Apple is releasing an iOS 18 update for iPhone 11 through iPhone 16, plus iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR, to counter the DarkSword exploit affecting devices that have not moved to iOS 26.
The move follows months of limited iOS 18 support for newer phones and comes as some users have declined iOS 26 upgrades because of the new Liquid Glass design, reducing uptake among cautious owners.
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Wired reported that “Apple is responding to the spread of a hacking tool by pushing out patches for older versions of iOS—and in the latest case, even for phones that have the capability to upgrade to its most recent version,” and an Apple spokesperson told Wired, “Tomorrow we are enabling the availability of an iOS 18 update for more devices so users with auto-update enabled can automatically receive important security protections.” The spokesperson added, “We encourage all users with supported devices to update to iOS 26 to receive our most advanced protections.”
Apple said users can either install the new iOS 18 release or upgrade to iOS 26. The company unusually announced the patch in advance, reflecting the seriousness it attaches to the exploit. The update rollout is expected at around 10 a.m. Pacific, 1 p.m. Eastern and 6 p.m. U.K. time.
The recap
- Apple issues iOS 18 security update for iPhone 11 and later
- Also covers iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR models
- Rollout expected at 10 a.m. Pacific, 1 p.m. Eastern, 6 p.m. U.K.
