How to Stop iPhone From Auto-Updating to iOS 26
Some years ago, Apple introduced a default setting on iPhone and iPad that automatically installs system software updates, including major updates like iOS 26 and iPadOS 26. If you do not want your iPhone or iPad to automatically update to iOS 26, you can make a settings adjustment to make sure that does not happen.
Whether you are sitting on the sidelines for compatibility reasons, aren’t yet interested in the update, or perhaps you have not yet prepared for iOS 26, you might have an interest in preventing your iPhone or iPad from updating to iOS 26 automatically, which usually happens overnight.
How to Prevent iOS 26 From Automatically Updating & Installing on iPhone & iPad
You can prevent the automatic installation of iOS 26 on iPhone and iPadOS 26 on iPad with the following settings adjustment:
- Open the ‘Settings’ app on iPhone or iPad and go to “General”
- Go to “Software Update” and then tap on ‘Automatic Updates’
- Toggle the switch for “iOS Updates” to the OFF position under ‘Automatically Install’ (optionally, toggle the other auto-updates and auto-download iOS Updates to OFF too)
This will prevent iPhone from automatically installing the iOS 26 update on your device.
The exact same trick works to stop auto-updating to iPadOS 26 on iPad, but it’ll be labeled as ‘iPadOS Updates’ instead.
Toggling these settings simply means your iPhone or iPad will not automatically install the iOS 26 software update, which usually happens overnight while an iPhone or iPad is plugged in and charging. If you do not want to wake up to an iPhone or iPad with a totally new operating system on it, complete witht he Liquid Glass interface and all the new changes and features, this is the best way to avoid that.
You will be able to install iOS 26 on your own at any time if you choose to, but with this setting enabled you’ll have to do so manually.
If you only turn off the automatic installation of updates, the iOS 26 update may still download to your device, unless you turn that off too as mentioned above as optional in step three.
Some users are thrilled with new updates and install them right away, but not everyone is like that. There are many reasons why users may want to hold off on the iOS 26 update for iPhone or iPadOS 26 update for iPad. Perhaps you wait until later releases, or maybe you have an app compatibility issue, or maybe you don’t like the shinier Liquid Glass interface, maybe you’re just more cautious about installing major udpates, or any number of other reasons why you might want to avoid a software update. There’s no hurry to jump in, and the updates will always be available to you later if you change your mind. And similarly, you can always toggle that setting back on again at any point, if you’d like your device to update itself again.
