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iOS 26.5.1 could launch soon as next iPhone update

Avatar for Ryan Christoffel  | May 22 2026 - 10:15 am PT
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It’s almost WWDC time, where iOS 27 will be revealed. But visitor logs to 9to5Mac indicate a smaller new iPhone update could debut first: iOS 26.5.1 is coming.

Apple testing iOS 26.5.1 for potential release soon

Apple released iOS 26.5 to all users just last week. But ahead of WWDC’s iOS 27 unveiling, it appears Apple has one more new update coming.

iOS 26.5.1 is currently being tested within Apple, as confirmed by 9to5Mac visitor logs.

Historically, after we first discover evidence of a minor update like this being tested, Apple ships the new software to all users not long after.

That means iOS 26.5.1 might ship as early as next week.

Monday is a holiday in the US—Memorial Day—so that date is likely ruled out. But we could see the new update arrive any time later in the week, or possibly early the following week.

Minor point updates like this tend to only include bug fixes and/or security updates. Sometimes they add compatibility with new hardware products too.

For example, iOS 26.3.1 expanded external display support to the new Studio Display and Studio Display XDR. iOS 26.2.1, meanwhile, provided support for AirTag 2.

If Apple has any surprise hardware launching at WWDC, perhaps iOS 26.5.1 will add support for it. More likely though, we’re just getting the typical bug fixes and security improvements this time around.

How has iOS 26.5 been running for you? Let us know in the comments.

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Author

Avatar for Ryan Christoffel Ryan Christoffel

Ryan got his start in journalism as an Editor at MacStories, where he worked for four years covering Apple news, writing app reviews, and more. For two years he co-hosted the Adapt podcast on Relay FM, which focused entirely on the iPad. As a result, it should come as no surprise that his favorite Apple device is the iPad Pro.