iOS 26.2.1: Problem reports on crashes and fast battery drain
With Apple's latest iOS update, support for AirTags 2 is coming to devices, among other things. Depending on the iPhone, however, this is not without problems.
iOS 26 on multiple iPhones.
(Image: Apple)
Apple's latest iOS update, 26.2.1, has been available for a few days now, and user reports are increasing that Apple has apparently introduced new sources of error. In the official support forum of the iPhone manufacturer as well as on Reddit, users are gathering to report that their device is crashing apps after the update. In some cases, forced restarts and (too) quickly draining batteries also occur. Problems with the mobile network connection are mentioned rather rarely; here it seems to help to reset the VPN connection. “iOS 26.2.1 feels like an experiment on the user,” it says on Reddit. Currently, the error pattern is difficult to narrow down, and the type of affected devices is also diverse. Several iPhones in the Mac & i editorial office have been running stably so far.
Searching for the error pattern
Users who update directly from iOS 18 to iOS 26.2.1 seem particularly impacted. Here there is a possibility that system processes may need to “settle in” again; Apple itself states that devices require several days after such an upgrade to complete update routines, for example from system databases.
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However, this should not be accompanied by app crashes and forced restarts. Several users also had comparatively little space on their devices before updating but remained within the framework specified by Apple, which is now at least 20 GByte – preferably 30 GByte. Apple makes it difficult to purchase sufficient flash memory due to its high prices. For example, doubling from 256 to 512 GByte on the iPhone 17 Pro costs exactly 250 euros.
Little remedy so far
Currently, there is little that can be done about the problems. Apple usually makes it difficult for users to downgrade to earlier versions. The company has already stopped signing iOS 26.2, so this version can no longer be installed. Apple has not yet made any statements about the issues. Users have little choice but to hope for a prompt update – iOS 26.3 is expected to be released very soon, however.
Those who have not yet updated to iOS 26.2.1 and do not use new AirTags, whose support the update brings, can also wait with the update for now. According to Apple, security-relevant bug fixes are not included.
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