Try new iPhone features early with the iOS 26 public beta

Alex Choros - Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor

Last updated 25 July 2025

Apple has released public betas of its latest operating system updates, including iOS 26, allowing users to test them ahead of their final release later this year.

To try out the new version of Apple's iPhone operating system, you'll need to register your Apple ID through Apple's beta software portal.

After you've registered, installing the beta versions on your iPhone is pretty simple. If you're on a device running iOS 16.4 or iPadOS 16.4 or later, you'll then be able to follow these steps on your device:

Open the Settings app
Tap General and then Software Updates
Choose the public beta and follow the prompts

If you're not running iOS 16.4, the easiest way to install the beta is to update to the latest version of iOS (currently 18.5) through the Settings app, and then install the beta.

The beta download will be a couple of gigabytes, so you'll want to do it on WiFi. Once done, your iPhone will restart and install iOS 26, respectively. As with a typical iOS update, you won't lose any apps or files as part of the upgrade.

As always, you probably shouldn't install iOS 26 on your primary device, as the operating system may still exhibit stability issues. In addition, beta operating systems can increase battery drain and result in compatibility issues with unoptimised apps.

If you're feeling brave and want to install the iOS 26 beta on your main iPhone, you can always roll back to an earlier version of iOS if anything goes wrong. This does however require wiping your phone and reinstalling iOS 18, so make sure you take a backup before you upgrade to the iOS 26 public beta.

Announced last month, iOS 26 includes new features such as the "Liquid Glass" redesign, live translation across Messages, FaceTime, and the Phone app, call screening, improved visual intelligence, and a new Games app.

Most phones that support iOS 18 will be able to upgrade to iOS 26. The iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR are the three exceptions.

You can install iOS 26 on the following iPhones:

iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16e, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 13, Phone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone SE (2022), iPhone 12, Phone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, and iPhone SE (2020)

We're expecting to see the final version of iOS 26 launch in September alongside new iPhones.

In addition to new iPhone operating systems, public betas for the latest version of iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS are also available. There is no public beta for visionOS.

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Alex Choros

Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor | X | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn

Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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