3rd Beta of iOS 26.5 & macOS Tahoe 26.5 Available for Testing

The third developer beta versions of iOS 26.5, iPadOS 26.5, and MacOS Tahoe 26.5, are now available to those engaging in the beta testing programs for Apple system software. The new beta build is initially available to developers but typically soon followed by public beta access.

The new beta versions of system software continue to work on encrypted RCS text messaging support, and support for advertisements in Apple Maps (a feature for Apple, probably not for the Maps user). Presumably bug fixes and security enhancements will also be included in the final releases.

The latest stable versions of system software remain as MacOS Tahoe 26.4.1, iOS 26.4.1, and iPadOS 26.4.1.

How to Download iOS 26.5 Beta 3 / iPadOS 26.5 Beta 3

For iPhone and iPad in the beta program:

1. Open the “Settings” app
2. Go to “General”, then go to “Software Update”
3. Download and install the latest iOS 26.5 beta / iPadOS 26.5 beta

How to Download MacOS Tahoe 26.5 Beta 2

For Mac beta testing:

1. From the  Apple menu, go to “System Settings”
2. Go to “General” and then to “Software Update”
3. Update to the newly available MacOS Tahoe 26.5 beta

Betas are intended for advanced users and developers, but technically speaking anyone can install them onto their devices.

Since Apple typically goes through various versions of beta builds before releasing a final version to the general public, tracking beta releases like this can offer a way to estimate when new system software updates are released. Based on past release schedules, it’s reasonable to expect final versions of iPadOS 26.5, iOS 26.5, and macOS Tahoe 26.5, to be released sometime next month.