Apple on Monday released the iOS 18.5 update for eligible iPhone models. Building upon the developer and public beta updates rolled out in recent weeks, it brings subtle changes to the Mail app, including an option to display Contact Photos via a quick shortcut. Guardians or parents will receive a notification when the passcode for the Screen Time is used on a child’s Apple device. iOS 18.5 introduces a new Pride Harmony wallpaper, as well as support for carrier-provided satellite features across the entire iPhone 13 range.
iOS 18.5 Update for iPhone: What’s New
Apple’s release notes say iPhone users can toggle Contact Photos directly from the Mail app’s interface by tapping the three-dot option in the top-right corner of the screen, following the iOS 18.5 update. It also allows for turning off the Group by Sender setting in the app. Accessing the All Mail view has also been made easier with a slight change to the app categorisation. It is now listed alongside the existing Primary, Transactions, Updates, and Promotions options.
With iOS 18.5, the iPhone gets a new Pride Harmony wallpaper with colours that have the ability to change position if the device is moved, locked, or unlocked. It matches the new Pride Harmony face for Apple Watch, which has also been added with the latest watchOS 10.5 update.
The update improves upon children supervision capabilities by sending a notification to the guardian or parent when the Screen Time passcode is used on a device handled by a child. Additionally, a new Buy with iPhone option has been made available when purchasing content within the Apple TV app on a third party device.
Another notable change is the addition of carrier-provided satellite features, which are now available across the entire iPhone 13 range. Apple says it helps you stay connected via your iPhone in areas where there is no cellular or Wi-Fi coverage. Several carriers forged partnerships with satellite providers like Starlink to bolster their cellular network. When this feature is active, a SAT icon is displayed in the iPhone’s status bar.
In addition to new features, iOS 18.5 also brings fixes for several bugs and security vulnerabilities. On the iPhone 16e, there’s a fix for a Baseband issue in Apple’s proprietary C1 modem, which may have caused an attacker in a privileged network position to intercept network traffic. It was fixed through improved state management.
The company also improved handling of floats, checks, memory handling, input validation, and state handling to rectify a security vulnerability which caused a malicious website to exfiltrate data cross-origin and unexpected Safari crashes due to processing of maliciously crafted content.
The update also fixes issues related to Call History, CoreBluetooth, CoreAudio, FaceTime, iCloud Document Sharing, Kernel, Mail Addressing, Notes, and Security.
With WWDC 2025 on the horizon, the Cupertino-based tech giant is likely to shift its focus from the current iOS 18 cycle to the upcoming iOS 19 and its tidbits.
