Apple is currently testing the beta version of iOS 26.1, which will be the first major update to the iOS 26. While it won't bring the new version of Siri we've been waiting for, it does include some useful new features and interface changes. We've rounded up all the features added to iOS 26.1 so far.
See also: United Airlines: Using iOS 26's new Wallet boarding passes
Alarm Clocks and Timers
Alarms and timers you set in the Clock now have a swipe snooze button instead of a tap snooze button on the Lock Screen. You can snooze an alarm with a tap, but to turn it off completely, you have to use a swipe gesture.
New Apple Intelligence Languages
Apple Intelligence is now available in Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese, Swedish, Turkish, Chinese, and Vietnamese.
AirPods Live Translation Languages
AirPods Live Translate works with additional languages in iOS 26.1, including Japanese, Korean, Italian, and Chinese (both Traditional and Simplified Mandarin).
Apple Music
You can drag the music player in Apple Music to change songs. Simply drag your finger over where the song title is written and it will skip to the next song or go back to the previous one.
Fitness App
You can create custom workouts in the Fitness app on iPhone. There are options to select the workout type, estimated Active Calories, effort, duration, and start time.
Settings app
Apple has changed the alignment of icons and text in the Settings app. All settings with headings that contain text now have that text aligned to the left instead of centered. It's a small change that makes a big visual difference.
Home Screen Folders
When you tap on a folder on the Home Screen, the folder name at the top is aligned to the left instead of centered, matching the changes made in the Settings app.
Phone
The Phone keyboard now uses Liquid Glass for numbers.
See also: Apple continues to prepare iOS 26.0.1 with multiple fixes
Photos
The slider for browsing videos in the Photos app has been updated. The navigation bar also has a slightly cooler look that makes it easier to see on light backgrounds. The interface for managing multiple photos you've selected has been slightly tweaked. The Play as Slideshow, Favorite , and Hide are now at the top of the menu.
Safari
The Tab Bar (Bottom) in Safari is wider with less padding around the edges. In Reduce Transparency, there is more padding so it no longer looks weird.
Background Security Improvements
The Privacy & Security of the Settings app now has a toggle to automatically download and install security improvements. It's a revamp of the previous Rapid Security Responses.
Display Settings
The Display section of the Settings app now has an iOS 26.1-themed wallpaper instead of an iOS 18 wallpaper.
Liquid Glass
The light refraction effect around apps is now more subtle with darker icon colors and background colors.
Wallpaper
When you set a wallpaper on the Lock Screen, instructions like Tap to Crop appear momentarily and then disappear, instead of appearing continuously.
Screen Accessibility
In the Display and Text Size section of Accessibility settings , there is a new “ Screen Borders ” toggle. It adds a border to all buttons and replaces the previous “ Button Shapes ” setting.
See also: iOS 26: How to filter messages from unknown senders
Bonus: iPadOS 26.1
Many of the above changes are also present in iPadOS 26.1, and iPadOS 26.1 also makes some changes to multitasking.
