It’s update time. Apple has just publicly rolled out incremental updates across its entire hardware portfolio. Go to the Settings app on your Apple device to download the new updates for iOS 26.2, iPadOS 26.2, macOS 26.2, watchOS 26.2, and visionOS 26.2.
There are a number of new features, fixes for some bugs and a handful of security improvements too. Specifically, it closes over 20 vulnerabilities, two of which, according to Apple, “may have been exploited in a highly sophisticated attack.”
Speaking of security, the update strengthens the file sharing process via AirDrop. And while you’re at it, the optimization makes it more convenient if you frequently share content with another iPhone user.
What’s new for AirDrop?
AirDrop is the ubiquitous file sharing system between Apple’s mobile and computing devices. In its current form, AirDrop only allows users to work with three sharing modes: receive, contacts only, and everyone for ten minutes. These controls are a bit stiff while also leaving the doors open to prevent them from falling.
Leaving it open for, say, 10 minutes is a somewhat scary security situation. However, if you only have it enabled for contacts, it becomes limiting. The latest iPhone update attempts to solve the functional puzzle.
With the introduction of iOS 26.2, Apple is enabling a new option that uses temporary one-time transfer codes. Simply put, if a nearby iPhone user isn’t in your contact list and is waiting to exchange files, you can give them a temporary green light with a one-time code.
So essentially this is how it works. If an iPhone owner – whose contact isn’t saved on your device – tries to send you files, you’ll need an AirDrop code. When you receive a notification of an incoming file from this phone and accept it, a code will appear on your iPhone’s screen.
You must share this code with the grinder, and only after he enters it on his iPhone will the transfer continue. The code works like a digital handshake and is only generated when you tap the “Get AirDrop Code” prompt.
This AirDrop code is valid for 30 days, which means the device in question will be whitelisted for a month. Even if your AirDrop status is set to Contacts Only, you can still send and receive files from devices that have a valid one-time passcode.
Think of it as a system that temporarily authorizes a device for seamless AirDrop transfer if you don’t have (or don’t want to save) the sender’s contact saved. For journalists, field workers, or even travelers temporarily sharing a space, I can imagine this being a handy feature.
But why AirDrop transfer codes? “AirDrop codes provide an additional layer of verification when using AirDrop with unknown contacts by providing a code on the recipient’s device that the sender must enter to complete the transfer,” explains Apple.
“They will automatically appear to people with whom you have shared a one-time code for 30 days,” says the feature description on iPhones with iOS 26.2 software. To manage whitelisted contacts for the new code-based AirDrop system, go to the Settings app and follow this path:
Settings > General > AirDrop > Manage known AirDrop contacts.
Behind the scenes, the code is essentially a way to save a temporary contact and mark it as “known.” If you want to revoke AirDrop permission for a whitelisted device, follow this path: Contacts > Other acquaintances > Forget this person.
What else do you get with the iOS 26.2 update?
The iOS 26.2 update also brings a slew of system-level changes as well as optimizations in native apps. Starting with the aesthetic side of things and in particular the revision of Liquid Glass.
Since Apple introduced the new design language, the company has received polarizing feedback about the readability issues of the new look. Over the course of beta updates, Apple has toned down the liquid transparency effects and even added a control system.
“You can control the glassiness”
With the wide rollout of iOS 26.2 to all supported iPhones, users will finally have the option to choose between glass and solid looks. More importantly, when you select Glass as your theme, there is now a new slider that allows you to adjust the strength of the liquid glass effect. Or to put it more technically: make it more transparent or more opaque.
Additionally, you can choose between clear and tinted glass options in the Settings app. In the Games app, you can now apply filters based on genre and size, among other things, to find titles. The app also offers support for controller types, including those from Backbone and Razer.
On the streaming side, Apple Music now saves lyrics for downloaded tracks so you can see them during offline listening sessions. The Podcasts app, on the other hand, automatically generates chapters for episodes.
The disaster warning system has also been expanded with the iOS 26.2 update, but it is only limited to the US market. “Enhanced security alerts can inform you about impending threats such as floods, natural disasters and other emergencies, with comprehensive information such as a map of affected areas and links to additional security advisories,” Apple says.
Apple is also making a nice change to the way reminders are delivered to you. The integrated reminder app can now trigger an alarm. To activate this system, you can mark an event as urgent in the Reminders app. These alerts appear on the screen with a clear blue snooze button.
For fitness enthusiasts, Apple is making the sleep values a little more detailed. The aim is to give users a better qualitative idea of their rest time. Ratings are now given on a scale of 0 to 100 in five levels, namely: Very Low, Low, OK, High and Very High.
You can check the updated breakdown in Health apps as well as supported Apple Watch models. For those unaware, the sleep scoring system takes into account factors such as frequency of interruptions, sleep duration and deviation/adherence to natural bedtime.
The ring-based design and chart-based formats for representing different sleep stages are retained. Overall, iOS 26.2 is more about subtle quality of life improvements and paper-cut fixes than a major software overhaul. And if you’re particularly annoyed by the design language, you should install this and give yourself some visual control over how your iPhone’s interface looks and feels.
