If you're looking for ways to fix common bugs and issues on iOS 26 right after updating your iPhone or iPad, then you've come to the right place.
You've just upgraded to iOS 26 to experience new features like Backgrounds in Messages (allowing users to customize the background for each conversation in the Messages app), Liquid Glass design, emoji integration, Adaptive Lock Screen, Games app, CarPlay widgets, Hold Assist, and more. But instead of enjoying them, you've encountered a series of problems during or after the update and are looking for ways to fix them. Then this article is for you.
Below is a summary of all the errors and issues you may encounter during or after upgrading to iOS 26, along with specific solutions.
List of common bugs in iOS 26 and how to fix them.
Battery drains quickly
iOS 26 had quite a few bugs right from its release, and one of the biggest problems was battery life. Whether due to Liquid Glass or some other reason, the battery drained very quickly.
How to fix the rapid battery drain issue on iOS 26:
- Location services : Location services can consume a lot of battery power. Not all apps need location access all the time, so turn off unnecessary apps. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location services to check which apps have location services enabled.
- Battery-draining apps : Check which apps are using the most battery: Go to Settings > Battery on your iPhone. If you see any apps behaving unusually, update them to the latest version.
- Reduce screen brightness : The screen is one of the biggest battery-draining components on a phone. Consider reducing screen brightness to improve battery life.
- Control notifications : Every time you receive unwanted notifications from shopping apps or games, the screen lights up and consumes energy to update. You should turn off notifications from apps you rarely use. You should use the Automatic Brightness feature so that the device automatically adjusts to suit the environment, avoiding the screen always being at maximum brightness, which generates heat.
- Enable Low Power Mode : When Low Power Mode is enabled, your iPhone will turn off or slow down certain services, helping you extend battery life. However, this is only a temporary solution.
- Reset all settings : This isn't the ideal solution either, but if everything else fails, this is still an option. Go to Settings > General > Switch or reset iPhone > Reset > Reset all settings. This will force you to set up many things again, but if there's an underlying system error, it might fix it.
- A complete fresh installation : If all else fails, the most drastic solution is to completely restore iOS. Note: If possible, do not restore from a backup; start from scratch. However, this will erase all your data and previous settings.
- Contact Apple : In some cases, none of the above measures will resolve the issue. At this point, the only option is to contact Apple for support. You can call, contact them online, or visit the nearest Apple Store.
The machine is slow or overheating.
If your iPhone is slow or overheating after updating to iOS 26.
The first cause you should consider is Liquid Glass. The solution is quite simple: turn this feature off.
How to turn off Liquid Glass:
1. Turn off Clear Icons: First, do not use the new set of clear icons on your home screen.
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- Press and hold on the home screen until the icons start shaking.
- Tap Edit in the upper left corner.
- Select Customize and change the setting from Clear to Default.
2. Turn on Reduce Transparency: Next, you need to enable the Reduce Transparency mode.
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- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Font Size.
- Flip the Reduce Transparency switch to ON.
The second reason for the device overheating is that background applications are constantly sending data to the server.
How to fix it:
- Go to Settings > Privacy & Security , find the Tracking section , and completely turn off the "Allow apps to request tracking" feature. This will significantly reduce CPU load, helping your device run cooler.
- Next, review the Location Services settings and switch all unnecessary apps to "While using the app" mode to prevent the GPS chip from running in the background, which causes constant battery drain and overheating.
- Disable unnecessary background features: One of the hidden culprits causing overheating in iOS 26 is the Journaling Suggestions feature. You should turn this feature off in your Privacy settings.
- Turn off background app refresh for unnecessary apps. Only allow essential apps like Zalo or Messenger to run in the background, completely resolving the battery drain issue in standby mode.
Weak WiFi connection
You may experience weak WiFi after upgrading to iOS 26, including no connection, constant disconnections, or slow speeds.
Troubleshooting WiFi issues on iOS 26:
- Restart your iPhone
- Restart your WiFi router.
- Reset network settings: Go to Settings > General > Switch or Reset iPhone. Then select Reset > Reset Network Settings. You will need to authenticate and then log back into your WiFi network.
- Turn WiFi Assist On/Off: Settings > Cellular/Cellular Data.
- Forget and reconnect to WiFi.
- Reset your iPhone: This should be your last resort if all the above methods fail. Before doing so, make sure you have backed up your iPhone to iCloud, as this will erase all data on the device.
Error 'No service'
If, after installing the official iOS 26 update, your iPhone displays 'No Service' and your SIM card has no signal, it could be due to several different reasons.
Fixing the 'No Service' error after updating to iOS 26 on iPhone:
- Turn Airplane Mode on or off.
- Restart your iPhone
- Check the SIM card.
- Reset network settings
- Reset your entire iPhone.
Stuck on the 'Update Requested' screen.
During the iOS 26 OTA update process, iPhones may get stuck on the 'Update Requested' screen.
How to fix the iOS 26 'Update Requested' error on iPhone and iPad:
- Simply restart your device and check for OTA updates again.
- Try a hard reboot.
- Try updating via iTunes/Finder instead of OTA: Instead of updating via OTA, you can download the IPSW file for your device and then update using iTunes on Windows or Finder on Mac.
- Be patient: Please wait and try again after a few hours, as the error may stem from Apple's servers being overloaded.
Stuck at the Apple logo
After installing iOS 26 and restarting, the iPhone is stuck on the Apple logo.
Reason:
- Insufficient memory space.
- Hardware incompatibility.
- The update process was interrupted or incomplete.
How to fix iOS 26 stuck on the Apple logo screen:
- Coercive initiation
- Restore using DFU Mode: If forced boot doesn't work, try putting your iPhone into DFU (Device Firmware Update) mode. Note: this will erase all data, so you need a recent backup.
- Use the system repair tool (no data loss).
- Restore via Finder/iTunes
- Check the battery and storage capacity.
Stuck on the 'Preparing Update' screen.
You downloaded the iOS 26 OTA update and are stuck on the 'Preparing Update' screen and unable to install it.
Fixes for iOS 26 getting stuck at 'Preparing Update':
- Restart your iPhone
- Ensure a strong and stable Wi-Fi connection.
- Delete the OTA update and download it again.
- Free up memory space.
Error 'Could Not Activate iPhone Activation'
I updated to iOS 26 and encountered the error 'Could Not Activate iPhone Activation'.
This error primarily affects those who update via iTunes or Finder, rather than OTA updates. Many choose this method because they want a completely fresh installation of a major iOS version, or because they encountered problems with OTA updates and therefore had to use iTunes/Finder.
Fixing the 'Could Not Activate iPhone Activation' error after upgrading to iOS 26:
- Restart your modem/WiFi router.
- Be patient and wait: The reason could be that Apple's servers are overloaded.
Error 'Unable To Verify Update iOS 26 Is Temporarily Unavailable'
This error usually occurs because the OTA download package is corrupted during the download process.
Fixing the 'Unable To Verify iOS 26 Update Is Temporarily Unavailable' error on iPhone:
- Step 1: Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage.
- Step 2: Scroll down to find 'iOS 26' in the list.
- Step 3: Click on it and select 'Delete Update'.
- Step 4: Go back to Settings > General > Software Update and download the iOS 26 OTA update again.
- Step 5: Wait for the download to complete. Then click 'Update Now' to begin the installation.