iOS 17.2 RC Released for Testing, Final Coming Soon

Apple has issued a release candidate (RC) build for iOS 17.2 for iPhone and iPadOS 17.2 for iPad. Release Candidates are typically the last of the beta development cycle, unless some additional significant bug or security issue is found, suggesting that the final version of iOS 17.2 and iPadOS 17.2 will be coming in the near future.

iOS 17.2 includes the Journal app, the ability to add stickers to iMessages from the long-press menu, and a variety of other bug fixes and security enhancements.

Additionally, Apple released macOS Sonoma 14.2 Release Candidate, along with RC builds of watchOS 10.2, and tvOS 17.2.

How to Download iOS 17.2 RC & iPadOS 17.2 RC

If you’re actively enrolled in the beta testing program, the RC builds will be available now:

1. Open the “Settings” app on your iPhone or iPad
2. Go to “General”
3. Go to “Software Update”
4. Select to update to iOS 17.2 / iPadOS 17.2

Note that while this is still in the beta track, both iOS 17.2 and iPadOS 17.2 are no longer mentioning betas, and the updates are not specifically labeled as a ‘release candidate’.

When will iOS 17.2 be released?

It’s likely that the final version of iOS 17.2 for iPhone, and iPadOS 17.2 for iPad, will be released either by the end of this week, or next.

iOS 17.2 RC Release Notes

Release notes with iOS 17.2 mention new features and bug fixes:

This update introduces Journal, an all-new way to reflect on life’s moments and preserve your memories. This release also includes Action button and Camera enhancements, as well as other features, bug fixes, and security updates for your iPhone.

Journal
– Journal is a new app that lets you write about the small moments and big events in your life so you can practice gratitude and improve your wellbeing
– Journaling suggestions make it easy to remember your experiences by intelligently grouping your outings, photos, workouts, and more into moments you can add to your journal
– Filters let you quickly find bookmarked entries or show entries with attachments so you can revisit and reflect on key moments in your life
– Scheduled notifications help you keep a consistent journaling practice by reminding you to write on the days and time you choose
– Option to lock your journal using Touch ID or Face ID
iCloud sync keeps your journal entries safe and encrypted on iCloud

Action Button
– Translate option for the Action button on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max to quickly translate phrases or have a conversation with someone in another language

Camera
– Spatial video lets you capture video on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max so you can relive your memories in three dimensions on Apple Vision Pro
– Improved Telephoto camera focusing speed when capturing small faraway objects on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max

Messages
– Catch-up arrow lets you easily jump to your first unread message in a conversation by tapping the arrow visible in the top-right corner
– Add sticker option in the context menu lets you add a sticker directly to a bubble
– Memoji updates include the ability to adjust the body shape of any Memoji
– Contact Key Verification provides automatic alerts and Contact Verification Codes to help verify people facing extraordinary digital threats are messaging only with the people they intend

Weather
– Precipitation amounts help you stay on top of rain and snow conditions for a given day over the next 10 days
– New widgets let you choose from next-hour precipitation, daily forecast, sunrise and sunset times, and current conditions such as Air Quality, Feels Like, and wind speed
– Wind map snapshot helps you quickly assess wind patterns and access the animated wind map overlay to prepare for forecasted wind conditions for the next 24 hours
– Interactive moon calendar lets you easily visualize the phase of the moon on any day for the next month

This update also includes the following improvements and bug fixes:
– Siri support for privately accessing and logging Health app data using your voice
– AirDrop improvements including expanded contact sharing options and the ability to share boarding passes, movie tickets, and other eligible passes by bringing two iPhones together
– Favorite Songs Playlist in Apple Music lets you quickly get back to the songs you mark as favorites
– Use Listening History in Apple Music can be disabled in a Focus so music you listen to does not appear in Recently Played or influence your recommendations
– A new Digital Clock Widget lets you quickly catch a glimpse of the time on your Home Screen and while in StandBy
– Enhanced AutoFill identifies fields in PDFs and other forms enabling you to populate them with information such as names and addresses from your contacts
– New keyboard layouts provide support for 8 Sámi languages
– Sensitive Content Warning for stickers in Messages prevents you from being unexpectedly shown a sticker containing nudity
– Qi2 charger support for all iPhone 13 models and iPhone 14 models
– Fixes an issue that may prevent wireless charging in certain vehicles

Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website:
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222

Outside of the beta track, the latest final versions of Apple system software are iOS 17.1.2 for iPhone, iPadOS 17.1.2 for iPad, macOS Sonoma 14.1.2 for Mac, watchOS 10.1.2 for Apple Watch, and tvOS 17.1 for Apple TV.