iOS 18.6—Update Now Warning Issued To All iPhone Users

Apple has released iOS 18.6, along with a warning to update your iPhone now.

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Update July 30: This article, originally published July 29, has been updated to include details of other upgrades issued alongside iOS 18.6, as well as bug fixes and additional expert advice.

Apple has released iOS 18.6, along with a warning to update your iPhone now. That’s because iOS 18.6 comes with a hefty list of 29 security fixes, some of which plug serious holes in iOS.

Apple doesn’t give much information about the bugs squashed in iOS 18.6, to give people as much time to update as possible before attackers can get hold of the details. However, iOS 18.6 fixes multiple flaws in WebKit, the engine that supports the Safari browser, according to the iPhone maker’s support page.

Tracked as CVE-2025-4322, one of the issues patched in WebKit could see sensitive user information exposed, if a user processes maliciously crafted web content. Meanwhile, a trio of CVEs patched in iOS 18.6 could lead to memory corruption as a result of processing maliciously crafted web content.

Apple’s iOS 18.6 also fixes a flaw in CoreMedia Playback that could enable an app to access user-sensitive data.

The Impact Of The Issues Fixed In iOS 18.6

Of the issues patched in iOS 18.6, Daniel Card, an independent cybersecurity consultant, highlights a flaw which could see your passcode read out by VoiceOver. Meanwhile, another WebKit issue could see address bar spoofing, if you visit a malicious website, he says.

Most of the issues patched in iOS 18.6 are specific to WebKit, “which by its very nature are more likely to be exploited remotely,” says Sean Wright, head of application security at Featurespace.

For the most part, the impact of the vulnerabilities fixed in iOS 18.6 is limited, Wright says. However, it is important to note that flaws including CVE-2025-43227 do have more of an impact and “thus carry more risk,” according to Wright.

Apply iOS 18.6 Quickly, Experts Advise

Given that the iOS 18.6 update is smaller and largely focused on security enhancements, users should “update as quickly as possible,” says Josh Stein, VP of strategy, security at Jamf.

He points out that “a significant number of fixes are in WebKit, which is not unusual for an iOS security release.”

WebKit is the framework for presenting web-based content, and the vulnerabilities fixed could allow attackers to access sensitive user information or cause denial of service — which renders a service unusable by flooding it with traffic, says Stein.

Stein highlights a fix to CFNetwork, tracked as CVE-2025-43223, which addresses an issue where users without administrative rights could modify restricted network settings. “Apple’s CFNetwork is the framework that handles network communication, including HTTP, HTTPS, and other protocols. Therefore, any vulnerability in the framework poses significant security risks,” Stein warns.

The iOS 18.6 update also addresses several bugs in Apple’s CoreAudio and CoreMedia frameworks. “These frameworks are commonly used to process audio and media, respectively, which means they support a broad set of apps and manage data queues in memory,” warns Stein.

Other Updates Issued Alongside iOS and iPadOS 18.6

Alongside iOS 18.6, Apple has also released iPadOS 17.7.9 — a security only update for users of devices that can’t update to iPadOS 18. The update is available for the iPad Pro 12.9-inch 2nd generation, iPad Pro 10.5-inch and iPad 6th generation.

Note that there are no iPhones on this list. This is because Apple is not allowing users of older iPhones to stay on iOS 17, as all models are compatible with the newer version of the operating system.

If you do own an older iPad that can’t update to iPadOS 18, iPadOS 17.7.9 is worth applying, as it includes a big list of fixes. Patches include several WebKit flaws and a patch for the Kernel at the heart of the iPadOS operating system that could allow a remote attacker to cause unexpected system termination. None of the flaws are being used in attacks, but it’s still worth updating ASAP.

As well as iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 17.7.9 Apple has also released other updates for its devices. These include macOS Sequoia 15.6, macOS Sonoma 14.7.7 and macOS Ventura 13.7.7 for macs. Apple has issued watchOS 11.6 for the Apple Watch, tvOS 18.6 for Apple TV and visionOS for the Apple Vision Pro.

iOS 18.6 Fixes Annoying iPhone Bugs

Since updating to iOS 18.5, some users have complained about bugs in the iPhone software. These include issues with the Mail app freezing, as well as the usual complaints about Wi-Fi connectivity and battery drain.

The only patched bug listed on Apple’s update notes for iOS 18.6 is the Photos issue that could prevent memory movies from being shared. Quite a niche problem, to say the least.

Even so, because iOS 18.6 is a small upgrade, it’s worth applying in case it does fix other bugs. Hopefully iOS 18.6 will make your iPhone less buggy and more secure.

iOS 18.6 — The Last iPhone Update Before iOS 26

None of the flaws patched in iOS 18.6 have been used in real-life attacks, yet. But iOS 18.6 is the first update in well over two months — iOS 18.5 was issued in mid-May and Apple hasn’t released any minor upgrades in the meantime.

The iOS 18.6 upgrade is also likely to be the last iPhone update before Apple releases iOS 26 this fall, unless a very urgent security fix is needed before then.

The fact that there’s so long between updates — with another gap due until the iPhone 17 and iOS 26 arrive this fall — mean applying iOS 18.6 now is important.

This is especially key if you don’t plan to upgrade to iOS 26 as soon as it’s released, as it will ensure you are as secure as possible. Apple knows many users will wait to update to iOS 26 and will offer a new iOS 18 version — possibly iOS 18.7, or iOS 18.6.1 — this fall.

Why You Should Update To iOS 18.6

Experts say you should update to iOS 18.6 as soon as you can. The positive news from Apple is that none of the vulnerabilities fixed in iOS 18.6 have been exploited in the wild, says Stein. “However, this should not delay users from updating their devices to iOS 18.6. Keeping devices up to date with the latest patches is one of the most effective ways to safeguard against attackers.”

“Overall, there is no reason to panic, but I would highly recommend that users update to iOS 18.6 as soon as possible to be on the safe side,” says Wright.

It’s also worth noting that automatic updates can take a while to reach your iPhone, so it is best to apply iOS 18.6 manually. Before doing this, Card points out the importance of ensuring you have space in iCloud. “Some people have their iCloud full so not only do their device back ups not work, their updates fail.”

“General housekeeping is always good for life and security optimisation,” Card says.

Apple’s iOS and iPadOS 18.6 are available for the iPhone XS and later, iPad Pro 13-inch, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 7th generation and later and iPad mini 5th generation and later.

To upgrade your iPhone, go to your Settings > General > Software Update and download and install iOS 18.6 now.