iOS 26 launched to all users in September, but it was previously only available as a secondary update inside Settings, with versions of iOS 18 given priority. Now, Apple has started recommending iOS 26.1 as the new default update for users.
iPhones running iOS 18 will default to iOS 26.1 as next update
It used to be that when Apple released a major new iOS version, it was immediately promoted as the default update inside the iPhone’s Settings app.