How To Explore iOS 26 on Your iPhone 12 Mini: A Comprehensive Review

Updating to iOS 26 on the iPhone 12 Mini can be a bit of a rollercoaster. The huge size (~7.65 GB) means it’s a substantial jump, and lots of users report weird glitches, battery drain, or UI hiccups right after the install. If you’re tired of dealing with crashing apps or sluggish performance, it’s worth considering some prep steps beforehand. Usually, a clean install or at least a backup can save a lot of headaches. Also, if your phone is already acting funky, updating might make things worse temporarily, so patience is key.

How to Fix Common Post-Update Issues in iOS 26

First things first: restart your iPhone properly

Often, after a major update, a simple restart can clear out minor bugs that pop up. Hold down the side button along with either volume button until the slider appears. Slide to power off, then turn it back on. It’s not fancy but surprisingly effective, especially if you notice lag or weird interface glitches. On some setups, it’s like the device needs a fresh start after the big update to settle down.

Check your storage and free up space

If the update was sketchy or failed, it’s a good idea to verify you’ve got enough free space. You can go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. Usually, free at least 2-3 GB before installing updates, because iOS struggles if space is tight. Clearing out unused apps or offloading large files (like videos or old snapshots) can help. Because of course, iOS has to make it harder than necessary to free up space sometimes, but it’s worth the effort for stability.

Reset network settings if Wi-Fi or cellular is acting weird

Post-update network issues are common. To fix that, go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings. This resets Wi-Fi, cellular, and VPN settings, but not your stuff—just the network configs. Expect to reconnect to Wi-Fi networks afterward, but this step often fixes delayed connections, dropped calls, or slow internet on iOS 26. On some setups, it’s like the device just needs to forget the bad network info and start fresh.

Update all your apps and system software

Sometimes, leftover app versions don’t play nice with new iOS builds. Make sure every app is updated in the App Store, and check for any pending system updates. Open the Settings > General > Software Update to see if Apple released a patch for bugs. Expect smoother overall performance once apps are optimized for iOS 26. On one machine, this fix took a couple of days to settle, so patience might be needed here.

Look into specific fusses—like UI or battery drains

If the Liquid Glass UI feels sluggish or odd, try toggling it off (if it’s customizable). For battery issues, check the new Settings > Battery section to see if anything weird is draining power. Sometimes, background processes or system glitches eat battery, especially during initial updates. A reset of settings (like Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Settings) can also help, but remember this resets your preferences—so backup first.

When to wait and not rush into the update

If many users report crashes, instability, or bugs, maybe hold off. The early versions of any major iOS tend to have teething problems. Give Apple some time to push out patches, or at least wait for community feedback. The last thing you want is to be stuck with a bricked device or constant reboots. For now, if everything’s stable, maybe just sit tight or at least do a backup via iCloud or iTunes first.

Final thoughts

The iOS 26 update definitely offers flashy UI changes, like the Liquid Glass look, plus improved features in messages and CarPlay. But the reported bugs and user frustrations are real. Sometimes a mix of patience, careful prep, and some troubleshooting steps make a difference before jumping into the deep end. Not sure why, but on some phones, doing these small fixes will slowly stabilize things out. So, if you’re planning to go ahead, keep backups handy and expect to troubleshoot a little.