Apple rolls out iOS 26 betas, final release expected with iPhone 17 series

The latest iOS 26 betas focus on stability and refinements, with Apple expected to issue the release candidate after the iPhone 17 launch and begin public rollout by mid-September

Apple has rolled out fresh beta builds of iOS 26 for developers and public testers, aiming to polish the experience for supported iPhones. The eighth developer beta and fifth public beta don’t add new features but instead focus on fine-tuning ahead of the broader release, expected next month.

 

According to 9to5Mac, this may be the final beta cycle for iOS 26 before Apple makes the update widely available. Historically, Apple has shipped eight developer betas for versions spanning iOS 13 through iOS 18, which suggests iOS 26 could follow the same pattern. That said, another beta could still arrive if last-minute bugs or issues surface.

With no additional betas anticipated, Apple is likely to push the iOS 26 release candidate (RC) soon after unveiling the iPhone 17 series in early September. 9to5Mac predicts the public rollout of iOS 26 could begin around September 16 for eligible iPhones, while the iPhone 17 lineup will ship with it pre-installed.

iOS 26: What’s new?

Touted as one of the most significant redesigns in years, iOS 26 introduces the Liquid Glass interface, featuring smoother transparency effects, reworked animations, and refreshed icons. Both the Home and Lock Screens now allow deeper widget customisation.

 

Apple Intelligence expands its role with live translation baked into the Phone and Messages apps, smarter contextual suggestions, and more advanced Visual Intelligence capabilities. Features like Genmoji see improvements, and Image Playground now supports new ChatGPT-powered creative styles.

Several stock apps have also been upgraded. The Phone app sports a simplified UI, the Messages app gains poll functionality, and Apple has added a dedicated Games app to track progress, explore titles, and access Apple Arcade content.

iOS 26: Eligible iPhone models

• iPhone 16 Pro Max, 16 Pro, 16 Plus, 16, 16e
• iPhone 15 Pro Max, 15 Pro, 15 Plus, 15
• iPhone 14 Pro Max, 14 Pro, 14 Plus, 14
• iPhone 13 Pro Max, 13 Pro, 13, 13 mini
• iPhone 12 Pro Max, 12 Pro, 12, 12 mini
• iPhone 11 Pro Max, 11 Pro, 11

While iOS 26 will run on all of the above, Apple Intelligence features are exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, and the entire iPhone 16 lineup.

iOS 26 public beta: How to download and install

• Sign up at the Apple Beta Software Programme
• On your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Software Update
• Tap Beta Updates, then select iOS 26 Public Beta
• Return to the Software Update screen and wait for the beta to appear
• Agree to the terms and conditions, and begin the download
• Once downloaded, the installation will begin automatically

Note: Make sure to back up your iPhone before installing the beta version.