How to Install iOS 26 Beta on iPhone Right Now
iOS 26 for iPhone and iPadOS 26 for iPad has been announced by Apple, and the first beta versions are available to users partcipating in the developer beta programs. With the beta for iOS 26 and iPadOS 26, users can get an early look at the nifty shiny new Liquid Glass interface and it’s redesigned Lock Screen and Home Screen icons, play around with the simplified redesigned Camera app, check out the Games app, explore new Phone app features, customize background wallpapers in Messages, and much more.
If you’re a regular reader of OSXDaily, you already know by now that while you probably shouldn’t install the early betas, anyone can do so, and so this article is aimed at the adventurous users who want to run beta system software on their iPhone or iPad. Remember, beta releases are buggy, slow, and less stable than final builds, and the early betas of iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 are particularly half-baked. Ideally if you’re going to explore beta system software, you’ll be installing it onto secondary devices that are not your primary iPhone or iPad.
Let’s get to it and learn how to install iOS 26 beta onto iPhone, or iPadOS 26 beta onto iPad, right away.
Basic Prerequisites and System Requirements
Installing iOS 26 beta or iPadOS 26 beta needs at least 30GB of free storage space on your device. It won’t take up that much space, but you need available storage to be able to download and install iOS 26 or iPadOS 26.
You will also need a compatible iPhone or iPad. iOS 26 supports all iPhone 16 models, all iPhone 15 models, all iPhone 14 models, all iPhone 13 models, all iPhone 12 models, all iPhone 11 models, and iPhone SE 2nd generation. iPadOS 26 supports all M-series iPad Pro, all M-series iPad Air, iPad Pro 11″ 1st gen and newer, iPad Pro 12.9″ 3rd gen and newer, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad A16 and newer, iPad 8th generation and newer, iPad mini A17 Pro and newer, iPad Mini 5th generation and newer.
How to Download & Install iOS 26 Beta on iPhone or iPadOS 26 Beta on iPad
Ready to install iOS 26 beta or iPadOS 26 beta onto your iPhone or iPad? It’s easy, here’s what you need to do:
- Before anything else, backup the iPhone or iPad to iCloud and your computer, this preserves your data and allows you to downgrade should you wish to
- Register with the Apple Developer program and your Apple ID at developer.apple.com
- Now, open the “Settings” app on the iPhone or iPad you want to install the beta onto
- Head to “General” and then choose “Software Update”
- Select “Beta Updates”
- Choose “iOS 26 Developer Beta” on iPhone, or “iPadOS 26 developer beta” on iPad
- Go Back to the main “Software Update” screen and now choose “Update Now” to begin the download and installation of iOS 26 beta or iPadOS 26 beta
Downloading and installing the update can take a while, depending on the speed of your internet connection, and your particular device. When the update has finished installing, your device will reboot and be running iOS 26 beta, or iPadOS 26 beta.
You’ll immediately notice the Liquid Glass interface, which has a few different options for Light Mode, Dark Mode, and the translucent Liquid Glass mode.
Remember, beta versions of system software are works in progress. This means many features are being actively worked on, may be subject to change, and may not be finalized or even stable or usable quite yet.
One of the great things about running beta system software from Apple is the “Feedback” app allows you to submit feedback directly to Apple regarding the operating system, bugs, issues, features, and feedback in general. If you do end up running the betas on your iPhone or iPad, be an active participant, and provide feedback to Apple using the Feedback.app mechanism. You never know, your suggestions or bug reports might make a difference!
All future beta updates to iOS/iPadOS 26 will arrive through Software Update, as long as you stay in the beta program.
The final version of iOS 26 for iPhone, and iPadOS 26 for iPad, will debut in the fall. Assuming history is a predictor of the future, the final versions of iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 will also be available through the Software Update mechanism, where users will be able to update directly from beta versions to the stable final releases.
