Apple has released the iOS 18.5 Release Candidate (RC) to developers and beta testers, hinting that a public release could arrive as soon as next week. While iOS 18.5 isn’t a massive update, it introduces a few meaningful tweaks, a colorful new Pride wallpaper, and some subtle refinements to Mail and accessibility features.

Since this is a release candidate — not the final version — it may still contain bugs or performance hiccups. If you’re testing it out, it’s best to install it on a secondary device, not your primary iPhone.

🌈 New Pride Wallpaper: “Pride Harmony”

As it does each year ahead of Pride Month, Apple has added a fresh Pride-themed wallpaper. This year’s design is called Pride Harmony and features bold, shifting stripes that subtly move in response to your iPhone’s motion, bringing a dynamic, celebratory look to your Lock Screen.

📬 Mail App Updates: Easier Customization and All Mail Access

The Mail app is getting some low-key but helpful upgrades in iOS 18.5:

• Contact Photos Toggle: You can now show or hide contact photos directly within the Mail app by tapping the three-dot menu (…) and selecting Show Contact Photos. This feature was available in iOS 18.4, but previously buried deep in Settings.
• Easier Access to “All Mail” View: A new mini-tab appears on the right side of the categories bar, indicating there’s more off-screen. Swiping reveals the All Mail category, offering a no-frills list view of your messages — handy for those who prefer the classic Mail experience.

👆 Back Tap Banner Option

Apple’s Back Tap feature, which turns the back of your iPhone into a programmable button (double- or triple-tap), now includes an optional on-screen banner.

If enabled, a banner will appear at the top of your screen when you trigger Back Tap, reading:

“Back Tap Double/Triple Tap detected.”

You can turn it on by navigating to:
Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap and toggling Show Banner.

📱 Other Updates and Fixes

According to Apple’s official release notes, iOS 18.5 RC also includes:

• Notifications for parents when a Screen Time passcode is used on a child’s device
• Buy with iPhone support when purchasing content in the Apple TV app on third-party devices
• A fix for an issue where the Apple Vision Pro app may show a black screen
• Carrier-provided satellite features now supported on all iPhone 13 models (details at Apple Support)

What’s Missing? A Lot — On Purpose

With WWDC 2025 just weeks away, it’s no surprise that iOS 18.5 is light on new features. Apple appears to be saving its major reveals for iOS 19, which is expected to debut at the conference in June.

There could be a second release candidate before the update rolls out publicly, but don’t expect any dramatic additions in the meantime.

When Will iOS 18.5 Be Released?

While Apple hasn’t confirmed an exact date, the final version of iOS 18.5 is likely to arrive within a week of the RC — possibly as soon as next week.