iOS 27 Launches Today: Here’s What iPhone Users Can Expect

Apple is releasing iOS 27 today, bringing its long-awaited Siri overhaul, performance improvements and another round of refinements to Liquid Glass. The update should be available around 1 PM ET/10 AM PT.

Once iOS 27 is available, users can check for it on their iPhone under ‘Settings’, then ‘General ‘, and ‘Software Update’. Once you find the option, install the update to access the new version of Apple’s operating system.

To many people’s surprise, Apple isn’t dropping support for any additional iPhones this year. iOS 27 works with the iPhone 11 series and newer, along with the second-generation iPhone SE and later. However, some of its biggest additions require an iPhone that can run Apple Intelligence. The biggest feature of iOS 27 is the arrival of Siri AI, Apple’s significantly more capable version of its digital assistant. Available on iPhone 15 Pro and newer, Siri can draw upon personal information, understand what’s happening onscreen and perform actions across supported apps. There’s now a dedicated Siri app, and users can still access the assistant by holding the iPhone’s side button.

Apple Intelligence also expands elsewhere. Photos gains AI-powered Extend and Reframe tools, Image Playground can create photorealistic images and Shortcuts can build automations from natural-language descriptions. The Liquid Glass interface introduced with iOS 26 isn’t disappearing, but Apple has refined it. iOS 27 improves contrast and adds a slider for adjusting how clear or tinted the interface appears.

iOS 27 also introduces iPhone Handoff, which lets users transfer an active cellular call from their iPhone to another nearby device without ending the conversation. The feature is designed to make moving between Apple devices more seamless, particularly when a call starts on an iPhone but would be more convenient elsewhere. Availability will depend on carrier support, however, and Apple hasn’t announced which Canadian carriers will support iPhone Handoff at launch. That means Canadian users may not have access right away, even after installing iOS 27.

Performance is another major focus. Apple claims app launches can be up to 30 percent faster, Photos can load new images up to 70 percent faster, and AirDrop transfers can be up to 80 percent faster.

Find My also gets more flexible location-sharing controls, including custom expiration times and the ability to temporarily pause sharing with individual contacts. Meanwhile, CarPlay is gaining support for video apps in compatible vehicles, although playback is restricted to when the vehicle is parked.

Not everything Apple previewed is ready today. Apple has delayed Messages’ contextual suggestions and its feature for automatically fixing compromised passwords until a later iOS 27 update. As always, backing up your iPhone before installing a major update is worthwhile. And if you’re in no rush, waiting a day can avoid the usual launch-day server congestion.

iOS 27 arrives just days after Apple unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro lineup and iPhone Duo, with the latter launching October 23.