iOS 27 Release Date Is Monday, September 14, and the Release Candidate Is Out Now
Apple has set Monday, September 14 as the release date for iOS 27, and on September 9 it seeded release candidate builds of every one of its operating systems to developers and public beta testers. The RC is the version Apple intends to ship on Monday, so anyone already on the beta track can install the final software five days early.
iOS 27 arrives as a free update for iPhone 11 and later. It is the release built around the rewritten Siri, and that is also the part of it most iPhone owners will not get.
The release candidate build numbers
Apple published seven RC seeds on September 9. The build numbers, taken from Apple's own developer release listing rather than third-party trackers, are:
- iOS 27.0 RC and iPadOS 27.0 RC — 24A435
- macOS 27.0 RC — 26A428
- watchOS 27.0 RC — 24R363
- tvOS 27.0 RC — 24J360
- visionOS 27.0 RC — 24M362
- Xcode 27 RC — 27A266a
One number worth flagging: some coverage lists the macOS build as 26A5428. Apple's release page shows 26A428, without the beta-style digit in the middle, which is the pattern Apple uses once a build leaves the beta track. Treat 26A428 as the correct one.
A release candidate is not a guarantee. If testing turns up something serious in the next few days, Apple can issue a second RC, and it has done exactly that in past cycles. Barring that, the build sitting on beta devices right now is the one that ships.
Which iPhones can install it
iOS 27 runs on iPhone 11 and every model since, plus iPhone SE (2nd generation) and later. That is the same cut-off as the previous release, so no iPhone loses support this year.
Running it and getting all of it are different things. The Apple Intelligence layer — the conversational Siri, the standalone Siri app, Write with Siri, and the AI features threaded through Photos, Safari, Mail and Shortcuts — needs an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16 or later. On an iPhone 11 or an iPhone 14, iOS 27 is the Liquid Glass refresh, the Photos changes, FaceTime Dual Capture, custom AirPods EQ and the performance work on app launches and AirDrop. The Siri everyone has been talking about will not appear.
Everything else landing the same day
September 14 is a full-lineup release, not an iPhone-only one. iPadOS 27, macOS 27 Golden Gate, watchOS 27, tvOS 27 and visionOS 27 all ship that day, along with HomePod software 27 and new AirPods firmware.
Apple has not published a release time. Its major OS updates have historically gone live in the late morning Pacific time, but that is a pattern rather than a commitment, so treat any specific hour you see quoted as a guess.
How to get the RC today
Registered developers and anyone enrolled in the public beta programme can pull it now. On an iPhone or iPad, open Settings, go to General, then Software Update, tap Beta Updates and pick the iOS 27 channel. The RC then appears as a normal update.
The useful part for beta testers is what happens afterwards. Because the RC and the public build are expected to be identical, installing the RC and then switching Beta Updates back to Off leaves you on the shipping version of iOS 27 with no restore, no wipe and no waiting for Monday. If you leave the beta toggle on instead, your phone stays on the beta track and will start pulling iOS 27.1 seeds later.
If you are staying on iOS 26 until Monday, one recent fix matters: iOS 26.6.2 repaired the bug that stopped software updates downloading over cellular. Install that first if you plan to update iOS 27 away from Wi-Fi. For the shape of the release before this week, our coverage of the iOS 27 public beta and of Apple's September 9 event fills in the background.
Apple keeps a running list of seeds on its developer releases page, which is where a second RC would appear first if one lands before Monday.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the iOS 27 release date?
Apple has confirmed iOS 27 will be released on Monday, September 14, 2026, as a free update. iPadOS 27, macOS 27 Golden Gate, watchOS 27, tvOS 27 and visionOS 27 arrive the same day, along with HomePod software 27 and AirPods firmware. Apple has not given a specific release time.
Is the iOS 27 RC the same as the final release?
Usually, yes. A release candidate is the build Apple intends to ship, and in most cycles the RC and the public release are byte-identical. Apple can still issue a second RC if testing uncovers a serious problem in the days before launch, in which case the later build is the one that ships.
Which iPhones support iOS 27?
iOS 27 supports iPhone 11 and every later model, plus iPhone SE (2nd generation) and newer. No iPhone that ran the previous release loses support. However, the Apple Intelligence and new Siri features require an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or an iPhone 16 or later.
How do I leave the beta and get the public iOS 27 without wiping my iPhone?
Install the iOS 27 RC from Settings, then open Settings, General, Software Update, tap Beta Updates and set it to Off. Because the RC is expected to match the public build, your iPhone is then on the shipping version of iOS 27 and will receive normal updates. No restore or erase is needed.
What is the iOS 27 RC build number?
iOS 27.0 RC and iPadOS 27.0 RC are both build 24A435, seeded on September 9, 2026. The matching seeds are macOS 27.0 RC 26A428, watchOS 27.0 RC 24R363, tvOS 27.0 RC 24J360 and visionOS 27.0 RC 24M362.
