Apple has released its latest iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 adoption statistics, revealing that 66% of all iPhones are now running the newest software version. The data, collected from devices that transacted on the App Store on February 12, 2026, shows that 74% of iPhones released in the last four years have upgraded to iOS 26.

Comparing these figures to iOS 18's adoption rate reveals an interesting trend. When measured at similar points after release—around 150 days for iOS 26 versus 127 days for iOS 18—the newer operating system shows slightly slower adoption. This is particularly notable given that iOS 26 had approximately three additional weeks of availability compared to its predecessor.

The adoption gap appears to be influenced by user hesitation regarding the new Liquid Glass design introduced in iOS 26. While 57% of all iPads have upgraded to iPadOS 26, this figure is technically higher than iPadOS 18's adoption rate, though it too benefited from the extended availability period. Apple's decision to lock down downgrades may also be contributing to the slower-than-expected adoption rates.