Apple released iOS 27 on September 14, alongside iPadOS 27, watchOS 27, tvOS 27, visionOS 27, and macOS 27 “Golden Gate.” The update carries a redesigned Siri, a new Liquid Glass appearance slider, and installs on every iPhone back to the iPhone 11, according to Apple’s own security-releases page.
A More Conversational Siri
The biggest change in iOS 27 is Siri itself. Apple’s release notes describe a rebuilt assistant with a dedicated app, a Siri mode inside the Camera app, and a “Write with Siri” tool for drafting text. Apple’s own notes put it this way:
“A more capable and conversational version of Siri is rolling out to users. It helps you find what you need and get more done, drawing on capabilities like personal context understanding, app actions, onscreen awareness, and access to broad world knowledge.”
Photos gets Spatial Reframing and an Extend tool for widening a shot’s frame. Safari can now organize open tabs by topic and offers to notify you when a page you’re tracking changes. The Phone app adds Call Context, showing why an unknown number might be calling before you pick up. A new Connectivity Assist feature is meant to smooth over dropped Wi-Fi and cellular handoffs.
Liquid Glass Gets a Dial-Down Option
iOS 26 introduced the translucent Liquid Glass interface last year to mixed reactions, and iOS 27 responds with an actual control for it. A new slider in Settings lets you adjust the effect anywhere from “ultra-clear to fully tinted,” according to Apple’s release notes, so anyone who found the glassy look distracting can dial it back without giving up the redesign entirely.
There’s also a new Child Safety block that adds Ask to Browse, which lets parents approve each new website before a child can visit it, along with Time Allowances and Schedules for managing device use.
Which Devices Get iOS 27
Per Apple’s own compatibility table, iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 are available for:
- iPhone: iPhone 11 and later
- iPad Pro: 12.9-inch 4th generation and later, 11-inch 2nd generation and later
- iPad Air: 4th generation and later
- iPad: 9th generation and later
- iPad mini: 6th generation and later
- Apple Watch: Series 9 and later, for watchOS 27
Not every iPhone or iPad on that list gets Siri’s new AI features, though. Apple gates the conversational Siri and other Apple Intelligence tools to iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and every iPhone 16, 17, and 18 model, plus iPads with an M-series chip or the A17 Pro iPad mini. If you’re on an iPhone 11 through 15 (non-Pro), you’ll get the visual redesign and the rest of iOS 27, but not the new Siri.
Anyone who wants to stay off iOS 27 for now can still install iOS 26.7, a security-only update Apple shipped the same day for people who aren’t ready to move to the new Siri and interface changes.
androidpure covered Apple’s confirmation of the September 14 release date a day before it shipped; this is what actually landed on phones.
