Initial impressions of WWDC25 are positive, at least from the perspective of the evolution of operating systems in terms of the Liquid Glass design and the new iPad multitasking. Opinions may differ, but Apple also achieved the milestone of having the shortest WWDC in years. Additionally, the 26th version of the numbering system was officially announced for all its operating systems. In case you’re not familiar with betas, we have news for you, as Apple will be taking the time to refine a beta dedicated to less-experienced users—a public beta. When will you be able to install it?
The first public beta of iOS 26 arrives in July
The iOS 26 public beta could be available in exactly one month, although Apple hasn’t given a specific date, but it’s usually almost exactly the month after the first developer betas. New developer betas will be released in the first few weeks after WWDC 2025, which will serve to fine-tune the first public beta. Two more developer betas could be released in the space of two or three weeks, right at the end of June.
Previously, public betas were only open to iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and later, both Apple TV and Apple Watch were supported. This is because once you install a beta version of watchOS, you’re practically forced to install it on iOS, which can be confusing for users who aren’t as experienced with betas. Over the years, it’s become completely normal to install almost any beta except for visionOS. We assume this is a matter of discretion, since betas aren’t free of potential bugs during the testing phase.
What do I need to download a public beta in July?
As you can see on the Apple Beta page, you can now sign up to receive information about Apple’s first betas for the new operating systems introduced today. They also include updates for the HomePod 26 and the AirPods firmware, although in this case, we don’t think it’s worth updating.
The positive aspect of being part of the Apple Software Beta Program is that you can be a key participant right away, as you can test and submit feedback on any of the participating operating systems. There’s a Feedback app that allows you to submit bugs you see, and Apple will then receive your feedback. This makes the beta phase a great opportunity for both developers and the public.
Sign up now and receive an email as soon as the first public beta is available, both for iOS 16 and other operating systems, if you’re interested. Before installing any of the betas, remember to back up your device so you can safely restore to iOS 18 or another version without losing any data.
