Apple CEO Tim Cook says iOS 26 is by far the most popular beta ever. Here’s how to install it and see it in action for yourself.
Apple announced some big changes to its iPhone operating system as part of iOS 26 during WWDC 2025 in June. Instead of launching iOS 19 consecutively to the current iOS 18, Apple rebranded its OS versions to match the year when users will use them the most. In this case, iOS 26 will launch for general availability in the fall, though most feature updates will roll out through 2026.
Apple released the developer beta of iOS 26 in June, and the company’s already refined and tweaked some of the biggest bugs in the new operating system in preparation for its stable release after the iPhone 17 launch event. The general release of iOS 26 is only a few days away, though you can still download the public beta version right now.
Before installing any beta software versions, be sure to back up your device, avoid using your primary iPhone, and remember that pre-release software can contain bugs and glitches.How to install the iOS 26 public beta version
What you need: A compatible iPhone running iOS 16.5 or later. Since not all iPhones support iOS 26, you’ll also need a model newer than iPhone 11.
