What is iOS?

iOS is the mobile operating system that runs on Apple’s mobile devices, i.e. iPhones and iPads. It’s the main software that allows you to interact with your Apple phone or tablet.

iOS is the first thing you see when you power up your device, in the form of your phone or tablet’s lock screen and desktops (which are filled with shortcuts to your favourite apps). When you head into your iPhone or iPad’s settings menu, that’s also controlled by the operating system. From here you can adjust the device’s hardware settings, toggling features such as Bluetooth and WiFi on and off, or adjusting the brightness of the screen.

Crucially, iOS also allows you to run any apps that you download from the App Store. While your apps are running, iOS does all the hard work, managing your iPhone or iPad’s memory to ensure that the device runs smoothly.