Apple on Wednesday released iOS 26.4.2 to fix a bug that allowed messages deleted by a user to remain on the iPhone.
“Notifications marked for deletion could be unexpectedly retained on the device,” Apple said in its security notes about the update. “A logging issue was addressed with improved data redaction.”
Beyond that, it seems like a minor update that focuses on various bug fixes and incremental performance improvements rather than new features. Tablet users got iPadOS 26.4.2 at the same time.
Plus, those not yet willing to make the jump to iOS 26 got their own update — iOS 18.7.8 also appeared on Wednesday, along with iPadOS 18.7.8.
Apple releases iOS 26.4.2 with no new features but bug fixes
The update arrives several weeks after iOS 26.4 and continues Apple’s pattern of issuing rapid follow-up releases to address issues discovered after broader deployment.
According to the company’s release note, iOS 26.4.2 includes “bug fixes and security updates for your iPhone,” and is recommended for all users.
The release comes as Apple continues to refine iOS 26 ahead of its next major software cycle. The company typically uses these incremental updates to harden security and ensure consistent performance before shifting focus to larger feature updates expected this fall.
As noted, Apple also put out iOS 18.7.8 and iPadOS 18.7.8, the latest updates to operating systems that first debuted in 2024.
While all these updates are relatively small in scope, they underscore Apple’s ongoing emphasis on security and reliability, particularly at a time when mobile devices remain a primary target for increasingly sophisticated threats.
Update your iPhone and iPad today
iOS 26.4.2 and iPadOS 26.4.2 are available as an over-the-air download through the Settings app on compatible iPhones. Users can install the update by opening the Settings app on the handset or tablet, navigating to General, then Software Update.
The same goes for iOS 18.7.8 and iPadOS 18.7.8.
We updated this post to explain the security update in iOS 26.4.2.
Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 25 years, and using it for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh SE/30 (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer.
That’s because he’s a “tablet first” type of guy. Rather than use a Macbook, he connects a keyboard case to the iPad. And instead of a desktop Mac, he connects his tablet to a 27-inch display and full-size keyboard. (So don’t try to tell him that everyone has to use a Mac to be productive.)
Before coming to Cult of Mac, Ed wrote for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
