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Apple rolls out iOS 26.3 with new features, security fixes: How to update
Apple rolls out iOS 26.3 with new weather wallpapers, iPhone-to-Android transfer tool, proximity pairing in the EU, and key security patches. Check eligible iPhones and update steps
4 min read Last Updated : Feb 12 2026 | 10:53 AM IST
Apple has rolled out the iOS 26.3 update for supported iPhone models, introducing a range of new features and refinements across system apps and core experiences, along with security patches. The update adds improvements to the wallpaper gallery, a tool for transitioning from an iPhone to an Android device, a notification forwarding feature on third-party accessories, and more. Here’s a complete look at what the latest iOS update brings to iPhones:
Apple iOS 26.3 features: What’s new for iPhones
According to Apple’s official release notes, the iOS 26.3 update includes the following additions and changes:
Transfer from iPhone to Android: The updated iOS 26.3 adds support for a smoother iOS-to-Android switching experience. The feature lets users place their iPhone near an Android device to start the transfer. After the two devices are connected, users can select data such as photos, messages, notes, apps, passwords, contacts and more to move across. Health information, Bluetooth-connected devices and secure content such as locked notes are not carried over to the new device.
New weather wallpapers: Apple has updated the iPhone’s wallpaper gallery with a separate Weather section. Earlier combined under “Weather & Astronomy”, the two categories now appear as individual rows. The update brings three new weather-themed wallpapers, each supporting live updates that mirror real-time conditions based on the user’s current location, along with varied font styles and weather widgets.">small class="brtagPara"> ALSO READ: Elon Musk restructures xAI's teams following co-founders' departure
Limit precise location: Apple’s iPhones powered by its in-house modem — such as the iPhone 16e and iPhone Air — are getting a new “Limit precise location” feature with iOS 26.3. The option is designed to restrict the level of location data shared with mobile carriers, enhancing user privacy. It will be available only on supported networks, which currently include Boost Mobile in the US, Telekom in Germany, and EE and BT in the UK, among others.
Proximity pairing (EU only): Apple has added Europe-only changes for third-party wearables, which were shared by the European Commission. Devices such as headphones and smartwatches can use some of the same functionality available to AirPods and the Apple Watch going forward. Proximity pairing allows third-party devices to pair with an iOS device in an AirPods-like one-tap way by bringing an accessory close to an iPhone or an iPad.
Security updates: iOS 26.3 addresses dozens of security vulnerabilities, including one that had been actively exploited. As reported by MacRumors, Apple said a flaw in the dyld dynamic link editor could allow arbitrary code execution and may have been used in an “extremely sophisticated attack” on targeted individuals running versions before iOS 26. The update also patches issues in CoreAudio, Game Center, Messages and Photos, which could have led to app crashes, exposure of sensitive information, sandbox bypass, or unauthorised access to photos from the Lock Screen.
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