iOS 26 Public Beta Live: How to Download and What's New
Apple releases iOS 26 public beta with Liquid Glass design, on-device AI, updated Camera, Safari, and News apps. Available now for iPhone 11 and up.
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Apple on Friday released the first public beta of iOS 26, making the new operating system available for any compatible iPhone. The update follows four developer previews and offers a more stable build ahead of a full rollout expected later this year.
The iOS 26 public beta features a new Liquid Glass interface, revamped core apps and a suite of on-device AI tools branded Apple Intelligence. Users will find redesigned versions of Camera and Safari, and enhanced transparency effects in Photos, Weather and Music, while Notification Center gains a streamlined layout.
To enroll, users must join the Apple Beta Software Program at beta.apple.com and sign in with an Apple ID. After enrollment, the beta appears under Settings > General > Software Update. The public beta supports iPhone 11 and newer models, including second- and third-generation iPhone SE.
This beta also reintroduces AI-driven news summaries in the News app, paused earlier amid accuracy concerns, and adds live translation in Messages, FaceTime and calls. Apple Intelligence advances include Visual Intelligence, which recognizes on-screen content for actions such as product lookups, text-based calendar entries and ChatGPT queries.
The stable version of iOS 26 is slated for release alongside the iPhone 17 series at Apple’s annual September event. Users are advised to back up devices before installing any beta release to avoid data loss.
