ISO 9001:2026: what changed from 2015

Every clause from 4 to 10 of the 2026 quality management system standard against the 2015 edition, in plain words, and a free gap check for your transition. Read from the published standard; no text of the standard is quoted.

Published: 16 September 2026
Transition: 30 September 2029: certificates to ISO 9001:2015 stop being valid after that date (three-year transition). Your certification body may stop first audits to the 2015 edition earlier.

The main changes

Quality culture and ethical behaviour are new duties for top management (5.1.1) and part of staff awareness (7.3).
Risks and opportunities are now handled separately (6.1.1 to 6.1.3); risks are analysed and evaluated, and actions are proportionate to the impact.
Planning of changes (6.3) asks for more: information, communication, monitoring of effectiveness and review of results.
Climate change stays in the context and interested parties (4.1, 4.2), as added by the 2024 amendment; you also decide which parties' requirements the system takes on.
Organizational knowledge (7.1.6) now serves the intended results of the whole system, and is retained, applied and shared.
Customers are told about contingency actions and disruptions (8.2); customer satisfaction is simply monitored (9.1).
Clause 10 has two subclauses: continual improvement (10.1, merging 2015's 10.1 and 10.3) and corrective action (10.2).
Terms are now defined in the standard itself, Annex A is expanded and Annex B is removed. "Maintain" and "retain" documented information become "available".

Clause by clause

4.1 ContextChanged
Know the outside and inside issues that affect your purpose and results, and keep watching them. The decision on whether climate change is relevant (added by the 2024 amendment) stays; new notes say what internal context covers: strategy, values, culture, resources, knowledge, performance.
4.2 Interested partiesChanged
Name the parties that matter and their requirements. New: decide which of those requirements the QMS will take on. A note says parties can have climate-related requirements.
4.3 ScopeSame
Boundaries from context, parties and products; product types covered; any requirement not applied is justified; scope kept as a document.
4.4 QMS and its processesReworded
Processes with inputs, outputs, criteria, resources, owners, risks and opportunities. Records now "available" rather than "retained".
5.1.1 LeadershipChanged
Top management's commitments. New: promote a quality culture and ethical behaviour; "risk-based thinking" becomes risk- and opportunity-based thinking; accountability for the QMS moves to the end of the list; support goes to other relevant roles, not only management roles.
5.1.2 Customer focusSame
Customer and legal requirements met, risks and opportunities to satisfaction handled.
5.2 Quality policyReworded
Same content; fitting the context and supporting the strategic direction is now a separate point.
5.3 Roles and authoritiesReworded
Reporting on improvement opportunities is its own item; keeping the QMS intact applies generally, including during change.
6.1 Risks and opportunitiesRestructured
Split in three: 6.1.1 find the risks and opportunities, 6.1.2 risks, 6.1.3 opportunities. Risks are now analysed and evaluated, actions must be proportionate to the potential impact, and each set of actions is checked for effectiveness. Notes mention disruption and new technologies.
6.2 Quality objectivesSame
Measurable objectives consistent with the policy, monitored, communicated, planned (what, resources, who, when, how evaluated).
6.3 Planning of changesChanged
Changes to the QMS are planned. Now also considered: the information needed, communication of the change, how its effectiveness is monitored and how its results are reviewed.
7.1 Resources and organizational knowledgeChanged
People, infrastructure, work environment and measuring resources as before; notes add remote and hybrid work and burnout prevention. Changed in 7.1.6: knowledge now serves the intended results of the QMS (2015: conformity of products and services) and is retained, applied and shared as needed; a note adds digital forms of knowledge.
7.2 CompetenceSame
Needed competence defined, ensured, gaps acted on, evidence kept.
7.3 AwarenessChanged
People know the policy, objectives and their contribution. New: awareness of the organization's quality culture and ethical behaviour.
7.4 CommunicationSame
What, when, with whom, how and who communicates.
7.5 Documented informationReworded
Same controls; "maintain" and "retain" become "available" (as a document or as evidence).
8.1 Operational planningReworded
Same substance, reordered.
8.2 Customer requirementsChanged
Customer communication now includes telling customers about contingency actions, including disruptions to supply. A note lists channels such as websites, social media and FAQs. Review and change of requirements unchanged.
8.3 Design and developmentChanged
Same process. Changed: planning considers involving customers and other relevant interested parties (2015: customers and users) (8.3.2); outputs also specify the product information essential for the intended purpose, including safe and proper provision (8.3.5). Notes on iterative design and evolving inputs.
8.4 External providersChanged
Same controls. Changed in 8.4.3: what you tell providers now covers their interactions with you and, where applicable, with your customers and other relevant interested parties (2015: with you only).
8.5-8.7 Production, release, nonconforming outputsSame
Controlled conditions, traceability, property, preservation, post-delivery, changes, release, nonconforming outputs.
9.1 Monitoring and analysisChanged
Customer satisfaction is now simply monitored (2015 spoke of customers' perceptions), with social media among the sources. Analysis evaluates the actions on risks and on opportunities separately.
9.2 Internal auditSame
Programme, objectives, criteria, scope, impartial auditors, reporting, timely correction.
9.3 Management reviewChanged
Inputs now list the effectiveness of risk actions and of opportunity actions separately.
10.1 Continual improvementRestructured
2015's 10.1 and 10.3 are merged into one 10.1. Monitoring and measurement results are named as inputs; actions cover processes, products, future needs and undesired effects.
10.2 Nonconformity and corrective actionSame
React, find causes, act, check, update risks and opportunities, record. A note says complaints can reveal nonconformities.

