Apple announced the public betas of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe26, tvOS 26, HomePod software 26, watchOS 26, and new AirPods firmware. These public beta versions are out for users to try out and share feedback before the final rollout.
Apple released the first developer beta of iOS 26 just after the WWDC25 June keynote. If you want to download the developer beta, you need to be enrolled into Apple’s paid Developer program. Public betas however are available to the general public to use for free.
If you’re excited to give the iOS 26 public beta a try, you can visit beta.apple.com and sign in with your Apple ID. Once you’ve signed up, go to Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates and choose the iOS 26 Beta from there.
Public betas of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26 and more
You can get the public betas for your device if you want to try out the new features early, but keep in mind there may be some bugs you will have to deal with. If you’re enrolling in the beta program, your iPhone must be logged in with the same Apple ID you’ve used to sign up on the website.
The Enroll Your Devices tab of the Apple Beta Software Program website will have the information you need if you want to install other beta software. Our best pick is the AirPods beta firmware that will give you a chance to test out the new audio features coming to AirPods owners this fall.
What’s caught the user attention in this new beta release is the glassy design of the UI across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and other Apple devices. Apple has dubbed the new UI “Liquid Glass”.
Apple hasn’t just redesigned the interface with the new beta, they’ve added a couple of new features. There has also been a focus to increase the quality-of-life with the usage of Apple devices, some examples include:
- New phone app on the Mac
- New Apple Watch gesture
- Windowing system for iPad and more.
Should you install the iOS 26 public beta?
Yes, if you like to try out new things. The current iOS 26 beta version is pretty good as Apple has rolled back some design elements that caused online backlash. The best part is that there aren’t too many bugs and you can expect good battery life.
We would suggest that you do a complete data backup on your computer before installing the iOS 26. This way you can roll back the update if you don’t like the new iOS 26 and still not lose your precious data.
