iOS 26 is official: Apple lastly introduced the most recent replace for iPhones throughout WWDC 2025. After months of leaks and rumors, we now know that the brand new “Liquid Glass” redesign is actual, the Digicam app is getting its first main overhaul in years, and dwell translation is coming to all supported Apple gadgets.
Apple is not planning on releasing iOS 26 to the general public till a while this fall. Nonetheless, you possibly can strive it out proper now, when you have a suitable iPhone. That is as a result of Apple has formally launched the primary developer beta for iOS 26. The factor is, I would not advocate you strive it out.
You most likely should not set up the iOS 26 developer beta
Betas, by their nature, are unfinished software program. The entire level of a beta is to check a brand new replace to search for bugs, instability, and incompatibility. Builders then repair these points earlier than releasing the software program to the general public at giant.
Apple’s newest beta is much more particular, although—it is a developer beta, which suggests it is completely meant for software program builders to put in and check their apps with iOS 26. That approach, they’ll replace their very own apps to work nicely with the brand new OS replace, and report any OS-level points again to Apple.
That is the buggiest iOS 26 will ever be, since Apple has one other three months or so till their public launch. As such, I like to recommend you keep away from this model of iOS 26. It is tempting, contemplating all the brand new options and adjustments Apple added this yr, however you will be introducing an unstable model of iOS to your iPhone. You would possibly discover your iPhone tough to make use of, or, within the worst case situation, not possible to make use of. And if it is advisable to wipe the beta out of your iPhone, you will seemingly want to put in a clear model of iOS 18, which might lead to knowledge loss in the event you usually depend on a backup.
Until you’ve a spare iPhone mendacity round to check, I would not danger it. Apple will launch the public beta in July, which, whereas not excellent, has at the very least gone by way of extra testing and debugging than this beta.
The way to set up the iOS 26 developer beta
Credit score: Lifehacker
Apple’s developer betas was unique to builders with a paid $99 license. That barred a lot of the public from attempting it out early, although some discovered downloads on the web anyway. However lately, Apple made it free to at the very least signal as much as be a developer, which is now all it is advisable to entry the dev beta.
To begin, you will must enroll your Apple ID within the Apple Developer program. Sign up together with your Apple ID right here, and conform to any phrases. From right here, open the Settings app, then go to Common > Software program Replace > Beta Updates. Right here, it’s best to have the choice to pick out iOS 26 Developer Beta as soon as it is obtainable. Hit Again within the high left, enable iOS to load the beta, then hit Replace Now.
What do you suppose up to now?
Which iPhones are suitable with iOS 26?
After all, with the intention to set up iOS 26, your iPhone must be suitable with it. Sadly, Apple axed the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR from this yr’s replace. Meaning the next iPhones are suitable with iOS 26:
What’s new with iOS 26?
Apple introduced a number of recent options for this software program replace. There’s an all new design referred to as “Liquid Glass,” which is predicated on the best way mild and objects seem by way of glass. Which may sound pretentious, however, to be sincere, I dig the design: It is minimalist, and appears to have some nice consideration to element. I am trying ahead to testing this one out.
Dwell Translation can translate audio and textual content alike, so you possibly can have bilingual conversations with out realizing one other language. Visible intelligence, which helps you to analyze topics together with your digital camera, now works with something in your iPhone’s display, which ought to make the function much more helpful. Genmoji and Picture Playground now helps you to mix two AI photographs into one, and Shortcuts now has Apple Intelligence help.
The Cellphone app will get a redesign, in addition to some new options that ought to reduce down on spam: Name Screening, which asks callers for his or her data earlier than patching them by way of to you, and Maintain Help, which helps you to know when a dwell agent is out there on a name. You may display texts within the Messages app, too, and implement customized backgrounds and generate polls. Group chats now help typing indicators. You may additionally see a redesigned Digicam app when taking a photograph for the primary time in iOS 26.
