iOS 27 is the update where Apple finally delivered the smarter, more personal Siri it first promised two years earlier. Apple unveiled iOS 27 at WWDC on June 8, 2026 and released it to the public on September 14, 2026. If you are wondering what the new AI features actually do, whether your iPhone gets them, and which ones are worth turning on, this guide covers everything in plain language, based on the shipping version rather than the June rumours.
In this article
- iOS 27 at a Glance
- Which iPhones Get iOS 27 and Its AI Features?
- The New Siri: What Actually Changed
- Apple Intelligence Features Across Built-in Apps
- Other Useful iOS 27 Features (No AI Required)
- What Was Delayed or Dropped
- How to Get the New AI Features
- Is It Worth Updating?
- Privacy: How Apple Handles AI Requests
- Five Things to Try in Your First Week
- FAQ
- Final Thoughts
iOS 27 at a Glance
- Announced: June 8, 2026 (WWDC).
- Public release: September 14, 2026, followed by iOS 27.0.1 with bug fixes on September 28.
- Next update: iOS 27.2 reached the release-candidate stage in mid-October and is expected to roll out to everyone shortly, adding more Siri languages.
- Headline feature: a rebuilt, AI-powered Siri with its own app.
Which iPhones Get iOS 27 and Its AI Features?
iOS 27 itself supports iPhone 11 and later, plus iPhone SE (2nd generation) and later. The Apple Intelligence and new Siri features are more demanding because much of the processing happens on the device: they require an iPhone 15 Pro or a newer model. Standard iPhone 15 and older phones get the regular iOS 27 improvements but not the AI features. A few extras, such as the new expressive Siri voices, are limited to the latest Pro-class hardware. Apple’s official iOS page lists exact compatibility for each feature.
The New Siri: What Actually Changed
The old Siri handled single commands. The iOS 27 version behaves much more like a modern AI assistant:
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- A dedicated Siri app with conversation history, synced across your devices through iCloud.
- Natural follow-up questions, so you can say “and what about Friday?” without repeating the context.
- Personal context: Siri can draw on Messages, Mail, Photos and Notes to answer questions like “when is my sister’s flight landing?”
- On-screen awareness: ask about what you are looking at, or tell Siri to add an address on screen to a contact.
- Camera mode for asking questions about the world around you.
- In-app actions: Siri can carry out tasks inside apps and pull information from the web.
Important limits: the new Siri launched as a beta, in English first, and was not initially available in the EU or China. iOS 27.2 adds French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish. If you want the background on why Apple took so long, read why Siri fell behind ChatGPT and how Apple is catching up.
Apple Intelligence Features Across Built-in Apps
Photos
Reframe and Extend let you change the composition of a shot or expand it beyond the original edges, and Clean Up now has Fast and High Quality modes for removing distractions.
Safari
Automatic tab grouping, a Notify Me option that alerts you when a page changes (handy for prices or ticket availability), and the ability to describe what you want an extension to do.
Calendar
Create or change events with natural language, such as “move my dentist appointment to next Tuesday afternoon”.
Shortcuts
Describe a Shortcut lets you explain an automation in plain words and have it built for you, a big win for people who found Shortcuts confusing.
Image Playground
More realistic image generation and editing than the earlier cartoon-style results.
Other Useful iOS 27 Features (No AI Required)
- Parental controls: Ask to Browse, Time Allowances, app schedules and updated Communication Safety, plus a redesigned Screen Time.
- Separate ringtone and alarm volume sliders, finally.
- A Liquid Glass transparency slider for people who found the design too see-through.
- AirPods upgrades: custom three-band EQ and improved Precision Finding.
- Pause Find My location sharing temporarily without removing people.
- Performance: Apple promises faster app launches and better battery efficiency, and early tests on older iPhones show snappier camera launches.
What Was Delayed or Dropped
Not everything shown or rumoured made the September release. A redesigned Health app is scheduled for later in 2026, and features such as automatic password changes and smarter suggested replies in Messages were removed before launch. Expect Apple to keep adding features through point updates.
How to Get the New AI Features
- Back up your iPhone to iCloud or a computer.
- Go to Settings > General > Software Update and install the latest iOS 27 version.
- Open Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri and turn Apple Intelligence on. The models download in the background over Wi-Fi.
- Set your device and Siri language to a supported language.
- Open the new Siri app and try a follow-up conversation.
Developers and enthusiasts who want early features can follow our guide on how to install the iOS 27 beta. Curious about Apple’s newest hardware? See our look at the iPhone Duo foldable and its battery.
Is It Worth Updating?
For iPhone 15 Pro and newer owners, yes: the new Siri, Photos tools and Shortcuts improvements are genuinely useful, and the 27.0.1 update fixed the most-reported launch bugs. On older iPhones, iOS 27 still brings performance gains, parental controls and quality-of-life fixes, but no AI features. If you rely on your phone for work, waiting a week or two after each point release is a sensible habit.
Privacy: How Apple Handles AI Requests
Apple processes as much as possible on the device. More complex requests go to Apple’s Private Cloud Compute servers, which Apple says do not store your data. Some optional features can hand questions to third-party AI services, and iOS asks before sending anything. You can review and change these choices in Settings.
Five Things to Try in Your First Week
- Ask Siri a two-part question, then a follow-up, to see how it keeps context.
- Point the camera mode at a product label or landmark and ask what it is.
- Use Reframe on an old photo that was cropped badly.
- Describe a Shortcut such as “when I arrive at work, turn on Focus and open my calendar”.
- Set Safari’s Notify Me on a product page to track a price drop.
FAQ
When was iOS 27 released?
Apple released iOS 27 to the public on September 14, 2026, after announcing it at WWDC on June 8, 2026.
Does my iPhone support iOS 27 AI features?
iOS 27 runs on iPhone 11 and later, but Apple Intelligence and the new Siri need an iPhone 15 Pro or newer model.
Is the new Siri available in my country?
It launched in English as a beta and was not initially available in the EU or China. More languages arrive with iOS 27.2; check Apple’s availability page for your region.
Can I turn off Apple Intelligence?
Yes. Go to Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri and switch it off. This also frees storage used by the on-device models.
Does iOS 27 drain battery?
Battery can drop for a day or two after updating while the phone re-indexes and downloads AI models. Apple says iOS 27 is more efficient overall; if drain continues after a week, check Settings > Battery for problem apps.
Final Thoughts
iOS 27 is Apple’s most important AI update so far. The rebuilt Siri finally understands context and follow-ups, and features like Reframe, Describe a Shortcut and natural-language Calendar make everyday tasks faster. If you have a supported iPhone, update, turn on Apple Intelligence and give the new Siri a week. It is the first version that feels like a real assistant.
