Background security improvements add extra security protections between regular software updates.
These improvements deliver security updates for Safari, WebKit, and other system libraries. They keep your device safer with patches between major software updates.
If there are compatibility issues, these improvements may be temporarily removed and fixed in a later update.
Starting with iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS 26.1, background security improvements are enabled by default. Each update lists the specific iOS, iPadOS, or macOS versions addressed, along with details of fixes and any available CVE identifiers.
View Background Security Improvement In Settings
Open the privacy and security menu to find these settings.
- On iPhone or iPad, open Settings, then Privacy & Security.
- On Mac, open the Apple menu, System Settings, then Privacy & Security.
Find background security improvements and ensure automatic install is enabled.
If you turn off this setting, your device may miss these improvements until a future update includes them.
If you remove a background security improvement after applying it, your device reverts to the standard software update, such as iOS 26.3. Without these improvements.
If your iPhone isn’t running the latest version of iOS, go to Settings > General > Software Update and follow the on-screen steps to update iOS. This helps keep your data safe.
Security experts have discovered web-based attacks targeting older versions of iOS. These use harmful web content. If you use an outdated version and click a bad link or visit a risky website, your iPhone’s data could be stolen.
We looked into these problems right away and quickly released software updates for the latest iOS versions to fix the issues and stop these attacks.
Keeping your iPhone up to date is the best way to keep your Apple devices secure. Lockdown Mode provides extra protection, but updating to the latest iOS is most important. https://xthe.com/news/apple-iphone-17e-review-is-the-599-budget-iphone-worth-it/
Update your older iOS device now to keep your data protected.
- Devices with iOS 15 through 26 are protected. If not, update iOS now.
- March 11, 2026, we released a software update for iOS 15 and iOS 16. This helps protect older devices that can’t update. Update to the newest iOS version
- If your device has iOS 13 or iOS 14, you need to update to at least iOS 15 to receive these protections. You will be prompted soon to install a critical security update.
- Apple Safe Browsing in Safari is enabled by default and blocks harmful website addresses associated with these attacks.
Note: If you can’t update your device, consider turning on lockdown mode if your device supports it. This can help protect against harmful web content and other threats.
Source:About Background Security Improvements for iOS, iPadOS and macOS
