Apple has released its major 2027 software updates across the Apple ecosystem, bringing iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, visionOS 27, and tvOS 27 to users starting September 14. The releases introduce the next generation of Apple Intelligence, a redesigned and substantially more capable Siri, new child-safety features, performance improvements, and a broad collection of updates across Apple’s apps and devices.

The biggest change is Siri AI, which Apple describes as an entirely new version of Siri powered by its next generation of Apple Intelligence. Rather than functioning primarily as a voice-controlled assistant, Siri AI is designed to understand personal context, recognize what’s happening on screen, access broader web knowledge, and take more actions across the operating system.

Siri AI can work with information found across messages, emails, photos, and other personal content to help users find what they need. It can also answer questions about what’s currently displayed on a device or retrieve up-to-date information from the web. On iPhone, Siri is integrated into the Camera app through a new Siri mode, allowing users to interact with information in front of them and perform actions such as splitting a bill or adding a custom pass to Wallet.

Visual Intelligence is also expanding beyond the iPhone. Users on iPhone, iPad, and Mac can ask Siri about content displayed on their screens, while Apple Vision Pro users can use their surroundings as the starting point for questions, searches, and actions.

Apple is also giving Siri its own dedicated app. Users can start a conversation on one Apple device and continue it on another, with conversational history privately synchronized through iCloud. A new Write with Siri feature can generate a draft from a simple description or help refine existing writing.

Apple Intelligence gets a broader role

The new software releases expand Apple Intelligence into more everyday workflows. In Photos, new Spatial Reframing and Extend tools provide additional ways to modify images, while an upgraded Clean Up feature gives users more control over removing unwanted elements.

Image Playground is gaining the ability to create higher-quality images in virtually any style, including photorealistic imagery. Apple says image metadata and upcoming support for the SynthID standard will help users identify images that have been generated or edited with AI.

Safari is also getting a more proactive AI role. Apple Intelligence can automatically organize tabs into topics, notify users when websites change — such as when a product comes back in stock or its price drops — and create custom extensions based on a description.

Another new feature, Call Context, can surface useful information during calls, such as a confirmation code or reservation number, so users don’t have to search through their phone while speaking with a business.

New tools put parents more in control

Apple is also placing a major emphasis on child safety with the latest releases.

A new setup experience for child accounts makes it easier for parents to establish age-based protections from the beginning. Parents can choose which apps their children can access and gradually add more as needed. A new Ask to Browse feature can require parental approval before a child visits a new website in Safari.

Communication Safety is expanding as well. In addition to its existing protections, the system can now detect and intervene when gore or violent content is shared through images or videos.

Screen Time has been redesigned to give parents a clearer overview of how their children use their devices, including average usage and the apps they use most. Parents can set daily limits for categories such as Entertainment, Games, and Social Media, while new schedules can control which apps are available at different times of the day.

Apple says the updates make its devices faster

Not every major improvement is about artificial intelligence. Apple says the new software also delivers measurable performance gains across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

On iPhone and iPad, apps can launch up to 30 percent faster, photos can load up to 70 percent faster after being captured, and AirDrop transfers can be up to 80 percent faster. Apple also says iPad file browsing and transfers to an external USB drive can be up to five times faster, alongside improvements to window management and multitasking.

Mac users get faster AirDrop transfers and iCloud Photos uploads, along with smoother transitions between Spaces and Mission Control. Apple Vision Pro can start up and connect to Wi-Fi up to three times faster.

Connectivity is getting some attention, too. iPhone and iPad should transition more smoothly between cellular and Wi-Fi networks. In Messages, users can continue sending text messages even when large photos or videos are still being delivered over a low-bandwidth connection.

Search has also been refined across Spotlight, Photos, and Mail, while Mail gets a new ranking system designed to surface more relevant results in Top Hits.

Liquid Glass gets more customization

Apple’s Liquid Glass design language is also receiving refinements across the platforms. A new setting lets users adjust Liquid Glass from an ultraclear appearance to a more heavily tinted look, giving them greater control over the visual style. Apple has also updated app icons to make them sharper and more defined.

The changes extend throughout Apple’s device lineup. iCloud Shared Albums now support full-resolution photo and video sharing while making it easier for Android and Windows users to participate. AirPods gain custom EQ controls, while AirPods Pro 3 can use expanded Apple GymKit functionality to sync heart-rate data through an iPhone during workouts.

Apple Maps gets an enhanced Flyover experience that combines aerial imagery with AI for more detailed visuals. Apple Watch gains more context-aware Smart Stack suggestions and a new single-handed tap gesture for opening widgets. Workout Buddy can now work without an iPhone nearby and gains Spanish-language support alongside English.

On Apple Vision Pro, users can transform panoramas into spatial scenes with depth and use them as personal Environments. Apple is also adding a new Thórsmörk Environment featuring a dynamic Icelandic aurora.

Apple TV users, meanwhile, get high-resolution lossless audio support for Apple Music, a redesigned Apple Podcasts app, and expanded text-size accessibility options.

Siri AI rollout will be gradual

Although the software updates are broadly available, some of their most important features have a more limited rollout.

Siri AI is initially launching as a beta in English, with French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish support scheduled for October. Apple says Mac and Vision Pro users in the European Union will be able to access Siri AI when using a supported language, while the feature will not initially be available on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch in the EU. Siri AI and the other new Apple Intelligence features will also not be available in China while Apple works through regulatory requirements.

Apple Intelligence and Siri AI require compatible hardware. Supported devices include the iPhone Duo, iPhone Air, iPhone 16 models and later, iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, iPad mini with A17 Pro, iPads with M1 or later, MacBook Neo, Macs with M1 or later, Apple Vision Pro, Apple Watch Series 9 or later, Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later, and Apple Watch SE 3 when paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone.

Apple also notes that some Apple Intelligence features relying on server-side models will have daily usage limits. Those limits can vary depending on the feature, request complexity, system demand, and other factors, with Apple saying expanded access to some of these capabilities will be available for a fee in the future.

For Apple users, however, the significance of this release goes beyond any single feature. iOS 27 and the other 2027 operating systems represent Apple’s broader attempt to make its devices more context-aware and useful without abandoning the tightly integrated experience that has defined its software ecosystem. Siri AI is the headline feature, but the combination of AI-powered apps, stronger parental controls, faster performance, connectivity improvements, and platform-wide refinements makes this one of Apple’s most substantial software updates in years.