Apple releases iOS 27 public beta for eligible iPhones: Check what's new

Apple has released the iOS 27 public beta, giving users early access to new features, including an upgraded AI-powered Siri. Here's how to download it, and which devices are supported

Apple has rolled out the iOS 27 public beta for eligible iPhones, offering users an early look at the next major software update ahead of its wider release later this year. Unveiled at WWDC 2026, the update expands Apple Intelligence with a significantly upgraded Siri, while bringing Visual Intelligence directly into the Camera app for real-time AI-powered tasks such as identifying food, analysing receipts and understanding objects through the camera.

 

Beyond AI, iOS 27 introduces performance improvements, enhanced photo editing tools, AI-powered Safari features, smarter home controls, a custom equaliser for AirPods, and a simplified Shortcuts app. The public beta is available for testing on supported iPhone models, though Apple cautions that it may contain bugs and is not intended as the final version. The stable release is expected later this year alongside the next iPhone lineup.

 

iOS 27 public beta: What’s new

Performance improvements

 

Apple says iOS 27 brings a series of under-the-hood performance enhancements focused on making the operating system feel more responsive. According to MacRumors, app launches are quicker, animations are smoother, and features such as AirDrop, the keyboard, App Library and Home Screen navigation respond faster. The update also improves iMessage syncing across Apple devices, automatically retries messages that fail to send, and enables smoother switching between Wi-Fi and cellular networks.

 

While most of iOS 27's AI features require Apple Intelligence and an iPhone 15 Pro or newer, these system-level performance improvements are available across supported iPhone models, including older devices.

 

Visual Intelligence

 

Apple has expanded Visual Intelligence in iOS 27 by integrating it directly into the Camera app. Users can now switch to a dedicated Siri-powered Visual Intelligence mode alongside the existing photo and video options, making the feature quicker to access.

 

The update also adds new AI capabilities. Siri can identify the nutritional information of food through the camera, calculate how much each person owes by scanning a receipt, and perform other context-aware visual tasks. 

 

Write with Siri

 

iOS 27 introduces a Write with Siri feature that is available system-wide through the keyboard. Siri can generate text from scratch, rewrite existing content, adjust tone, suggest alternative wording, and provide feedback on writing. Apple says Siri can also adapt its writing style by learning from a user's emails and messages. In addition, the keyboard now offers automatic grammar corrections alongside spell-check suggestions.

 

Photos Clean Up

 

Apple has upgraded the Clean Up tool in the Photos app, improving its ability to remove unwanted objects from images while filling in the background more naturally. The Photos app also gains new AI-powered editing tools that let users expand an image beyond its original borders and adjust its perspective or composition.

 

Passwords

 

The Passwords app now includes an AI-powered security feature that can automatically replace weak or compromised passwords using Safari. The feature is available on devices that support Apple Intelligence.

 

Safari

 

Apple is bringing AI-powered automation to Safari in iOS 27 with the ability to create custom browser extensions using natural language prompts. As reported, instead of writing code, users can simply describe what they want the extension to do. Safari can also automatically group tabs into categories and monitor webpages for changes, notifying users when updates are detected.

 

Home App

 

The Home app gains several upgrades in iOS 27. HomeKit Secure Video cameras now support 2K and 4K recording, while new AI features can generate text summaries describing activity captured by cameras. Users can also search recorded footage using natural language to quickly find specific events. Apple says these AI-powered capabilities will initially require a 2TB iCloud+ subscription, although 4K video streaming does not.

 

AirPods EQ

 

iOS 27 introduces a customizable equalizer for compatible AirPods models, allowing users to adjust bass, midrange, and treble levels to suit their listening preferences. The feature is supported on AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods Max 2.

 

Shortcuts

 

Apple is making the Shortcuts app easier to use with AI assistance. Instead of manually building automations, users can describe the shortcut they want in natural language, and the app will generate it automatically. The shortcut can then be refined through additional text prompts or edited manually for more advanced customisation.

iOS 27: Eligible devices

• iPhone Air
• iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, iPhone 17, iPhone 17e
• iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16, iPhone 16e
• iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15
• iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14
• iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini
• iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini
• iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max, iPhone 11
• iPhone SE (2nd generation and later)

 

iOS 27 public beta: How to install

• Sign up for the public beta on Apple’s website (https://beta.apple.com/sp/betaprogram/)
• On iPhone, go to Settings-General-Software Update
• Tap on the Beta Updates option and select iOS 27 Public Beta
• Move back to the Software Update page and wait for the download to appear
• Agree to Apple's terms and initiate the download process
• Installation will begin after the download process