iPhone 12 not offered iOS 18.7.3 update, only iOS 26.2

I concur. Just checked on my i15PM, the Beta Updates section of Software Updates offers iOS 28 and 18 Developer Betas. Choosing the latter and returning to the previous screen caused iOS 18.7.3 to be offered instead of iOS 26.2.

Sir76 wrote:

Apple clearly states that iOS 18.7.3 is available for iPhone XS and later.

If it’s not the case, they should update this page:

Apple security releases - Apple Support

Tell Apple what they should update --> Product Feedback - Apple

Lee-o wrote:

As of this morning the situation remains unchanged. I'm still not given the option to upgrade to 18.7.3 on my iphone 12. ios 26.2 is the only update offered. Perhaps what is most frustrating is that Apple has not directly addressed this issue. I think this is a poor way to treat customers. We should know whether Apple intends to continue supporting security fixes for 18.x or whether there's no choice but to update to 26.x Having to check everyday is not a good way to treat customers.

Tell Apple --> Product Feedback - Apple

Did you read the referenced Apple Developer article above? Obviously the Apple tech support person did not. It states for all iOS 18.7.3 security updates they are...

Available for: iPhone XS and later

That doesn't imply that this update won't be available for newer iPhones; in fact, just the opposite.

Furthermore, anyone with a Developer account for Public beta account can see and download iOS 18.7.3 on any iPhone that can run iOS 18. It's more likely that Apple hasn't released it to newer iPhones yet as a public release. iOS 18.7.2 dropped 3-4 days after the corresponding iOS 26 release.

Then again, Apple may decide not to release it all, but that would leave a lot of iPhones 11-16 with RC iOS 18.7.3. OS installations. A confusing state to be sure.

I have an iPhone 15. I am NOT being offered the 18.7.3 and only the iOS 26.2.

I have seen many site pages saying that if your device is incompatible of using iOS 26 then you will get offers for various iOS 18 updates. Obviously your older model 12 is on that list. So, let’s tell the truth. The Mac poobahs have decided that capable means necessary or mandatory. 12 is not but 15 is. The 13 and 14 models I don’t know, so you will have to check but I am stuck at 18.6.2 unless I go for 26.2.

BTW: I am not being allowed any Beta options on my phone and I have looked everywhere for Beta update options.

So why not jump to 26?

A: can’t go back.

B: reports of this version being so different it’s like going to Linux (not a bad thing but not what I want on a phone).

C: you loose all or many settings you spent HOURS getting right.

D: many apps not working nearly as well as they did before (after you spent hours fine tuning them).

Re: “I have seen many site pages saying that if your device is incompatible of using iOS 26 then you will get offers for various iOS 18 updates. Obviously your older model 12 is on that list.”

Incorrect. All 12-series phones are eligible to run iOS 26, although some (like the iPhone 12 mini) have only half as much RAM as the latest iPhones.

Re: “Apple clearly states that iOS 18.7.3 is available for iPhone XS and later. If it’s not the case, they should update this page:”

Looks like they did update the page, so it now says that iOS 18.7.3 is only available for the XS, XS Max, and XR (as well as a few iPads). (Forbes reported the update and showed the old and new wording side by side.)

Jopower1 wrote:

So why not jump to 26?

A: can’t go back.

True

B: reports of this version being so different it’s like going to Linux (not a bad thing but not what I want on a phone).

It's visually different, though nothing like Linux in my opinion. I'm sure there are videos out there showing what it looks like, so you can get a better idea. Under the hood, it's not all that different.

C: you loose all or many settings you spent HOURS getting right.

This is always a possibility when you do a major upgrade, but it's rare. What is likely to happen is that new features will be enabled by default. This makes some people unhappy. But it's usually only a handful.

D: many apps not working nearly as well as they did before (after you spent hours fine tuning them).

I don't know what iPhone apps could possibly require hours of fine-tuning, but I guess they must be out there. I have about 300 apps on my iPhone. The only one that hasn't been working properly is the one for my alarm system. However, that stopped working as a result of a change in the app itself about a month after I updated to iOS 26.

Reasons to update:

1. Security

Seriously, yes, it's always possible that things will go badly wrong. And I might be hit by a trolley walking home from work tonight. It's important to remember that people don't come to tech support forums to talk about how wonderful the new system is. They come here when they are having a problem. So, you get a skewed view of things.

I do recommend that the change-averse wait a while before updating. But, eventually, you'll probably have to.

Best of luck.

It's intentional. Apple stopped signing 18 for models capable of 26, so it's no longer possible to update yours to that.

(262226)

I guess that makes sense…

My iPad Mini 6 (A2568) got the 18.7.3 update, it was released in 2021.

my iPhone 15 Pro Max (A2849) only sees the 26.2 update, it was released in 2023.

Read through the post, your question has already been answered, no need to repeat it

I did. I want to add that for some devices (iPad) supporting ios 26, ios 18.7.3 is indeed available.

Apple clearly states that iOS 18.7.3 is available for iPhone XS and later.

If it’s not the case, they should update this page:

Apple security releases - Apple Support

You missed reading point 3. It is NOT a beta version but the final 18.7.3 release. It only shows up when you turn on public beta.

Refer the image from my iPhone 11