iOS 26.5.1 is out now, and it’s an unusual one in that it’s only available for a few specific devices. If you have anything from the iPhone 17 range or an iPhone Air, you’ll see it pop up in the software updates section of Settings. If you’re on an older iPhone or an iPad, it’s business as usual. Nothing to see here, not even the usual security fixes we see with these smaller updates.
Charging issues
The single problem Apple is targeting with this release is one that affects charging your iPhone when it’s almost out of juice.
Apple says “this update addresses an issue for a small number of users that may prevent wired charging on iPhone Air and iPhone 17 models when the battery is nearly drained.”
That’s quite a big deal, as you don’t want to be stuck with a $1000 brick that won’t charge. So although it sounds like it hasn’t affected a large number of people, if you have one of the affected devices it’s probably worth grabbing that update sooner rather than later.
Recent updates
Last month’s iOS 26.5 update brought some more noticeable changes, with a new customizable Pride wallpaper, suggestions (and ads) in Maps, and improved green bubble texting with your Android friends. If you’ve fallen behind on updates, now’s a good time to catch up on all and get the latest protections in place to boot.
How to update
To install the update, open Settings > General > Software Update and follow the prompts to download and restart your iPhone. If you have automatic updates enabled, it may update on its own when the conditions are right – but it’s quicker to trigger the update yourself.