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Apple says iPhone users need to install iOS 26.3 right now

For security reasons, Apple says iPhone users need to install iOS 26.3 immediately.

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By Alan Friedman

Published: Feb 12, 2026, 3:06 PM

Apple iPhones on a desk inside an Apple Store.

Yesterday Apple released iOS 26.3 and iPhone users should install it right away. That's because, as Apple says, the update delivers important bug fixes and security updates. Apple notes that iOS 26.3 patches 39 security flaws and one of the flaws is already being used in real-life attacks against iPhone users. To give iPhone owners the time to update their handsets before attackers get the details of the security patches released by Apple, the tech giant decided not to reveal which flaws were patched.

Apple says that one dangerous iOS software flaw is being exploited now

Apple did reveal that the flaw already exploited in real life in iOS 26.3 was related to the Dynamic Link Editor (dyld), which is used in iOS and macOS to load and link dynamic libraries at runtime. It is the first code that runs when a program is launched on iOS or macOS. The flaw was assigned the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures number of CVE-2026-20700. On its support page, the tech giant wrote, "Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals on versions of iOS before iOS 26."

The software update notification for iOS 26.3.

Apple released iOS 26.3 yesterday and says that you should install it immediately | Image by PhoneArena

If exploited, an attacker could execute arbitrary code. In layman's terms, it means that the device has been tricked into running the instructions of the attacker instead of the instructions the device was supposed to run. The same vulnerability report released by Google Threat Analysis Group that outed this flaw also was behind the discovery of a pair of WebKit flaws that were patched in iOS 26.2.

Do not procrastinate; install iOS 26.3 now and this is why

WebKit flaws CVE-2025-14174 and CVE-2025-43529 together with CVE-2026-20700 might have helped deliver spyware to the iPhone. Between iOS 26.2 and iOS 26.3, both updates take care of this issue. If you haven't updated iOS 26.2 and iOS 26.3, make sure you install iOS 26.3 right now. Apple's updates are cumulative, so installing the newest update will bring you up to date. To install iOS 26.3, from your compatible iPhone go to Settings > General > Software Update and follow the directions.

Do not procrastinate because combining the WebKit flaws (CVE-2025-14174 and CVE-2025-43529) together with the new vulnerability (CVE-2026-20700) gives attackers "a 'zero-click' path to total control" of your phone says Brian Milbier, deputy Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Managed Detection and Response (MDR) firm Huntress. No interaction from an iPhone user is required to exploit the vulnerabilities in this attack.

Milbier also notes that outdated hardware in the form of old iPhone models can be dangerous. He pointed out that "If your iPhone is too old to support iOS 26.3, it will never receive these foundational patches." Jake Moore, global cybersecurity advisor at ESET, also recommends "acting quickly" to keep your iPhone secure. Moore said that the large number of patches in iOS 26.2 and iOS 26.3 "shows how relentless criminals are in hunting weaknesses, which is even more concerning when those flaws sit within WebKit."

You can stop these criminals from attacking you by installing the update

The iOS 26.3 update is available for iPhone 11 series and later. Yesterday Apple also released iOS 18.7.5 for older iPhones such as the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and the iPhone XR. This update is to prevent the CVE-2026-20700 flaw from being exploited on your older iPhone. Keep in mind that if your device can run iOS 26, Apple is no longer giving you the option to select iOS 18.7.5.

You might be thinking that Apple is being too dramatic, or that I'm being too dramatic. But the truth is that these flaws do exist, they can allow attackers to break into your device and allow them to take control. Surely, you realize what could happen if these cyber crooks were able to swipe the credentials into your financial apps and websites. But you do have at your disposal the tool to protect yourself. Update your iPhone to iOS 26.3 right now.

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Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.

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