Unable to update iPhone 6s to iOS 26

The iPhone 6s ran iOS 9.0 when Apple released the first variants in September 2015, ten and a half years ago. It got six major updates and can update to the latest release of iOS 15, but will never be able to update to iOS 16 or later – it lacks hardware that all iPhones that can run those versions have.

The oldest iPhones that can run iOS 26 are the 11-series phones and the SE (2nd generation). But if you are looking to purchase an iPhone capable of running iOS 26, I wouldn't suggest buying one of them. For those phones, iOS 26 represents six major updates. Thus it seems likely that they won't get iOS 27. Also, since these iPhones have been discontinued for many years, you'd only find used ones for sale, in which case the following cautions would apply:

The All Too Common SAD Reality of Buying a Used iPad/iPhone – Apple Community

Something like an iPhone 16- or 17-series phone would be a better bet if you want to buy an iPhone that can run iOS 26 now and that is likely to receive updates for several years to come.

Your iPhone 6s is so old that Apple doesn't even have a selection for it in their online comparison tool – so I have set up a comparison using the very similar iPhone 7. As you can see, even the iPhone 17e (a budget model) has a lot of substantial upgrades with respect to an iPhone 7 (or 6s).

Apple – Compare iPhone models – iPhone 7 vs. iPhone 17e vs. iPhone 17

No, you can’t, and neither can your friend if he had a 6s

https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/iphone-models-compatible-with-ios-26-iphe3fa5df43/ios

No, he showed you a screenshot of an iPhone 11 or later on his 6S. Have him actively use the screen, he won't be able to.

Nope, your "friend" is just talking nonsense if he says he can update his iPhone 6s to iOS 26.

Want some easy money? Bet your friend $20 or more that he can't update his iPhone 6s to iOS 26.

Take a look at Apple's compatibility chart for iOS 26 below to see why.

Even if your friend had an iPhone 7, iPhone 8, iPhone X, or iPhone Xr / Xs......he could not update to iOS 26. You might now wonder what else your "friend" has told you that is not true.

tonsokolov wrote:

no, he showed me his iphone 6s, which had the same icons as ios 26 and liquid glass

Nope. That's not possible.

iPhone model 6s (2015) supports iOS versions up to 15.8.6, but not later versions.

iOS 26.x requires iPhone model 11 (2019) or later.

he showed me his iphone 6s, which had the same icons as ios 26 and liquid glass

Your friend is pranking you. Want to know how? I'll bet you can figure it out on your own if you think about it.

His 6s is probably jailbroken which involves illegally bypassing and downloading Ios’s not available