Iphone 16 won't update to IOS 26.1

hshionoiri02 wrote:

When I connected my phone to iTunes, it says my iPhone ES is up to date - 18.7.2.

You connected to iTunes? That is a mistake.

If you’re using a PC, you should be using the Apple Devices app.

Apple Devices User Guide for Windows - Apple Support

If you’re using a Mac, you should be using Finder.

And the name is iPhone SE, not iPhone ES.

Does "everything there" include using Apple Devices on the PC? (iTunes is out of date)

Apple Devices - Free download and install on WindowsMicrosoft Storehttps://apps.microsoft.com › detail

hshionoiri02 wrote:

[Sherman] sberman,

Our conversation is crisscrossing.

Yes it is. I already responded to this, saying “iOS 26 is a new iOS version; it is not a ‘update’ of iOS 18.”

You are one step ahead of me. I am trying to update my iPhone ES to V26.1 from iTunes. When I connected my phone to iTunes, it says my iPhone ES is up to date - 18.7.2. iTunes will check for an update on Dec 10. I checked iTunes today, Dec 10, but it says the same thing: it will check for an update on Dec. 17! Why doesn't Apple update iTunes to make V26.1 available for iPhone ES install?

What do you mean by saying " That is a mistake."? iTunes doesn't work anymore? I used to do the update quite often. iTunes has never stated that the iOS updates don't work. I will try the Apple Device App.

I installed Apple Devices on my Windows 11 laptop and connected my iPhone "SE". I got exactly the same message saying that my iPhone is up to date (18.7.2). Apple Devices will check for an update on 12/17/2025. It must be a bug in iTunes and also in Apple Devices.

hshionoiri02 wrote:

What do you mean by saying " That is a mistake."? iTunes doesn't work anymore?

This is what I mean. Note this article is dated February 8, 2024.

Apple moves away from iTunes on PC with new Windows apps

Sherman,

Thanks for letting me know that iTunes is retiring.

I installed Apple Devices, and tried it. It said my iPhone SE 2nd Generation is current - 18.7.2. Apple Devices will check for an update on 12/17/2025. This is exactly the same thing that iTunes stated. That means iTunes (Version 12.13.9.1.590210) on my laptop is working. So issue is not about iTunes. Apple Devices should state V26.1 available for update when I connected my iPhone as my iPhone SE is notifying me that V26.1 is available for an update. What could be wrong with Apple Devices (&/or iTunes)? Hope you can find a remedy from the Apple's internal problem database.

Try Settings > General > Software Update on the iPhone itself. iOS 26 is a new iOS version; it is not an “update” of iOS 18.

Sherman,

Our conversation is crisscrossing. Thanks for letting me know that iTunes is retiring. But as I replied to you already, {See above my reply to you - (Dec 10, 2025 2:53 PM in response to sberman)} Apple Devices did say exactly the same thing that iTunes stated. That means iTunes (Version 12.13.9.1.590210) on my laptop is working. So issue is not about iTunes. Could it be because my iPhone model is iPhone SE 2nd Generation?

Perhaps there’s a remedy here.

If you see Error 3194, Error 1109, or other network connectivity errors when restoring your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support