3rd Beta of iOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, iPadOS 26.1 Available for Testing
Beta testing for iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1 is accelerating pace, with the third beta release now being available for those participating in the beta testing programs for Apple system software. Beta 3 comes just a week after beta 2, and Apple usually goes through several beta versions before issuing a final release to the general public.
The current third .1 betas of the OS 26 suite feature various refinements, improvements, enhancements, bug fixes, and even reintroductions of some features that were previously removed in the initial OS 26 releases.
For iPad is one of the most notable changes, with iPadOS 26.1 beta bringing back Slide Over for multitasking as an option, a feature that was previously removed in favor of the new window-based system.
For iPhone, iOS 26.1 beta has adjusted the alarm clock so that it has a “Slide to Stop” feature for turning off alarm clocks. Some users had complained the prior design was too easy to accidentally sleep or disable the alarm. There are also some refinements and tweaks to the Liquid Glass interface, and to Liquid Glass on the keyboard.
For Mac, there are presumably some adjustments too, though nothing significant has been found yet.
It’s a safe assumption that the OS 26.1 updates will include many bug fixes and security updates for all of the devices that they are compatible with.
How to Download iOS 26.1 Beta 3 / iPadOS 26.1 Beta 3
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 26.1 beta / iPadOS 26.1 beta 3
How to Download MacOS Tahoe 26.1 Beta 3
For Mac enrolled as a beta testing device::
- From the Apple menu go to “System Settings”
- Select “General” and then select “Software Update”
- Choose to ‘Update Now’ for MacOS Tahoe 26.1 beta 3
Given that Apple goes through a handful of beta builds before issuing a final version, it’s a safe bet that iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1 could be released at the end of this month or next month. It’s also plausible that an interim update will arrive to address any pressing issues, which could be versioned as something like iOS 26.0.2.
The most recently available stable builds of Apple system software are currently iOS 26.0.1, iPadOS 26.0.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.0.1.
