iOS 18 Beta 1 Download Available Now for iPhone & iPad
Apple just announced iOS 18 at the WWDC 2024 keynote, and it’s already available to download and install onto eligible iPhone models right now. Specifically, iOS 18 beta 1 is available to download for registered Apple Developers.
You can also find iPadOS 18 beta 1 available to download too if you’re using iPad, along with macOS Sequoia 15 beta 1 on Mac, watchOS 11 beta 1 for Apple Watch (which requires iOS 18 beta on paired iPhone), tvOS 18 beta 1 for Apple TV, and visionOS 2 beta 1 for Vision Pro, each also as the first developer beta.
Can I really download iOS 18 beta / iPadOS 18 beta right now?
Technically speaking, anyone can register to become an Apple Developer at the developer.apple.com site with their Apple ID, and therefore anyone can access, download, and install iOS 18 beta 1 right now onto their iPhone.
Just because you can doesn’t mean you should, however. Developer betas are usually the roughest beta versions of system software that exist in a beta test cycle that is available to the general public, especially this early in the beta cycle, so if you’re not an advanced user or software developer, it is best stay away. Ideally, you’ll only run beta system software on a secondary device, not your daily primary iPhone or iPad.
List of iOS 18 Compatible iPhone & iPadOS 18 Compatible iPad Models
If you’d like to install or run iOS 18 or iPadOS 18, you must have a compatible device.
iOS 18 compatible iPhone models include the iPhone XR, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone SE (2nd gen and 3rd gen), iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
iPadOS 18 compatible iPad models include iPad Pro 2018 and newer, iPad Air 3rd generation and newer, iPad 7th generation and newer, iPad Mini 5th generation and newer.
How to Download & Install iOS 18 Beta 1 / iPadOS 18 Beta 1
Before doing anything else, backup iPhone or iPad to iCloud and your computer. This is beta system software at it’s earliest and most finicky, so you must have a backup for your device so that you can preserve your data, and potentially downgrade if you’ve had enough.
- Open the “Settings” app on iPhone or iPad
- Go to “General” and then select “Software Update”
- Tap on “Beta Updates” and select “iOS 18 Developer Beta”
- Tap back and then tap on “Update Now” to download and install iOS 18 beta 1 / iPadOS 18 beta 1
Your iPhone or iPad will restart to finish installation.
When your iPhone or iPad restarts, you’ll be running iOS 18 beta or iPadOS 18 beta.
Future beta software updates to iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 will arrive via the typical System Settings Software Update mechanism.
It’s important to remember that beta versions of system software are actively changing and being worked on, so some iOS 18 features may not be be fully functional yet, and things may be less stable than you are accustomed to.
Outside of these beta versions, the most recent final stable builds of system software are currently iOS 17.5.1 for iPhone, iPadOS 17.5.1 for iPad, macOS Sonoma 14.5 for Mac, macOS Ventura 13.6.7, and macOS Monterey 12.7.5 for Macs, watchOS 10.5 for Apple Watch, tvOS 17.5 for Apple TV, and iOS 16.7.8 and iPadOS 16.7.8 for select older model iPhone and iPad devices.
