How to get iOS 16: Get the beta now

Every June at WWDC, Apple announces and demonstrates the next version of iOS for your iPhone, but the final version doesn’t launch until the fall (usually around September). What if you don’t want to wait that long to try out the new features? You must install the beta!

In the months of June through September, Apple is working on the upcoming version (which will be iOS 17 in 2023) with help from developers and public testers. If you want to try out the new operating system, it’s easy to get on board.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the steps required to download the latest iOS beta. We explain how to join Apple’s beta programs and how to install and run an iOS beta on your iPhone.

If you become a beta tester, you can continue to receive early software updates even after the final version is launched. iOS development continues after the September release with a number of “point releases” (i.e. iOS 16.1, iOS 16.2, etc.) adding additional features not available at launch and bug fixes/security bug fixes.

iOS 16 development continues with the most recent developer beta, iOS 16.6, arriving on May 19, 2023, followed by the public beta on May 22.

If you want to install the full version of iOS 16 on your iPhone (not the beta version), we explain how to install iOS 16 on your iPhone in a separate article.

iOS 17 beta release date

The first iOS 16 developer beta version arrived after the WWDC 2022 keynote on June 6, 2022, so we expect the first iOS 17 developer beta to arrive similarly after the June 5, 2023 keynote. the first beta will be released after the keynote, so developers can start testing right away to make sure their apps work.

It’s still a few weeks before the iOS public beta arrives. The first public beta of iOS 16 came on July 11, 2022. So we expect a similar timeframe for iOS 17, perhaps July 10, 2023.

How to get the iOS 17 beta

If you’re a developer, you can access the developer beta if you’re a paid member of the Apple Developer Program. You can sign up as a developer here. It costs $99 per year.

To get the public beta, you’ll need to join Apple’s beta programs on Apple’s website. To learn more, read this: How to become an Apple beta tester.

How to install the iOS 17 Developer Beta

Each stage of the iOS development cycle rolls out first to developers and then to public beta testers. If you’re a developer and need to test your apps against the most up-to-date version of the operating system possible, this is the one to run.

You must be registered as an Apple developer. Joining the Apple Developer Program costs $99 per year.

All done? Okay! Here’s how to install the iOS developer beta, in eight easy steps:

1. Register for the Apple Developer Program at developer.apple.com.
2. Open the Institutions app, tap GeneralThan Software update.
3. In the Beta updates section, select the Beta for iOS developers.

Registered developers can choose to get the public beta instead by selecting iOS public beta from the Software Update screen.

Prior to iOS 16.4, it was necessary to download and activate a beta profile on your device. Starting with iOS 16.4, Apple simply verifies that your Apple ID is a registered developer and grants you access in the Software Update menu. You may need to restart your iPhone for the option to appear.

Some developers have registered an Apple ID for developer access that is different from the Apple ID associated with their personal Apple account and data. To use a different Apple ID for beta access than the rest of iOS, open Institutions > General > Software update > Beta updates and select the Apple ID at the bottom of the screen.

How to install the iOS 17 public beta

The developer beta, as the name suggests, is for developers only, but Apple does offer a beta testing program for members of the public who want to test the new features. The public betas are always behind the developer ones. Starting with iOS 16.4, you no longer need to download and activate a profile to get the beta version. You just need to enroll and select the beta in the software updates section in Settings.

You can install the iOS public beta using the following instructions.

1. Click Sign Up on the Apple Beta page and register with your Apple ID.
2. Sign up for the beta software program.
3. Click Enroll your iOS device.
4. Open the Institutions app, tap GeneralThan Software update.
5. In the Beta updates section, select the iOS public beta.

Before iOS 16.4, you had to download and activate a beta profile. Now Apple’s servers will simply check your Apple ID to see if it’s registered for the public (or developer) beta before granting access. You may need to restart your iPhone for the option to appear.

Some users have registered an Apple ID for beta access that is different from the Apple ID associated with their personal Apple account and data. To use a different Apple ID for beta access than the rest of iOS, open Institutions > General > Software update > Beta updates and select the Apple ID at the bottom of the screen.

If, on the other hand, you want to remove the beta and stop receiving beta updates, read this: How to remove an iOS beta from your iPhone.

What is a Beta?

Betas are pre-release test versions. Every iOS update goes through the beta phase before being officially launched, from minor tweaks like 15.5.1 to the game-changers of the full version like iOS 16.

There are developer betas (for registered software developers only) and public betas (for anyone interested). Both types go through multiple versions – probably half a dozen – before being widely launched.

Risks and Precautions

First of all, note that betas are test versions of upcoming software. They are unfinished by definition, and while they should contain most or all of the features of the final product, there will be cosmetic differences and, inevitably, some glitches and issues to fix. The glitches and issues are why Apple makes the effort to beta test iOS in the first place.

In other words, don’t expect a perfect user experience. In particular, don’t expect existing apps (including apps you may rely on) to work perfectly with the new version. In extreme cases, you may even find that your device has been bricked by the beta and cannot be used until the next beta comes along and hopefully fixes the problem. It is not uncommon for early beta software to also show problems such as excessive battery drain.

The closer we get to the final launch and iOS version, the more polished and complete we can expect the available betas to become. The opposite of that, of course, is that there’s less time left to wait for the official launch, so you won’t gain as much by installing a beta.

Assuming you decide to proceed, we can’t stress enough the importance of backing up your iPhone before installing an iOS beta, or better yet, use a secondary device instead of your main iPhone. You won’t lose everything if something goes wrong while the beta is being installed, and you can roll back to the latest version if you find you don’t like the new software or it contains too many bugs.