ISO 9001:2026 clauses 4 to 10 and what changed from 2015
Clause	Topic	Change	What it asks and what is different
4.1	Context	Changed	Know the outside and inside issues that affect your purpose and results, and keep watching them. The decision on whether climate change is relevant (added by the 2024 amendment) stays; new notes say what internal context covers: strategy, values, culture, resources, knowledge, performance.
4.2	Interested parties	Changed	Name the parties that matter and their requirements. New: decide which of those requirements the QMS will take on. A note says parties can have climate-related requirements.
4.3	Scope	Same	Boundaries from context, parties and products; product types covered; any requirement not applied is justified; scope kept as a document.
4.4	QMS and its processes	Reworded	Processes with inputs, outputs, criteria, resources, owners, risks and opportunities. Records now "available" rather than "retained".
5.1.1	Leadership	Changed	Top management's commitments. New: promote a quality culture and ethical behaviour; "risk-based thinking" becomes risk- and opportunity-based thinking; accountability for the QMS moves to the end of the list; support goes to other relevant roles, not only management roles.
5.1.2	Customer focus	Same	Customer and legal requirements met, risks and opportunities to satisfaction handled.
5.2	Quality policy	Reworded	Same content; fitting the context and supporting the strategic direction is now a separate point.
5.3	Roles and authorities	Reworded	Reporting on improvement opportunities is its own item; keeping the QMS intact applies generally, including during change.
6.1	Risks and opportunities	Restructured	Split in three: 6.1.1 find the risks and opportunities, 6.1.2 risks, 6.1.3 opportunities. Risks are now analysed and evaluated, actions must be proportionate to the potential impact, and each set of actions is checked for effectiveness. Notes mention disruption and new technologies.
6.2	Quality objectives	Same	Measurable objectives consistent with the policy, monitored, communicated, planned (what, resources, who, when, how evaluated).
6.3	Planning of changes	Changed	Changes to the QMS are planned. Now also considered: the information needed, communication of the change, how its effectiveness is monitored and how its results are reviewed.
7.1	Resources and organizational knowledge	Changed	People, infrastructure, work environment and measuring resources as before; notes add remote and hybrid work and burnout prevention. Changed in 7.1.6: knowledge now serves the intended results of the QMS (2015: conformity of products and services) and is retained, applied and shared as needed; a note adds digital forms of knowledge.
7.2	Competence	Same	Needed competence defined, ensured, gaps acted on, evidence kept.
7.3	Awareness	Changed	People know the policy, objectives and their contribution. New: awareness of the organization's quality culture and ethical behaviour.
7.4	Communication	Same	What, when, with whom, how and who communicates.
7.5	Documented information	Reworded	Same controls; "maintain" and "retain" become "available" (as a document or as evidence).
8.1	Operational planning	Reworded	Same substance, reordered.
8.2	Customer requirements	Changed	Customer communication now includes telling customers about contingency actions, including disruptions to supply. A note lists channels such as websites, social media and FAQs. Review and change of requirements unchanged.
8.3	Design and development	Changed	Same process. Changed: planning considers involving customers and other relevant interested parties (2015: customers and users) (8.3.2); outputs also specify the product information essential for the intended purpose, including safe and proper provision (8.3.5). Notes on iterative design and evolving inputs.
8.4	External providers	Changed	Same controls. Changed in 8.4.3: what you tell providers now covers their interactions with you and, where applicable, with your customers and other relevant interested parties (2015: with you only).
8.5-8.7	Production, release, nonconforming outputs	Same	Controlled conditions, traceability, property, preservation, post-delivery, changes, release, nonconforming outputs.
9.1	Monitoring and analysis	Changed	Customer satisfaction is now simply monitored (2015 spoke of customers' perceptions), with social media among the sources. Analysis evaluates the actions on risks and on opportunities separately.
9.2	Internal audit	Same	Programme, objectives, criteria, scope, impartial auditors, reporting, timely correction.
9.3	Management review	Changed	Inputs now list the effectiveness of risk actions and of opportunity actions separately.
10.1	Continual improvement	Restructured	2015's 10.1 and 10.3 are merged into one 10.1. Monitoring and measurement results are named as inputs; actions cover processes, products, future needs and undesired effects.
10.2	Nonconformity and corrective action	Same	React, find causes, act, check, update risks and opportunities, record. A note says complaints can reveal nonconformities.

Questions

When was ISO 9001:2026 published?

On 16 September 2026.

When does the transition end?

Certificates to ISO 9001:2015 stop being valid after 30 September 2029. Ask your certification body for its own dates for transition audits.

Is there a free ISO 9001:2026 PDF?

No. The standard is copyrighted; buy it from ISO or your national standards body. This page summarises the changes in our own words.

Do I need to rewrite my quality manual?

No. The structure is the same as 2015. Most work is in leadership and awareness (quality culture), the risk and opportunity process, planning of changes, and customer communication on disruptions.

The standard itself is copyrighted and is not free anywhere legally. Buy it from ISO (iso.org) or from your national standards body; in India the Bureau of Indian Standards sells the identical IS/ISO adoption. This page only summarises the changes in our own words and quotes no text of the standard.

Also on this site: what changed in ISO 14001:2026 and the ISO 27001 starter kit.

Sources

Checked 29 October 2026. Certification needs a working system and an audit by an accredited body; this page is general information, not consultancy.