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Release record

iOS 18.5

Full article
Public release
Recorded milestones
6
Beta cycle
40d
Average interval
8d
Public release
May 12, 2025

Release notes

Overview

Editorial synthesis with inline references and a source ledger when citations are available.

iOS 18.5 added the Pride Harmony Lock Screen wallpaper and gave parents a notification when a Screen Time passcode is used on a child’s device. Buy with iPhone could authorize Apple TV app purchases on a third-party device.[1]

The update fixed a black-screen problem in the Apple Vision Pro app and enabled carrier-provided satellite features on the iPhone 13 family where carriers support them. A separate Apple bulletin records the version’s security work.[2][3]

Source ledger

References

Sources are linked to the claims they support. Publication and access dates are shown when available.

  1. About iOS 18 Updates

    Apple Support · 2026-07-29 · iOS 18.5 — enhancements

    Back to text ↑
  2. About iOS 18 Updates

    Apple Support · 2026-07-29 · iOS 18.5 — Apple Vision Pro app and carrier satellite support

    Back to text ↑
  3. About the Security Content of iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5

    Apple Support · 2026-07-29 · iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 security content

    Back to text ↑
  4. About iOS 18 Updates

    Apple Support · 2026-07-29 · iOS 18.5

  5. About the Security Content of iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5

    Apple Support · 2026-07-29 · Released May 12, 2025

  6. iOS & iPadOS 18.5 Release Notes

    Apple Developer · 2026-07-29

Documented & observed

Changes in this version

Source-linked features, fixes, known issues, removals, and community-observed behavior recorded across this version’s appearances and verified builds.

Release changes

Changed in this release

Features, fixes, removals, and regressions first observed in this release record.

security · introduced

Screen Time passcode-use notification

documentedconfirmed

Family safety visibility increased by notifying a parent when someone entered the Screen Time passcode on a child’s iPhone.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] About iOS 18 Updates · iOS 18.5 — Screen Time

bugFix · fixed

Apple Vision Pro app black-screen fix

documentedconfirmed

Apple corrected an issue in which the Apple Vision Pro app could display a black screen.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] About iOS 18 Updates · iOS 18.5 — Apple Vision Pro app

feature · introduced

Buy with iPhone for Apple TV purchases

documentedconfirmed

Buy with iPhone enabled purchase authorization on the iPhone when content was selected in the Apple TV app running on a supported third-party device.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] About iOS 18 Updates · iOS 18.5 — Buy with iPhone

compatibility · introduced

Carrier satellite support on iPhone 13

documentedconfirmed

All iPhone 13 models gained support for carrier-provided satellite features, subject to carrier and regional availability.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] About iOS 18 Updates · iOS 18.5 — carrier-provided satellite features

feature · introduced

Pride Harmony wallpaper

documentedconfirmed

The update added Apple’s Pride Harmony wallpaper as a new Lock Screen appearance.

Recorded at Public

  1. [1] About iOS 18 Updates · iOS 18.5 — Pride Harmony wallpaper

Milestones

Release history

Every recorded channel appearance in chronological order. Open an appearance for any available build, scope, notes, and sources.

  2. +12 days
  3. +7 days
  4. +7 days
  5. +8 days
  6. +6 days

    Public release

    Public

    Source-linked recordEditorially verified

    The public iOS 18.5 release added a Pride wallpaper, family visibility, purchase authorization, Vision Pro reliability, and expanded carrier satellite support.

    Availability
    available
    Sources
    7 linked
    Open this appearance

Historical context

Cycle comparison

Pace, intervals, and duration compared with earlier releases on the same platform.

Historical avg for .5 releases

52 days, 7.5 milestones

Based on 6 previous iOS .5 releases

Cycle vs. platform average

40d (avg: 58d)

18 days shorter than the iOS average

Duration ranking

#65 of 92

Middle of the pack iOS beta cycles

Longest gap in this cycle

12 days

Between Beta 1 and Beta 2

Previous .5 releases (iOS)

Previous comparable iOS releases
VersionYearCycleMilestonesAvg. Interval
iOS 26.5202642d86d
iOS 17.5202441d68d
iOS 16.5202351d79d
iOS 15.5202241d68d
iOS 14.5202184d128d
iOS 13.5202050d610d

Scroll horizontally to compare every historical field.

Official release notes