Apple rolled out the latest iOS 15 update to iPhone on Monday. Just days after seeding the iOS 15.5 Release Candidate to developers and public beta testers, the final version has arrived. iOS 15.5 is now available, and as long as you have a supported iPhone, you can download it.
iOS 15.5 is a relatively minor update for the iPhone. What will likely be the final point update for iOS 15 allows Apple Cash users to send and request money from their Apple Cash card, limits episodes stored on your iPhone in the Podcasts app, and fixes an issue that was causing home automations triggered by people arriving or leaving to fail.
iOS 15.5 changes
According to Apple’s release notes, iOS 15.5 includes enhancements to Apple Podcasts, new safety features for children and parents in Messages, and other features and bug fixes.
Which iPhone models work with iOS 15.5?
If you’re wondering whether or not your device is compatible with iOS 15 or iPadOS 15, here’s a full list below with every compatible device. If your device is there, you’re good to go:
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 mini
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 mini
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone XR
- iPhone X
- iPhone 8
- iPhone 8 Plus
- iPhone 7
- iPhone 7 Plus
- iPhone 6s
- iPhone 6s Plus
- iPhone SE (1st generation)
- iPhone SE (2nd generation)
- iPhone SE (3rd generation)
- iPod touch (7th generation)
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (4th generation)
- iPad Pro 11-inch (2nd generation)
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation)
- iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation)
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd generation)
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (1st generation)
- iPad Pro 10.5-inch
- iPad Pro 9.7-inch
- iPad (7th generation)
- iPad (6th generation)
- iPad (5th generation)
- iPad mini (5th generation)
- iPad mini 4
- iPad Air (3rd generation)
- iPad Air 2
One of the benefits of iOS 15 being a relatively incremental upgrade is the fact that every iPhone that was compatible with iOS 14 is also compatible with the new update. The same is true of iPadOS 14 and iPadOS 15. You can now squeeze at least one more year out of your device.
How to download and install iOS 15.5 on iPhone
Installing a new update on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch is an incredibly simple process. Navigate to Settings > General > Software Update and then tap “Download and Install” at the bottom of that page. If you prefer, you can also install the update through iTunes by connecting your iOS device to a computer. Whichever method you choose, just make sure to back up your device before installing an update so that you don’t risk losing any of your data during the procedure.
Everything Apple added in iOS 15.4
After you install iOS 15.4, you will be able to unlock your iPhone with Face ID while wearing a mask. The release notes explain that your iPhone scans “unique features around the eye area” to detect your face. The feature is only available on iPhone 12 and newer.
Apple is also adding 37 new emoji characters, the ability to run Personal Automations in the background without receiving notifications, Tap to Pay on iPhone for completing contactless transactions without any additional hardware, and a Siri voice recorded by a member of the LGBTQ+ community.
Here’s what Apple brought to iOS 15.3
Most notably, Apple’s iOS 15.3 update addresses a terrifying issue with Safari 15 that made it possible for malicious websites to see your browsing activity. We say this every time, but you should install this update as soon as possible.
All of the changes in iOS 15.2
Here are the complete release notes for iOS 15.2, which arrived in December:
Apple Music Voice Plan
- Apple Music Voice Plan is a new subscription tier that gives you access to all songs, playlists, and stations in Apple Music using Siri
- Just Ask Siri suggests music based on your listening history and likes or dislikes
- Play it Again lets you access a list of your recently played music
Privacy
- App Privacy Report in Settings lets you see how often apps have accessed your location, photos, camera, microphone, contacts and more during the last seven days, as well as their network activity
Messages
- Communication safety setting gives parents the ability to enable warnings for children when they receive or send photos that contain nudity
- Safety warnings contain helpful resources for children when they receive photos that contain nudity
Siri and Search
- Expanded guidance in Siri, Spotlight, and Safari Search to help children and parents stay safe online and get help with unsafe situations
Apple ID
- Digital Legacy allows you to designate people as Legacy Contacts so they can access your iCloud account and personal information in the event of your death
Camera
- Macro photo control for switching to the Ultra Wide lens to capture macro photos and videos can be enabled in Settings on iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max
TV app
- Store tab lets you browse, buy, and rent movies and TV Shows all in one place
CarPlay
- Enhanced city map in Apple Maps with road details like turn lanes, medians, bike lanes, and pedestrian crosswalks for supported cities
This release also includes the following enhancements for your iPhone:
- Hide My Email is available in the Mail app for iCloud+ subscribers to create unique, random email addresses
- Find My can locate iPhone for up to five hours when in Power Reserve
- Stocks allows you to view the currency for a ticker and see year-to-date performance when viewing charts
- Reminders and Notes now allow you to delete or rename tags
This release also includes bug fixes for your iPhone:
- Siri may not respond while VoiceOver is running and iPhone is locked
- ProRAW photos may appear overexposed when viewing in third-party photo editing apps
- HomeKit scenes that include a garage door may not run from CarPlay when your iPhone is locked
- CarPlay may not update Now Playing information for certain apps
- Video streaming apps may not load content on iPhone 13 models
- Calendar events may appear on the wrong day for Microsoft Exchange users
Apple’s best iPhone additions in iOS 15.1
The biggest update in iOS 15.1 is one that impacts many different devices. It’s Apple’s new SharePlay feature, which is a new feature that was supposed to roll out in iOS 15. It lets people watch movies or TV together remotely, or listen to music together. Think of it as Watch Party, but baked right into your iPhone.
There are also plenty of bug fixes and refinements in iOS 15.1.
For people with the iPhone 13 Pro or iPhone 13 Pro Max, iOS 15 is a much more substantial update. It adds several significant new camera features including ProRes video capture support and a new Auto Macro toggle. This way you can stop your iPhone from automatically entering macro mode when shooting close-up photos.
All of the bug fixes and features in iOS 15.0.2
iOS 15.0.2 was chock full of bug fixes. Apple has fixed the bug that was causing photos saved from Messages to vanish when the corresponding thread was deleted. Apple also fixed a bug causing the iPhone Leather Wallet with MagSafe to not connect to Find My, AirTag not appearing in the Find My Items tab, CarPlay disconnecting during music playback, and device restore or update failing when using Finder or iTunes with an iPhone 13 model.
Everything new in iOS 15.0.1
Apple says that iOS 15.0.1 fixes whatever problem was causing Unlock with Apple Watch not to work. Additionally, iOS 15.0.1 addresses an issue with the Settings app incorrectly telling users that their storage is full and ensures that audio meditations don’t unexpectedly start workouts.
Best new features in iOS 15
FaceTime might actually be the biggest winner in iOS 15. SharePlay debuts in iOS 15, bringing movies and shows to FaceTime calls. You can also share music, web pages, apps, and more with SharePlay on FaceTime. Apple has also brought Portrait mode to FaceTime, which blurs the background during the call and puts you in focus. Plus, at long last, grid view comes to FaceTime.
The main addition in Messages is “Shared with You” — a new section in apps such as Photos, Safari, Apple Music, and more that shows you which content others have shared with you. You can also send photo collections in Messages and more easily save photos from within a conversation.
Other notable additions include enhanced Memoji customization, Live Text in photos, a new look for Memories in Photos, the ability to share Health data with others, and refreshed notifications.
