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Which devices are compatible with iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and more?

Tom Rolfe

Apple’s 2026 software updates include iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27 Golden Gate, and watchOS 27.

But which devices are capable of running these updates? Apple typically supports devices with the latest software for 5+ years, but inevitably some models drop off the compatibility list. Here’s a cheat sheet to which kit works with the latest updates.

iOS 27

Good news for iPhone owners: every iPhone that could run iOS 26 can run iOS 27, going all the way back to the iPhone 11 and iPhone SE (2nd generation). No models have been dropped this year.

That said, not every feature is available on every model. Siri AI and most Apple Intelligence features need an iPhone 15 Pro or later, and a handful of the most advanced features are limited to the very newest iPhones.

Here’s the full list of iPhones compatible with iOS 27. We’ve put a lightning bolt next to the AI-ready models.

iPadOS 27

iPad owners aren’t so lucky. Five models have been cut this year: the iPad mini (5th generation), iPad (8th generation), iPad Air (3rd generation), iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation), and iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation). If you own one of those, you’ll be staying on iPadOS 26. Everything listed below is compatible with iPadOS 27.

Again, we’ve marked the models that work with Apple Intelligence with a lightning bolt.

macOS 27 Golden Gate

This is the big one for Mac owners: macOS 27 is the first version to drop Intel Macs entirely. You’ll need a Mac with Apple silicon (M1 or later) to run it – and the upside is that every compatible Mac is also AI-ready. If you’re not sure which Mac you have, see Apple’s identification guide.

watchOS 27

Apple Watch owners face the biggest cull of all. The Apple Watch SE (2nd generation), Series 6, Series 7, Series 8, and the original Apple Watch Ultra have all dropped off the list. Here’s what still makes the cut:

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