Apple’s back with a fresh update! iOS 18.5 is now available for iPhone users around the world. And while it’s not a huge leap, it brings some nice little touches—including a new animated wallpaper, Mail app improvements, and a new Screen Time alert for parents.
If you’ve got an iPhone, it’s time to hit that Software Update button.
📲 How to Get iOS 18.5 on Your iPhone
Head over to:
Settings → General → Software Update
The update might not show up instantly, but give it some time—it usually rolls out in waves.
Build number for iOS 18.5 is 22F76, which replaces the RC (Release Candidate) build 22F75. If you were already on the beta, you’ll still see a small update.
🌈 New Pride Harmony Wallpaper
One of the most visible additions in this update is the new Pride Harmony wallpaper.
Apple says the wallpaper changes color dynamically as you lock, unlock, or move your phone. It syncs beautifully with the new Pride Harmony watch face on watchOS 10.5.
Oh, and there’s even a Pride Edition Sport Band you can grab from Apple’s store for ₹4,500 ($49 USD).
So yeah—this update adds a little rainbow magic to your iPhone.
📧 Mail App Gets More Control (Finally)
The Mail app in iOS 18.5 continues to get polished, especially after Apple gave it a design refresh in iOS 18.2.
Here’s what’s new:
- You now get a “Show Contact Photos” toggle right in the app (three-dot menu). No more digging into Settings.
- The “All Mail” tab is now visible as the fifth tab beside Primary, Promotions, Transactions, and Updates. Earlier, it was hidden unless you swiped.
Do you use the Mail app on iPhone? These changes make it a lot cleaner and easier to customize.
👨👩👧 Screen Time Alert for Parents
Just like the macOS update, parents now get notified when their child’s Screen Time passcode is used. It’s a small but meaningful change that gives you better insight into your kid’s iPhone usage.
This works best if you’re using Family Sharing and managing child devices.
🛰️ Satellite Support for iPhone 13
Good news if you’re using an iPhone 13—all models now support carrier-provided satellite features. This means better emergency services and messaging in low-signal areas (depending on your carrier).
📺 Buy with iPhone on Apple TV App
You can now use Buy with iPhone when purchasing content in the Apple TV app on third-party devices—like a smart TV or gaming console. It’s basically one more step toward making your iPhone your remote control for everything.
🛠️ Bug Fixes & Performance Boosts
Apple also fixed:
- A bug where the Apple Vision Pro app could show a black screen
- Some under-the-hood stability issues and performance bugs
Nothing dramatic—but your iPhone should run a bit smoother now.
Quick Summary
| Feature | What’s New in iOS 18.5 |
|---|---|
| Pride Wallpaper | Dynamic Pride Harmony wallpaper |
| Mail App | Show/hide contact photos + “All Mail” tab |
| Screen Time | Parent alert for passcode usage |
| Apple TV | Buy with iPhone on 3rd-party devices |
| iPhone 13 | Satellite feature support |
| Bug Fixes | Vision Pro + general performance improvements |
🔚 Final Thoughts
If you like the little things—like a new wallpaper, more control in Mail, or better parental oversight—iOS 18.5 is worth updating today.
It’s not flashy, but it tightens up a lot of small but useful features. Plus, it’s likely one of the last iOS 18 updates before we meet iOS 19 at WWDC 2025.
