Security updates help fix vulnerabilities in your iPhone that could be exploited by cybercriminals. Downloading these updates as soon as possible will help keep you and your device safe, as well as iOS 26.1 makes it easier to do.
Apple released iOS 26.1 on Monday, almost two months after the company's release. iOS 26 to the general public. Although this update brought Liquid glass, call checking And more to yours iPhoneiOS 26.1 also comes with a new feature called Security Enhancements.
The security improvements could be an easy way for Apple to implement smaller security measures without releasing a full iOS update. This feature reminds me of Apple Quick Security Measures the company introduced in 2023. RSR updates were the company's way of quickly deploying security patches to devices, but Apple has not released RSR since release iOS 16.5.1 (c) in July 2023.
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Here's how to enable security improvements to automatically install on your iPhone, so you always get the best protection on your device.
Where to find security improvements
1. Tap Settings.
2. Tap Privacy and Security.
3. Tap Background security improvements at the bottom of the menu.
4. Click the switch next to Automatic installation.
Your iPhone will now download small security updates and automatically install them on your device.
Everyone should enable security enhancements for maximum protection.
“Background security improvements provide additional protection for your iPhone between software updates,” Apple writes in the feature's settings. “In rare cases of compatibility issues, these security improvements may be temporarily removed and then improved in future software updates.”
The iOS 26.1 beta had a way to manually remove these updates under Background Security Improvements, but it appears Apple has removed this option in the general release of iOS 26.1.
For more iOS news, here's what you need to know iOS 26.1 And my review of iOS 26. You can also check out our iOS 26 cheat sheet other tips and tricks.
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