I took the plunge and installed iOS 26 on my iPhone 11, the oldest iPhone model to support the update. Having been burned by the slowdown from iOS 7 in the past, I was a bit hesitant. I was particularly worried that the new Liquid Glass interface would bog down my phone. Still, I was intrigued by the new features and decided to go for it.
The iOS 26 update file for the iPhone 11 was a hefty 5.32 GB. I started the download on September 16th at 2 AM, right after the release, and it downloaded without any issues. The installation itself didn’t take an excessively long time.
Post-Installation Performance
After the update, my initial fears seemed to be confirmed. The new Liquid Glass interface is undeniably beautiful, but my iPhone 11 felt incredibly sluggish. Swiping between screens was slow, and apps on the home screen would visibly load one by one. I was regretting the update. I even tried adjusting the transparency setting, but it didn’t seem to make a difference.
I considered that maybe the iPhone 11 was just too old for this update, but I decided to give it some time. After about an hour or two, the performance started to stabilize. The initial battery drain and heat I experienced also subsided. Thankfully, the sluggishness disappeared, and my phone returned to a comfortable and usable state.
Liquid Glass Design and New Features
Once the phone settled, I could really appreciate the new Liquid Glass design. It’s a significant departure from the old UI, and it looks fantastic. The effects are cool, the transparency is great, and the overall look is pleasing to the eye.
Beyond the design, I’ve noticed several small but welcome quality-of-life improvements. For instance, the issue where a slight mis-tap on a recent call would immediately dial the number has been fixed. There’s also a new feature that automatically ignores calls from unknown numbers. I also love the addition of a time estimate for how long it will take for my phone to fully charge.
Unsupported Features on iPhone 11
Unfortunately, not all new iOS 26 features are available on the iPhone 11. I discovered two notable ones that require newer hardware:
- Adaptive Power Mode: This feature, which optimizes battery usage, is only available on the iPhone 15 and later models.
- Photo Scene Function: I was hoping to use this feature to customize my home screen with beautiful photo scenes, but it’s only supported on the iPhone 12 and newer.
I’m sure there are other unsupported features, and I’ll probably discover them as I use the phone more.
Final Thoughts on the iOS 26 Update
While some articles might surface in the coming days about issues with the update, I’m personally satisfied. For an iPhone 11 user like myself, the new design gives my phone a fresh, new feel. The addition of small, convenient features—some of which have been on Android for a while—also makes a big difference. The improvements to the Phone app interface show that Apple put a lot of thought into this update. I feel confident that my six-year-old iPhone 11 will be good to go for at least another year.