diff --git a/.github/workflow-scripts/__tests__/maestro-ios-test.js b/.github/workflow-scripts/__tests__/maestro-ios-test.js
index 07e3c547c2c2..8b604ae1da66 100644
--- a/.github/workflow-scripts/__tests__/maestro-ios-test.js
+++ b/.github/workflow-scripts/__tests__/maestro-ios-test.js
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ jest.mock('fs', () => ({
 const childProcess = require('child_process');
 const fs = require('fs');
 
-const {executeFlows} = require('../maestro-ios');
+const {executeFlows, findAvailableSimulator} = require('../maestro-ios');
 
 describe('Maestro iOS runner', () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
@@ -59,4 +59,23 @@ describe('Maestro iOS runner', () => {
       expect(call[0]).toContain('test "flow.yml"');
     }
   });
+
+  it('selects an iPhone Pro simulator from the latest runtime', () => {
+    childProcess.execSync.mockReturnValue(
+      JSON.stringify({
+        devices: {
+          'iOS 18.5': [{name: 'iPhone 16 Pro', udid: 'old-pro'}],
+          'iOS 26.5': [
+            {name: 'iPhone 17 Pro Max', udid: 'new-pro-max'},
+            {name: 'iPhone 17 Pro', udid: 'new-pro'},
+          ],
+        },
+      }),
+    );
+
+    expect(findAvailableSimulator()).toEqual({
+      name: 'iPhone 17 Pro',
+      udid: 'new-pro',
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/.github/workflow-scripts/maestro-ios.js b/.github/workflow-scripts/maestro-ios.js
index fa0153ad1e61..6b7a536f72d2 100644
--- a/.github/workflow-scripts/maestro-ios.js
+++ b/.github/workflow-scripts/maestro-ios.js
@@ -25,10 +25,26 @@ node maestro-android.js <path to app> <app_id> <maestro_flow> <flavor> <working_
 
 const MAX_ATTEMPTS = 5;
 
-function launchSimulator(simulatorName) {
-  console.log(`Launching simulator ${simulatorName}`);
+function findAvailableSimulator() {
+  const output = childProcess.execSync(
+    'xcrun simctl list devices available -j',
+  );
+  const devices = Object.values(JSON.parse(String(output)).devices)
+    .flat()
+    .reverse();
+  const simulator = devices.find(device => /^iPhone .* Pro$/.test(device.name));
+
+  if (simulator == null) {
+    throw new Error('Unable to find an available iPhone Pro simulator');
+  }
+
+  return simulator;
+}
+
+function launchSimulator(simulator) {
+  console.log(`Launching simulator ${simulator.name} (${simulator.udid})`);
   try {
-    childProcess.execSync(`xcrun simctl boot "${simulatorName}"`);
+    childProcess.execSync(`xcrun simctl boot "${simulator.udid}"`);
   } catch (error) {
     if (
       !error.message.includes('Unable to boot device in current state: Booted')
@@ -43,14 +59,6 @@ function installAppOnSimulator(appPath) {
   childProcess.execSync(`xcrun simctl install booted "${appPath}"`);
 }
 
-function extractSimulatorUDID() {
-  console.log('Retrieving device UDID');
-  const command = `xcrun simctl list devices booted -j | jq -r '[.devices[]] | add | first | .udid'`;
-  const udid = String(childProcess.execSync(command)).trim();
-  console.log(`UDID is ${udid}`);
-  return udid;
-}
-
 function bringSimulatorInForeground() {
   console.log('Bringing simulator in foreground');
   childProcess.execSync('open -a simulator');
@@ -166,13 +174,12 @@ async function main(args = process.argv.slice(2)) {
   console.info(`WORKING_DIRECTORY: ${workingDirectory}`);
   console.info('==============================\n');
 
-  const simulatorName = 'iPhone 16 Pro';
-  launchSimulator(simulatorName);
+  const simulator = findAvailableSimulator();
+  launchSimulator(simulator);
   installAppOnSimulator(appPath);
-  const udid = extractSimulatorUDID();
   bringSimulatorInForeground();
-  await launchAppOnSimulator(appId, udid, isDebug);
-  executeFlows(appId, udid, maestroFlow, jsengine);
+  await launchAppOnSimulator(appId, simulator.udid, isDebug);
+  executeFlows(appId, simulator.udid, maestroFlow, jsengine);
   console.log('Test finished');
 }
 
@@ -182,4 +189,5 @@ if (require.main === module) {
 
 module.exports = {
   executeFlows,
+  findAvailableSimulator,
 };
diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-ios-rntester.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e-ios-rntester.yml
index cd53e954788c..f7ec8894d3d9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-ios-rntester.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-ios-rntester.yml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ on:
 
 jobs:
   test:
-    runs-on: macos-15-large
+    runs-on: macos-26-large
     outputs:
       status: ${{ steps.report-status.outputs.status }}
     strategy:
@@ -35,8 +35,6 @@ jobs:
           path: /tmp/RNTesterBuild/RNTester.app
       - name: Check downloaded folder content
         run: ls -lR /tmp/RNTesterBuild
-      - name: Setup xcode
-        uses: ./.github/actions/setup-xcode
       - name: Run E2E Tests
         id: run-tests
         continue-on-error: true
diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-ios-templateapp.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e-ios-templateapp.yml
index 44b64858bb48..20e5a9c5dff3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-ios-templateapp.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-ios-templateapp.yml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ on:
 
 jobs:
   test:
-    runs-on: macos-15-large
+    runs-on: macos-26-large
     outputs:
       status: ${{ steps.report-status.outputs.status }}
     strategy:
@@ -26,8 +26,6 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v6
-      - name: Setup xcode
-        uses: ./.github/actions/setup-xcode
       - name: Setup node.js
         uses: ./.github/actions/setup-node
       - name: Run yarn