Apple releases iOS 27 with Siri AI overhaul

TL;DR: Apple released iOS 27 on Sept. 14, 2026, with Siri AI in English-only beta and expanded device updates across iPad, Watch, Vision Pro and Mac.

Apple on Monday released iOS 27, the new iPhone operating system built around Siri AI, the delayed overhaul of its assistant, according to CNBC.

The release arrived alongside iPadOS 27, watchOS 27 and visionOS 27, according to The Verge. Engadget reported that the public version of macOS 27, also called macOS Golden Gate, was also starting to reach devices the same day.

Siri AI is available as a beta for English-only devices, with support for French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish coming in October, according to The Verge. CNBC reported that users have to opt in through the Settings app and may have to join a waitlist before getting access.

Siri AI arrives as beta with waitlist

Apple described Siri AI as a more capable and conversational version of Siri that helps users find information and complete tasks using personal context understanding, app actions, onscreen awareness and access to broad world knowledge, according to MacRumors.

Users may need to sign up to use Siri AI after updating in the Settings app under the Siri section, according to MacRumors. CNBC reported that the opt-in is in the Settings app and that access may require adding a name to a waitlist.

The assistant draws on local personal data including texts, emails and calendar appointments to answer requests, according to CNBC. As examples, CNBC reported it can search through messages to find addresses, recipes and instructions, and it can also answer general questions and search the web.

Unlike older versions, users can reply to the assistant's replies, making the software feel more conversational, according to CNBC. A dedicated Siri app provides a way to revisit an existing conversation or start a new one and privately syncs conversations across Apple products with iCloud, according to MacRumors.

Siri mode in Camera integrates Visual Intelligence into the Camera app, letting users ask questions and take action with what is in front of them, like splitting a bill or looking up nutritional information for a plate of food, according to MacRumors. 9to5Mac reported that Siri mode brings Visual Intelligence into the viewfinder so users can ask about things around them.

Write with Siri enables users to generate a draft from scratch, edit written text or get feedback virtually anywhere typing is possible, according to MacRumors. In Messages and Mail, Siri personalizes writing style based on relationships and uses unique phrases and punctuation previously used in conversations with those people, according to MacRumors.

New voices, personal context and onscreen awareness

A new voice experience offers more expressive and natural-sounding voices and lets users customize expressivity and pace using on-device models on iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro models and later, according to MacRumors.

9to5Mac reported that the new Siri can use personal context to find information across messages, emails, photos and other content. It also understands onscreen information and supports more actions across apps, allowing follow-up questions or help with what is being viewed, according to 9to5Mac.

Apple first revealed the Siri AI assistant in June, according to CNBC. A version of the AI-powered Siri announced in 2024 was delayed last year, according to CNBC.

At the company's iPhone launch event last week, Apple CEO John Ternus said, "It's personal intelligence that's actually personal," according to CNBC. CNBC reported that the event was his first since succeeding Tim Cook on Sept. 1, and that he said the "iPhone sits at the center of an amazing ecosystem of intelligent features and experiences that work seamlessly across the products you use every day."

How Apple runs Siri AI

Compared with frontier AI from companies such as OpenAI, Anthropic and Google, Apple uses smaller models it develops that can often run on chips in its phones and laptops, according to CNBC.

For more complicated Siri AI queries, Apple has Private Cloud Compute that uses Google Cloud infrastructure with Nvidia and Intel chips, according to CNBC. Apple is also using Google's Gemini to build its own models, according to CNBC.

Apple said that some Siri AI and Apple Intelligence features that use its cloud servers will be subject to daily usage limits, and that expanded limits will "be available for a fee in the future," according to CNBC. "Daily limits may vary by feature, request complexity, system demand, system policies, and other factors," Apple said, according to CNBC.

MacRumors reported there are no fees for Siri AI and other Apple Intelligence features yet, but Apple may start charging for higher usage in the future.

Engadget reported that the company notes usage limits may apply to the new Siri app and related features. Siri AI — and features that rely on it across iOS, iPadOS and watchOS — will not be available in the European Union at the outset, according to Engadget. Apple says it is "working hard to find a path forward that preserves its users' privacy and security," according to Engadget. The assistant is also on hold in China, where Apple says it is navigating regulatory requirements, according to Engadget. CNBC reported Siri AI will not initially be available in the EU or China because of regulatory reasons.

Which iPhones get iOS 27 and which get Siri AI

The iOS 27 update is available for iPhone 11 and iPhone SE (2nd gen) and later devices, according to The Verge. MacRumors reported iOS 27 can be installed on all iPhones that run iOS 26, which includes the iPhone SE 2 and the iPhone 11 series and later.

