iOS 27 RC Available for iPhone & iPad via Beta Program
Apple has released iOS 27 RC build #24A435 for iPhone, along with iPadOS 27 RC for iPad. The RC (Release Candidate) build is often the final version of the beta cycle, absent any major issues, that matches the release version to the general public. This being makes sense given the official iOS 27 release date is set for next Monday, September 14.
iOS 27 includes significant performance improvements, as well as enhancements to features like Spotlight search, and Mail search. There’s also new Siri AI features and Apple Intelligence capabilities, along with a dedicated Siri app. Visually the Liquid Glass interface gets a nice revamp as well with refinements to icons, and a slider to adjust the intensity of the Liquid Glass interface look and transparency. Many other smaller changes and features are also included in iOS 27, the full release notes are included further below.
Though iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 will be released to the general public on September 14, if you feel up for it you can jump ahead of the crowds and install iOS 27 RC on iPhone now by installing the beta, or the same with iPadOS 27 RC via beta on iPad.
Aside from iOS 27 and iPadOS 27, Apple has also released the RC build of MacOS 27 Golden Gate, visionOS 27, watchOS 27, and tvOS 27.
How to Download & Update to iOS 27 RC or iPadOS 27 RC
You will want to backup prior to installing any software update, then:
- Open the “Settings” app on iPhone or iPad
- Go to “General”, and then go to “Software Update”
- Select “Update Now” for iOS 27 or iPadOS 27, depending on your device
The RC build is labeled simply as “iOS 27” or “iPadOS 27”, there is no beta label or number attached to it.
The download is around 8Gb-12GB and the device will have to restart to finish installation.
iOS 27 Release Notes
Release notes for iOS 27 with the RC build are as follows:
iOS 27 introduces the next generation of Apple Intelligence and Siri Al, as well as new features to help parents create safe digital experiences for kids, and improvements that make iOS more responsive and delightful to use. Siri Al is an entirely new version of Siri that is more intelligent, knowledgeable, and capable. The next generation of Apple Intelligence also powers new features across apps that simplify the things you do every day, like editing images in Photos, communicating in Messages and Mail, and browsing in Safari. New parental controls and significant updates to Screen Time make it more intuitive and easy to use, so parents can feel confident that they’re building the right digital experience for their child. And with improvements that span design, performance, connectivity, search, and more, the experience on iOS 27 has been refined and elevated, so it feels even better to use.
Siri Al (All iPhone 16 models and later, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max)
A more capable and conversational version of Siri is rolling out to users. It helps you find what you need and get more done, drawing on capabilities like personal context understanding, app actions, onscreen awareness, and access to broad world knowledge
New voice experience offers more expressive and natural-sounding voices, and lets you customize expressivity and pace to make Siri more personal to you using powerful on-device models on iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro models and later
Dedicated Siri app provides an easy way to revisit an existing conversation or kick off a new one, and privately syncs conversations across your Apple products with iCloud
Siri mode in Camera integrates Visual Intelligence into the Camera app, letting you ask questions and take action with what’s in front of you, like splitting a bill or looking up nutritional info for a plate of food
Write with Siri enables you to generate a draft from scratch, edit what you’ve written, or get feedback from Siri virtually anywhere you type. In Messages & Mail, Siri personalizes your writing style based on your relationships, and uses unique phrases and punctuation that you’ve previously used in your conversations with those people
Apple Intelligence across apps (All iPhone 16 models and later, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max)Photos
Spatial Reframing lets you adjust the composition of a photo after it was taken by virtually changing the camera position
Extend tool intelligently expands images beyond their edges with realistic infill, so you can straighten horizons, change aspect ratios, or add more space around a subject
Clean Up supports removing even larger objects, with more realistic, high-quality results, and you can choose between Fast mode for small blemishes or High Quality for more intricate edits
Safari
Organize by Topic uses Apple Intelligence to sort your tabs, analyzing webpages and automatically grouping similar tabs together
Notify Me can periodically check a webpage for updates, like price changes and item availability
Describe an Extension lets you create a custom extension using natural language to adjust your view of a website’s content or formatting
All-new Image Playground uses a new generative model to make high-quality images in virtually any style, including photorealistic, lets you modify your images using touch and natural language, and lets you generate Lock Screen wallpapers and Contact Posters with personalized suggestions
Describe a Shortcut lets you use natural language to create a shortcut or refine an existing one
Home
Summarized activity notifications combine related alerts across accessories into a single notification
Video descriptions for HomeKit Secure Video recordings summarize what’s happening in a clip for eligible iCloud+ subscribers
Camera clip search lets you find specific moments from your Homekit Secure Video cameras by searching in the Home app or Spotlight when on an eligible iCloud+ plan
Describe an event in Calendar lets you use natural language to create an event, and details like the time, location, invitees, and event title are filled in using Apple Intelligence
Suggestions in Mail help you take action based on the context of your emails, like getting directions to a restaurant you booked
Call Context in the Phone app understands when you’re speaking to certain businesses and proactively surfaces relevant information from across your apps, like a confirmation code or a reservation number
Accessibility
VoiceOver enhancements include more detailed and contextual image understanding for photos, charts, and screenshots, a conversational experience that lets you ask questions about your screen or surroundings, and a new way to get answers fast with an Action button integration
An enhanced Magnifier experience offers conversational visual assistance for users with low vision, with a high-contrast interface and natural language app controls for zooming and other Magnifier functions
A smarter Accessibility Reader uses intelligence to provide better text cleanup and formatting, images and tables, on-demand summaries, and translation
Voice Control flexible inputs help you navigate your device with just your voice by describing elements on screen in your own words, like “tap the gear” or “tap the button in the top rightại
And more, including additional ways to create and modify Genmoji, automatic proofreading, and more accurate dictation using an on-device model on iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro models and later
Child SafetyImproved setup experience for new child accounts lets parents choose the exact apps their kids can access when they set up an iPhone for their child
Ask to Browse gives parents the option to approve each new website before their child can view it
Expanded Communication Safety protections help intervene before children see gore or violent content in shared images and videos
Time Allowances help parents set boundaries around how long kids can use apps across Entertainment, Games, and Social Media apps, offering guidance based on expert research and tailored to each child’s age
Schedules let parents choose which apps their kids can access at different points in their day and across weekdays and weekends
Redesigned Screen Time settings give parents at-a-glance information about how their kids use their devices, and controls to adjust access in just a few taps
System ImprovementsLiquid Glass refinements improve overall readability, and a new slider in Settings lets you personalize its appearance from ultra-clear to fully tinted
Faster performance in experiences across the system, including app launches, new photos loading in your Photos library, and AirDrop transfers
Improved search provides more relevant and comprehensive results in Spotlight, Photos, and Mail
Connectivity Assist enables more seamless transitions between Wi-Fi and cellular networks
And more improvements across apps and experiences, including enhancements to iCloud Shared Albums in Photos, Custom EQ for AirPods, support for perimenopause and menopause in Cycle Tracking in the Health app, and independent volume settings for Alarms and Timers
The final version of iOS 27 for iPhone and iPadOS 27 for iPad will be released on September 14, according to Apple.
