Hey everyone! I have an iPhone 12 mini that's currently running iOS 17.6.1, and I've been really happy with it. Recently, I received an Apple Watch Series 11 as a gift, but I'm facing a compatibility issue since it won't pair with my iPhone on the current iOS version. The only update option available to me is iOS 26.2.1, but I'm concerned because Apple doesn't allow downgrading the OS once I upgrade, which means I'd be stuck on iOS 26.2.1 for good. I'm torn between updating my iPhone so I can use the watch or sticking with my stable iOS 17.6.1 and leaving the watch unused. What do you think I should do?
3 Answers
If you keep a charger handy, I’d say go ahead and update. The battery life on the 12 mini wasn't stellar to begin with, but I’ve heard that while iOS 18 and 26 have been rough on some devices, my battery didn’t take too much of a hit with 26! As long as your battery is in decent shape, it should run fine and be fairly fast.
If I were in your shoes, I'd go for the update! You just got a new Apple Watch, and it would be a real bummer not to use it. Plus, the update is important for compatibility and new features.
Definitely check the battery health on your 12 mini! A lot of folks who run into issues after updating often have degraded batteries that might need servicing later on.
I just checked mine and it's at 78%. Not great, huh?
I get that, but I've heard some people say updates can really mess up their phones.