Engadget reported users can install iOS 27 on iPhone 11 series and newer devices, as well as a second- or third-generation iPhone SE.

Siri AI and Apple Intelligence features require more recent hardware. To use the new AI features, users need an iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence, which includes the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, all iPhone 16 models, all iPhone 17 models and all iPhone 18 models, according to MacRumors. 9to5Mac reported that iPhone Air and iPhone Duo also support Siri AI.

For iPad, Apple Intelligence is available on M-series devices and the A17 Pro iPad mini, according to MacRumors.

The software is available for free and can be downloaded over the air by going to Settings > General > Software Update, according to MacRumors. It can take several minutes for updates to propagate to all users because of high demand on launch day, according to MacRumors. 9to5Mac reported users may need to swipe down on the page to reveal the iOS 27 update option and advised backing up with iCloud or a computer before installing.

The iOS 27 update arrives just in time for the iPhone 18 Pro release, according to The Verge. Engadget reported the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max arrive this week. Apple is positioning the forthcoming iPhone 18 models as ideal for artificial intelligence because of their speedy chips and personal data such as calendars and texts stored on them, according to CNBC.

Liquid Glass, Photos, Safari and system changes

Apple is adding a new Liquid Glass opacity slider that lets users pick between a clearer interface or a more frosty one, according to The Verge. 9to5Mac reported the slider in Settings adjusts Liquid Glass from clear to fully tinted. Apple also refined app icons and system appearance, while Engadget reported the design language is being made more customizable and readable.

Built-in apps are getting new icon designs with subtle tweaks to colors, as well as extra large widgets and different volume settings for ringtones, alarms, timers and alerts and system sounds, according to The Verge. 9to5Mac reported users can set independent volume levels for alarms and timers.

Apple reported faster app launches, quicker loading of newly captured photos and faster AirDrop transfers in its testing, according to 9to5Mac. Engadget reported performance improvements make app launches up to 30 percent faster. Search improvements aim to make results more useful in Spotlight, Photos and Mail, according to 9to5Mac.

In Photos, Spatial Reframing lets users adjust composition after capture by virtually changing camera position, according to MacRumors. The Extend tool expands images beyond edges with realistic infill for straightening horizons, changing aspect ratios or adding space around a subject, according to MacRumors. Clean Up supports removing larger objects with more realistic results, with a choice between Fast mode for small blemishes or High Quality for more intricate edits, according to MacRumors.

In Safari, Organize by Topic uses Apple Intelligence to sort tabs by analyzing webpages and automatically grouping similar tabs, according to MacRumors. Notify Me can periodically check a webpage for updates like price changes and item availability, according to MacRumors. 9to5Mac reported Notify Me can monitor a webpage for changes such as a price drop or an item returning to stock. Describe an Extension lets users create a custom extension using natural language to adjust view of website content or formatting, according to MacRumors.

Other additions include an all-new Image Playground using a new generative model for images in styles including photorealistic, with Lock Screen wallpaper and Contact Poster generation, and Describe a Shortcut for creating shortcuts with natural language, according to MacRumors.

iPad, Watch and Vision Pro updates

iPadOS 27 is available for iPad Pro (4th generation and later, M1 and later), iPad Air (4th generation and later, M2 and later), iPad mini (6th generation, A17 Pro) and base iPad (9th generation and later, A16), according to The Verge. MacRumors listed compatibility as 2nd-generation and later iPad Pro, 4th-generation and later iPad Air, 6th-generation and later iPad mini and the A16 iPad.

Apple improved file transfer speeds to external drives on iPad, sped up browsing on iPad and added smoother connectivity moving between Wi-Fi and mobile data on iPads, according to The Verge.

watchOS 27 is available for Apple Watch SE 3, Apple Watch Series 9 and above and Apple Watch Ultra 2 and above, according to The Verge. It adds Workout Buddy features, a new tap gesture, Liquid Glass refinements, new Smart Stack suggestions and an improved Find My app, according to The Verge.

Vision Pro users get the Siri AI overhaul as part of visionOS 27, plus the ability to preview notifications by using eyes, Control Center interface updates, Wi-Fi connectivity improvements and support for using photographed panoramas as immersive scenes and environments, according to The Verge.

Additional iOS 27 additions include AirPods Custom EQ, expanded parental controls with Ask to Browse website approval, app schedules and daily time allowances, Communication Safety updates extending protections to images and videos containing gore or violence, Call Context in Phone for surfacing reservation numbers during supported business calls, and accessibility improvements to VoiceOver, Magnifier, Accessibility Reader and Voice Control, according to 9to5Mac and MacRumors.