How to Switch from iOS 18 Public Beta to Developer Beta, or Vice Versa
Want to switch from the iOS 18 public beta to the iOS 18 developer beta? You can easily do that if you want to, on your iPhone or iPad.
The main benefit to being on the iOS 18 developer beta track is that you typically get beta updates a little before the same build is issued as a public beta, depending on the beta releases and Apple’s internal schedule. Maybe you installed the public beta but now wish to get quicker access to new beta updates through the developer beta channel, in which case switching to the developer beta would allow for that.
It’s important to remember the developer beta and public beta builds are almost always the same (literally with matching build numbers), it’s just that the public beta builds are released usually a little after the developer beta build has been issued. The delay in the public beta release can be as quickly as minutes, or sometimes even simultaneous later in the beta cycles, or it can be a day or two later. The thinking behind delaying the same build to public beta users is the assumption that public beta testers are not developers, and may be less advanced than developer beta testers, and thus any mission critical bugs or issues could be found in the developer beta before issuing that same version to less technical users.
How to Switch from iOS 18 Public Beta to iOS 18 Developer Beta
This works the same for iOS 18 and iPadOS 18:
- Go to https://developer.apple.com/ and enroll your Apple ID in the developer beta program
- Open the “Settings” app on iPhone or iPad running the iOS 18 public beta or iPadOS 18 public beta
- Go to “General” and then to “Software Update”
- Choose “Beta Updates”
- Select “iOS 18 Developer Beta” or “iPadOS 18 Developer Beta” so that it is checked rather than the Public Beta
- Return to Software Update to find the developer beta available to download
The developer beta will now be available to install for iOS 18 or ipadOS 18.
Generally speaking it’s considered ‘safer’ to be on the public beta, because any major bugs or issues will be found by developers before arriving to more casual public beta users, however that is not always the case. Sometimes the build being replaced is so buggy or difficult to work with, that installing the latest developer beta is preferable than staying on a prior build that is buggier.
You can also use this same approach to switch from the developer beta to public beta, but there is little reason to do that for most users, since the developer beta is usually updated faster.
What’s the difference between the public beta and developer beta?
The primary difference between Apple’s public beta program and developer beta program is their intended audience and technical knowledge level, and the availability of those betas. The developer beta is usually available before the public beta, even if the builds end up being the same.
The developer beta is designed for software developers and is released first, providing advanced users and developers with early access to new features to ensure their apps are compatible and can use any new capabilities. Access to the developer beta requires an Apple Developer Program membership, which is free to join, but includes a fee if you want to submit apps to the App Store.
The public beta is also available for free to the general public, soon after the developer beta. It is aimed at savvy users but not necessarily advanced users like developers, and aims to gather broader user feedback and identify any remaining bugs before the official release of system software. Public beta versions tend to be more stable than the initial developer betas, though both are pre-release software and can still contain bugs and stability issues.
The build versions of developer betas and public betas are typically the same, but the version numbers are typically different. For example, iOS 18 developer beta 3 matches the same build version as iOS 18 public beta 1, but as you can see the labeling and version numbers are different.
You can switch between the public beta and developer beta at any time if you’d like to. Both dev beta and public beta can also be updated to the final version when it becomes available.
