Preparing to experiment with the public beta of iOS 26? Here's some key information you should be aware of before diving in.
Apple has announced the release of the public beta for its latest operating system, iOS 26. This update brings a significant design overhaul and numerous enhancements across various apps, including Phone, Messages, Safari, and Wallet. However, users should be aware of some precautions before installing the beta.
### New Features in iOS 26 Public Beta
The most notable change in iOS 26 is the introduction of a refreshed visual aesthetic, dubbed Liquid Glass Design. This new look emphasizes transparency with light-reflecting and refracting effects on icons, menu buttons, and navigation bars. UI elements like tab bars shrink, and pop-out menus appear in some areas, all with a more rounded look.
Other features include Apple Intelligence enhancements, such as Visual Intelligence for screenshots, Live Translation in Messages, Phone, and FaceTime apps, and a ChatGPT-style interface in Image Playground. The Wallet App has been updated with improved order tracking capabilities, while Reminders & Messages now offer customizable message backgrounds and the ability to create polls in Messages.
The Phone App has been redesigned to allow scrolling through contacts, recent calls, and voicemail on a single screen. New features like Call Screening and Hold Assist help filter spam and manage call queues. 3D Photo Effects provide a more immersive spatial look via the Spatial Scene feature, and Safari has navigation improvements.
Apple Music introduces an AutoMix feature that provides DJ-like music mixes, CarPlay has a completely overhauled interface, and new apps like the Apple Games app and Preview app come to iPhone for the first time. Genmoji also supports combining multiple emojis to create new characters.
### Precautions When Installing the Public Beta
Before installing the beta, it is strongly recommended to perform a full iCloud backup of your device. This ensures you can restore your data if you encounter issues with the beta software. After enrolling in Apple’s beta program, update by navigating to Settings > General > Software Update and selecting iOS 26 Public Beta.
As a beta release, iOS 26 public beta may have bugs or instabilities, so it is not recommended for primary devices if you require maximum reliability. Only compatible devices, such as iPhone 11 or later running iOS 16.5 or later with at least 20GB of free storage, can install the beta.
It is recommended to use a secondary device to test the public beta of iOS 26 to avoid any major problems affecting the main device. Users should also expect the beta to consume more battery life.
### Summary
iOS 26 public beta offers a major design overhaul and several useful enhancements across apps. However, users should back up their data carefully, expect some instability since it is beta software, and install only on devices that can be risk-tolerant for early testing.
This information is based on official announcements and reports as of July 24-25, 2025. The official release of iOS 26 will occur in the fall. It may not be possible to easily downgrade from the public beta of iOS 26 to a previous version. To enroll in the Apple Beta Software Program, visit beta.apple.com and sign in with your Apple ID.
In the new iOS 26 public beta, smartphones like the iPhone 11 and later are capable of running the novel Liquid Glass Design, which brings a refined, transparent visual aesthetic to various UI elements. This updated technology also offers features such as Live Translation, improved order tracking in Wallet App, and new apps like the Apple Games app.
As mentioned in the Precautions section, it is essential to exercise caution when installing the public beta, especially on primary devices. To mitigate risks, users should ensure they have a full iCloud backup before installation, consider using a secondary device, and be mindful of the potential increased battery consumption due to beta software instability.
