Apple has pushed out iOS 26.6, likely the last update for its current operating system. While it seems minor, there's one compelling reason to install it if you plan to use Siri AI in iOS 27: it optimizes the Spotlight index to prepare for the new OS. This indexing is like a filing frenzy for your phone, so when iOS 27 arrives, Siri AI can answer questions about your apps, files, contacts, and more without breaking a sweat.

But not all iPhones get to join the AI party. Apple Intelligence and Siri AI require an iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max, any iPhone 16, or any iPhone 17. Older models (iPhone 11 and up, the latest iPhone SE, and iPhone Air) can update to iOS 27 but will be stuck with Siri as we know it - no AI upgrades. If you've got the right hardware, installing iOS 26.6 now means your Spotlight searches will be faster once you upgrade. To grab it, go to Settings > General > Software Update, then tap Update Now.

The same goes for iPadOS: you'll need an iPad Pro M1 or later, iPad Air M1 or later, or iPad mini with A17 Pro chip to use Siri AI.

Beyond the Siri tease, iOS 26.6 patches a whopping 91 security vulnerabilities, covering flaws in the App Store, Contacts, Siri, Game Center, Wi-Fi, the iOS Kernel, and WebKit. So even if you couldn't care less about AI, you should install this update to keep your phone from being a digital sieve.

Other highlights: Apple Maps gets extra malware protection, and a new alert warns you if you try to add more than 20,000 blocked contacts. Because, you know, that's a problem everyone has. Apple also dropped 26.6 versions for macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS, so update everything now before the big September releases.