Apple Releases iOS 26.2: Bringing Alarms to Reminders, Lock Screen Customization, and Enhanced Safety Features

December 12, 2025

Apple today launched iOS 26.2, the second major update to the iOS 26 operating system, delivering a host of new features, significant regulatory changes, and crucial stability improvements for eligible iPhones. Released just over a month after iOS 26.1, this update focuses on utility, personalization, and safety.

The new software is available for download on the iPhone 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation iPhone SE. Users can install the update over-the-air by navigating to Settings > General > Software Update.

Major New Features and Enhancements

iOS 26.2 introduces several key upgrades across the operating system:

1. Alarms Arrive for Reminders

A long-requested feature is finally here: users now have the option to activate a dedicated alarm when a reminder is due. This enhancement ensures users stay on top of urgent tasks, with support for snooze options and Live Activities to manage the reminder directly from the Lock Screen.

2. Lock Screen Customization Expands

The Lock Screen receives a subtle but important personalization feature. Users can now further adjust the appearance of the time display, specifically by altering the opacity of the Liquid Glass material. This gives users greater control over the visual depth and background visibility of the clock element.

3. Enhanced Safety Alerts

In a vital update for public safety, iOS 26.2 includes Enhanced Safety Alerts (currently available in the U.S.). This system can inform users about imminent threats such as floods, natural disasters, and other emergencies. Alerts now provide rich information, including a map of affected areas and direct links to additional safety guidance.

4. Improved AirDrop Security

To add an extra layer of verification when sharing content with unknown contacts, Apple has introduced AirDrop codes. When initiating a transfer, a code is displayed on the receiver's device, which the sender must input to complete the transfer, preventing accidental or unwanted sharing.

App-Specific Updates

The update also brings focused improvements to several of Apple's core applications:

• Podcasts: Discovering content is easier with automatically generated chapters for streamlined episode navigation. Listeners can also now see and follow links to mentioned podcasts directly from the player and transcript.
• Apple Music: The music experience is more personalized with the “Favorite Songs” playlist now appearing in Top Picks on the home tab. Additionally, users can now view offline lyrics for downloaded songs without needing an internet connection.
• Games: The Games library gains new organization tools, including filters to help users find titles by category and size. For competitive gamers, in-game challenge score banners provide real-time updates when someone takes the lead.
• Freeform: The infinite canvas app for collaboration gains structure with the introduction of tables. These cells intelligently resize to hold text, images, documents, and drawings.
• Home App: Setting up smart devices is simplified with Multipack accessory pairing, allowing users to use a single setup code to enroll multiple accessories sold together.

Regulatory and Accessibility Changes

In response to international regulatory mandates, iOS 26.2 implements two notable changes:

• Europe: Support for Live Translation for the AirPods is now available in the European Union.
• Japan: The update adds support for alternative app stores and other voice assistants in the region.

Finally, accessibility is improved with a new option under Accessibility Settings to have the device screen flash for alerts when a notification is received. The update also includes important bug fixes, such as resolving an issue where a Privacy and Security setting was incorrectly marked as managed by an enterprise organization.