a set time or location, or while using a certain app
• Shared Tab Groups: share a set of tabs with friends in Safari - everyone can add their own tabs and see the Tab Group update instantly as you work together
• Passkeys: Passkeys replace passwords with an easier and safer sign‑in method
• Live Text in videos: text is completely interactive in paused video frames, so you can use functions like copy and paste, look up and translate. Live Text works in Photos, Quick Look, Safari and more
• All-new Dictation experience: while dictating on-device, you can move fluidly between voice and touch. Type with the keyboard, tap in the text field, move the cursor and insert QuickType suggestions, all without needing to stop Dictation
• Multi-stop routing: add multiple stops along your driving route in Maps. Plan a route with multiple stops on your Mac and it syncs to your iPhone
• Track your medications: create a medications list to keep track of the medications, vitamins and supplements you take. And add custom visuals to make them easy to remember
• Lift subject from background: lift the subject from an image or isolate the subject by removing the background. This works in Photos, Screenshot, Quick Look, Safari and more

What devices will iOS 16 be compatible with?

The new features will be available on many older iPhones, but with iOS 16, Apple has discontinued support for the iPhone 6s/6s Plus, iPhone SE (first generation), and iPhone 7/7 Plus.

As well as the newly announced iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 pro and 14 Pro Max, these are the compatible devices the new software update will be available on:

• iPhone 8 and 8 Plus
• iPhone X
• iPhone XR
• iPhone XS and XS Max
• iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max
• iPhone SE (2nd generation)
• All iPhone 12 models
• iPhone 13 models
• iPhone SE (3rd generation)

When will iOS 16 be released?

Users will be able to download iOS 16 on Monday 12 September.

To update your device to the latest version of iOS, all you need to do is head to your settings and then go into general.

From there, select “software update” and, if an update is available, it will give you the option to go ahead with the update.

You can have your phone automatically update by going into the “automatic updates” section within the software update settings and turning on the automatic updates.

With automatic updates turned on, when an update is available, your phone will download and install it overnight whilst charging and connected to Wi-Fi.