Xcode 26 / iOS 26 SDK support for UE 5.5.4 – upgrade required?

Development Platform & Builds Mobile
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Hi everyone,

I’m currently working on an iOS project using Unreal Engine 5.5.4, and I’ve run into an issue related to Apple’s upcoming SDK requirements.

Apple recently announced that starting April 28, 2026, all apps must be built with the iOS 26 SDK (Xcode 26 or later) in order to be uploaded to App Store Connect.

Current situation

  • Engine version: UE 5.5.4

  • Current build environment: Xcode 16 / iOS 18.x SDK

  • Target: App Store distribution

As expected, building with older SDKs will soon no longer be accepted.

Questions

I’d like to understand the current state of support:

  1. Does UE 5.5.4 officially support Xcode 26 / iOS 26 SDK?

  2. Has anyone successfully:

    • Built an iOS package with Xcode 26 using UE 5.5.x?

    • Submitted it to App Store Connect?

  3. If not fully supported:

    • Are there any known workarounds (e.g. modifying Apple_SDK.json, toolchain patches)?

    • Are there runtime issues (crashes on launch, plugin incompatibility, etc.)?

  4. Is upgrading to a newer engine version (e.g. UE 5.6 / 5.7+) currently the only stable solution?

Additional concern

This project includes third-party plugins (e.g. Agora), so engine upgrade cost is non-trivial.
I’m trying to evaluate whether:

  • It’s feasible to stay on 5.5.4 + Xcode 26 (with fixes)
    or

  • A full engine upgrade is unavoidable

Any insights would be greatly appreciated

Especially from anyone who has already:

  • Tested UE 5.5.x with Xcode 26

  • Passed App Store validation

  • Encountered runtime issues on iOS 26 devices

Thanks in advance!