Beta 2 of iOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, iPadOS 26.1 Available for Testing
Apple has released the second beta versions of iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1. The new beta builds are available for all enrolled beta testers, and offer continued refinement of the new operating systems.
iOS 26.1 beta includes a new “Slide to Stop” feature for turning off alarm clocks on iPhone, which aims to resolve a complaint some users had about the new alarm design being too easy to dismiss or accidentally disable when trying to snooze the alarm.
iPadOS 26.1 beta reintroduces the Slide Over multitasking feature as an option, which had previously been removed from iPadOS 26 in favor of the new window-based multitasking for iPad. Apple has been redesigning and reworking the multitasking system for iPad since the beginning of iPad, and the latest 26.1 beta is another indicator this task is ongoing.
It’s likely that iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1 will also include various bug fixes and resolutions to other complaints and issues raised by users, when it’s eventually finalized and released.
How to Download iOS 26.1 Beta 2 / iPadOS 26.1 Beta 2
For iPhone or iPad enrolled as beta devices:
- Open the “Settings” app on your device
- Go to “General” and then go to “Software Update”
- Choose to “Download & Install for iOS 26.2 beta / iPadOS 26.2 beta
How to Download MacOS Tahoe 26.1 Beta 2
For Mac enrolled as a beta testing device::
- From the ο£Ώ Apple menu go to “System Settings”
- Select “General” and then select “Software Update”
- Choose to ‘Update Now’ for MacOS Tahoe 26.1 beta 2
Apple usually goes through multiple beta versions before issuing a final build to the general public. With this being the second beta of the OS 26 suite, it’s reasonable to expect at least several additional beta builds to be issued before finalized versions, which should put the final release of iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1, sometime either late this month or perhaps next month.
The latest stable builds of system software are currently iOS 26.0.1, iPadOS 26.0.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.0.1.
