(Credit: Eric Zeman)
If you've made the leap to iOS 26 or are looking for a reason to upgrade, Apple just released iOS 26.3 with a few perks you might want to check out.
Other Apple devices, such as the Mac, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and the Vision Pro headset, also get the update, but they're mostly limited to bug fixes and security improvements.
If Liquid Glass is driving you nuts, iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3 add a tool that lets you easily transfer your content to an Android device. It’s called Transfer to Android, and you’ll find it within the Settings app. It lets you place your iPhone or iPad next to a new Android to wirelessly move apps, photos, messages, and more. Not everything will transfer over, including health data and previously connected accessories. However, this new feature makes switching to a different operating system much easier than before.
If you plan to stick with iPhone, Apple has changed its wallpaper categories, splitting them into Astronomy and Weather sections. The Weather section now offers multiple new options, including more widget layouts and font choices, to better customize your lock screen.
Select iPhones also receive a new feature called Limit Precise Location, which gives you greater control over what information you share with your cellular network. The idea is you can give a broader location rather than an exact address, without losing benefits like emergency responders being able to find your location.
The feature launches first on the iPhone Air, iPhone 16e, and the cellular version of the iPad Pro M5. It's not on other modern Apple devices, as they need an Apple C1 or C1X modem to work. Compatibility is even more limited than that, as each carrier must adapt to support the feature. So far, none of the big three have confirmed plans to support it, just Boost Mobile.
You’ll need an iPhone 11 or later to run iOS 26.3. Head to Settings > General > Software Update and find the latest version.
Those in the European Union were expecting access to two new features: Notification Forwarding to help your device work with third-party wearables, and Proximity Pairing to help them connect quicker. That’s not in the final update, so Apple may wait until iOS 26.4. It's highly unlikely Apple will bring those features to the US, as they're required only in Europe.
A change spotted in an iOS 26.3 beta, meanwhile, hinted toward support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging between iPhone and Android. So far, there's no clear evidence of the feature being active in iOS 26.3, suggesting Apple may be holding it back for iOS 26.4. Apple confirmed in March 2025 that the feature is in development and will be available in a future update, after which carriers will have to adopt it.
The brand also rolled out new updates across its other products, including macOS 26.3, watchOS 26.3, tvOS 26.3, and visionOS 26.3. So far, there don’t appear to be any new features across these updates, though each promises performance and stability improvements.