Should you upgrade to iOS 26? Apple is now pushing iOS 18 users to upgrade, but many are hesitating for these 3 reasons

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Should you upgrade to iOS 26? Apple is now pushing iOS 18 users to upgrade, but many are hesitating for these 3 reasons News By Alex Blake published 3 December 2025

Is the upgrade worth it?

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• Apple has started encouraging iOS 18 users to upgrade to iOS 26
• Many people are reluctant for a wide range of reasons
• Fortunately, most of these issues are temporary or can be fixed

It’s usually a good idea to upgrade your iPhone to the newest operating system version, as that way you’ll get all the latest features and security patches as they become available. Apple is trying to get iOS 18 users to do just that and update their devices to iOS 26, but some holdouts are wary for a few key reasons.

People first started noticing the new upgrade message from Apple over the last day or so. Found in the Settings app, Apple’s memo recommends iOS 26 for the new features it brings, including the Liquid Glass redesign, Apple Intelligence, the Call Screening feature in the Phone app, and more.

If you’re an iOS 18 user, the iOS 26 notice now sits at the top of the Software Update page, with iOS 18 updates (if they’re available) located below. That’s a change to the previous order, where iOS 26 was positioned below iOS 18 in the list of updates, and it suggests that Apple is trying to push users towards iOS 26 even harder.

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Yet not everyone is keen on iOS 26, and we’re seeing a couple of main reasons being given.

Why some users are reluctant to upgrade

(Image credit: Apple)

Apple’s decision to advertise iOS 26 more prominently suggests that plenty of users have declined to upgrade so far. Checking social media, one of the most notable complaints concerns battery life in iOS 26, which many people have said feels worse than in iOS 18.

Lack of storage is another motivation, as downloading and installing a new version of iOS requires plenty of space on your iPhone. For iOS 26, the storage requirments can come in at anywhere between 5GB to 15GB. If you don’t have enough available, you’ll either need to have a clear-out, or stick with iOS 18 until you do.

And there’s another issue that many people have cited as a reason to skip iOS 26: Liquid Glass. Apple’s glassy interface overhaul has divided Apple fans, with scores complaining about its legibility problems and design flourishes. In iOS 26, Liquid Glass is front and center, making it hard to escape (but not impossible) if you’re not fond of the new look.

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Should you upgrade?

(Image credit: Apple)

While many of these complaints are valid, it’s important to note that they won’t affect everyone in the same way. The Liquid Glass complaints have been loud and clear, but not everyone hates the redesign, with many people proclaiming their fondness for iOS’s new direction.

As well as that, many of the battery issues involved in updating your iPhone are temporary (and have been present for years, not just in iOS 26). When you upgrade your iPhone, the new operating system needs to index all your files. That requires extra work from the Apple silicon chip, which in turn drains your battery faster. Once indexing is complete, your battery usage should return to normal in the majority of cases. But if you’re still having problems, there are other tips you can try.

Storage space, meanwhile, can be freed up in a number of ways, whether that’s deleting large apps you no longer use or offloading files to one of the best cloud storage services. Apple also suggests that you can update iOS by connecting your iPhone to a Mac using a cable if you need more space for an update.

If you’re still using iOS 18, you might want to consider upgrading to iOS 26 to keep your iPhone up to date and securely patched against vulnerabilities. There’s no doubt that iOS 26 has garnered its fair share of criticism, but its quirks – temporary as many of them are – are worth what you get in return.

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Alex Blake has been fooling around with computers since the early 1990s, and since that time he's learned a thing or two about tech. No more than two things, though. That's all his brain can hold. As well as TechRadar, Alex writes for iMore, Digital Trends and Creative Bloq, among others. He was previously commissioning editor at MacFormat magazine. That means he mostly covers the world of Apple and its latest products, but also Windows, computer peripherals, mobile apps, and much more beyond. When not writing, you can find him hiking the English countryside and gaming on his PC.

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