iOS 26 is official and there is a lot to be enthusiastic about. With its unveiling on Monday at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference, a brand new developer beta is obtainable to put in for, properly, builders, but additionally anybody else prepared to make the leap into potential unstable territory.
iOS 26 brings a model new Liquid Glass design language to your iPhone, providing a slick consumer interface that shall be in line with the remainder of Apple’s software program and that was impressed by the VisionOS software program for the Vision Pro headset. And that is on prime of the entire visible enhancements that we received in iOS 18, final 12 months’s launch. (Apple is bypassing 19, leaping immediately from 18 to 26 in its numbering system.)
While some fans shall be unfazed by the warnings, we’ll go over what you possibly can anticipate in case you choose to put in the brand new iOS 26 developer beta in your iPhone.
For extra, compensate for the entire new bulletins at WWDC 2025.
There’s nothing steady in regards to the ‘Developer beta’ builds
The polished iOS that Apple confirmed off on stage at its WWDC keynote on Monday was not the identical as what’s now out there within the developer construct. The developer construct will, undoubtedly, ship with bugs. That’s each anticipated and positive, for one cause.
Developer betas are simply that — builds for builders to check their apps for compatibility — and much from one thing an finish consumer would be capable to reside with on a day-to-day foundation. That’s additionally why Apple breaks its betas into developer builds and public beta builds — the latter of which shall be extra usable for on a regular basis people.
Exactly what might be damaged within the beta construct is anybody’s guess. Last 12 months, the iOS 18 Developer Preview had a number of points, together with sure apps refusing to open or force-closing, notifications not displaying up, and different basic points that may considerably put a damper on all the cellphone expertise. Once we get our palms on the newest construct, we’ll do the soiled be just right for you, so you do not have to. If you propose on putting in the developer beta anyway, you possibly can take a look at our information now that it is reside.
Watch this: Introducing iOS 26 at WWDC25
If you are going to set up the developer beta, make a backup first
If you determine to put in the developer beta, there’s an opportunity {that a} bug or efficiency concern will considerably impair your capacity to make use of your cellphone, and also you may need to attend till the following beta launch for fixes. If you run right into a scenario like this, you may most likely simply need to return to iOS 18 till the general public beta arrives — and in case you do not need to make that stroll again an arduous mission, it is best to simply do your self a favor and make a backup of your iPhone earlier than putting in the developer beta.
Be warned that the most effective path to again up your iPhone is perhaps iCloud and never your laptop. While it ought to technically work, some bugs within the iOS 18 beta prevented their iPhones from being acknowledged on their computer systems, so some who made a backup through this technique have been unable to return to a extra steady model. That’s what can occur with the developer betas: important points may need you ranging from scratch.
With that out of the way in which, here is the best way to make a backup in your iPhone through iCloud:
- Settings
- Tap your identify
- Find and choose your machine from the listing
- Select iCloud Backup
- Tap Back Up Now
When to anticipate the iOS 26 public beta
Now that you’ve got been warned about what might occur with putting in the developer beta, you would possibly need to save your self some stress by holding off for the general public beta — in case you can climate the FOMO.
You can anticipate the iOS 26 public beta to go reside someday in July.
For extra, take a look at what’s new in iPadOS 26.
