It feels like forever ago that we were all freaking out over customizable lock screens and the ability to finally—finally—edit a sent iMessage. If you’re asking when does iOS 16 come out, you might be looking for a trip down memory lane, or maybe you’re holding an older device like an iPhone 8 and wondering if you’ve reached the end of the road.
Honestly, the release of iOS 16 was one of Apple's more dramatic "changing of the guard" moments. It officially dropped on September 12, 2022. This followed the usual Apple playbook: announce the software at WWDC in June, run a bunch of buggy betas all summer, and then release it to the public right before the new iPhones hit the shelves.
The Actual Timeline: When Did iOS 16 Come Out?
Apple doesn't just flip a switch and give everyone new software at once. It’s a whole rollout. For iOS 16, the journey started on June 6, 2022, during the Worldwide Developers Conference. That’s when we first saw the "Sydney" (the internal codename) features.
The first developer beta went out that same day. Then the public beta—which is what the braver non-developers among us usually install—landed on July 11, 2022.
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If you were sitting in Cupertino, California, on September 12, the update hit your phone at 10:00 a.m. local time. If you were in London, it was 6:00 p.m. If you were in Tokyo or Sydney, you were likely waking up on September 13 to a notification telling you your phone was ready for a facelift.
Why the 2022 Release Was Such a Big Deal
Before iOS 16, your lock screen was basically a static wall. iOS 16 changed that. It gave us:
- Multilayered photo effects where the subject of your photo sits in front of the time.
- Lock screen widgets for weather, activity rings, and calendar events.
- The "Unsend" button in Messages (a literal lifesaver for late-night typos).
- Live Text in Video, which let you pause a video and copy the text right off the screen.
The Rocky Start and Buggy Betas
Let’s be real for a second: the launch wasn’t exactly perfect. A lot of people forget that when iOS 16 first came out, it was kinda messy.
There were some pretty loud complaints about battery drain. You’d update your phone, and suddenly your battery was plummeting 20% while you were just eating breakfast. This usually happens because the iPhone is re-indexing thousands of photos and files in the background, but for some, it lasted weeks.
Then there were the "ghost" notifications. You'd feel your phone buzz in your pocket, pull it out, and... nothing. No message, no alert. Just a phantom vibration.
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Apple had to rush out iOS 16.0.1 just two days later, on September 14, specifically for the brand-new iPhone 14 models because they were having activation issues. Then came iOS 16.0.2 on September 22 to fix a weird bug where the camera on the 14 Pro would literally shake and make grinding noises in apps like TikTok. Yikes.
Which iPhones Could Actually Run It?
This was the year Apple got "ruthless." They cut off support for the iPhone 6s, the iPhone 7, and the original SE.
If you had an iPhone 8 or newer, you were in the clear. But even then, there was a catch. If you were rocking an iPhone 8 or an iPhone X (the anniversary one with the notch), you didn't get all the cool stuff. Features like "Live Text" and "Visual Look Up" required the A12 Bionic chip, so older phones were left with a watered-down version of the update.
As we sit here in 2026, iOS 16 is now considered an "older" operating system. The iPhone 8 and iPhone X are officially stuck on it. They can’t move to iOS 17 or the newer iOS 18 and 19.
Is iOS 16 Still Supported Today?
This is where things get interesting. Apple doesn't just "kill" an old OS the second a new one comes out. They keep it on life support for a while.
Even as late as September 15, 2025, Apple was still pushing out security updates for iOS 16. The latest version, 16.7.12, was released to patch vulnerabilities. This is great for people who don't want to throw away a perfectly good iPhone X, but you should know that "support" at this stage just means security. You aren't getting new emojis or fancy AI features.
The Support Lifecycle (Typical Apple)
- Year 1: Full support, new features every few months.
- Years 2-3: Still the "current" or "previous" OS, gets most updates.
- Years 4-5: Moves into "security-only" mode.
- Year 6+: Eventually becomes "obsolete" as apps stop working.
What You Should Do If You're Still on iOS 16
If your phone is still running iOS 16 in 2026, you're likely using a device that can't go any higher. Honestly, that's okay for basic stuff, but you’re going to start seeing "This app requires iOS 17 or later" in the App Store pretty soon.
Banks and high-security apps are usually the first to cut off older versions. If you notice your favorite apps aren't updating anymore, that's your signal.
Next Steps for You:
Check your current version by going to Settings > General > Software Update. If you see version 16.7.12 (or whatever the latest point-release is), make sure you install it. Even if you don't get new features, those security patches are what keep your banking info and photos safe from exploits. If you're on an iPhone 11 or newer and still on 16, it’s definitely time to hit that "Upgrade to iOS 18/19" button at the bottom of the screen.