How to Install IOS 26 Right Now (and Why You Shouldn’t)

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iOS 26 is official: Apple has finally announced the latest update for the iPhone during WWDC 2025. After months of leaks and rumors, we now know that the new ” Liquid Glass ” redesign is real, the Camera app is getting its first major overhaul in years , and live translation is coming to all supported Apple devices .

Apple doesn’t plan to release iOS 26 to the public until the fall. However, you can try it right now if you have a compatible iPhone. That’s because Apple has officially released the first developer beta for iOS 26. The thing is, I wouldn’t recommend you try it.

You probably shouldn’t install the iOS 26 developer beta.

Beta versions are, by their nature, unfinished software. The whole point of a beta is to test a new update to find bugs, instability, and incompatibilities. The developers then fix these issues before releasing the software to the general public.

However, Apple’s latest beta is even more specific – it’s a developer beta, meaning it’s intended exclusively for software developers who can install and test their apps with iOS 26. This way, they can update their own apps to work properly with the new OS update and report any OS-level issues to Apple.

This is the most buggy iOS 26 that will ever be, as Apple still has about three months before their public release. So I recommend you avoid this version of iOS 26. It’s tempting given all the new features and changes Apple has added this year, but you’ll be installing an unstable version of iOS on your iPhone. You may find your iPhone difficult to use, or in the worst case, impossible to use. And if you need to erase the beta from your iPhone, you’ll likely have to install a clean version of iOS 18, which could result in data loss if you usually rely on a backup.

Unless you have a spare iPhone to test with, I wouldn’t risk it. Apple will be releasing a public beta in July, which, while not perfect, has at least been more tested and debugged than this beta.

How to Install iOS 26 Developer Beta

Credit: Lifehacker

Apple’s developer betas used to be exclusive to developers, with a paid $99 license. That kept most people from trying them out early on, though some still found downloads online. But in recent years, Apple has made it free to at least sign up as a developer, which is now all you need to access a developer beta.

To get started, you’ll need to sign up for the Apple Developer program with your Apple ID. Sign in with your Apple ID here and agree to all the terms. From here, open the Settings app, then go to General > Software Update > Beta Updates . Here, you should be able to select the iOS 26 Developer Beta once it’s available. Tap Back in the top left, allow iOS to download the beta, then tap Update Now .

What do you think at the moment?

Which iPhones are compatible with iOS 26?

Of course, to install iOS 26, your iPhone must be compatible with it. Unfortunately, Apple has excluded the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR from this year’s update. That means the following iPhones are compatible with iOS 26:

  • iPhone 16e

  • iPhone 16

  • iPhone 16 Plus

  • iPhone 16 Pro

  • iPhone 16 Pro Max

  • iPhone 15

  • iPhone 15 Plus

  • iPhone 15 Pro

  • iPhone 15 Pro Max

  • iPhone 14

  • iPhone 14 Plus

  • iPhone 14 Pro

  • iPhone 14 Pro Max

  • iPhone 13

  • iPhone 13 mini

  • iPhone 13 Pro

  • iPhone 13 Pro Max

  • iPhone 12

  • iPhone 12 mini

  • iPhone 12 Pro

  • iPhone 12 Pro Max

  • iPhone 11

  • iPhone 11 Pro

  • iPhone 11 Pro Max

  • iPhone SE (2nd generation)

  • iPhone SE (3rd generation)

What’s new in iOS 26?

Apple announced a bunch of new features for this software update. There’s a brand new design called “Liquid Glass,” which is based on how light and objects look through glass. It may sound pretentious, but honestly, I like this design: it’s minimalist and seems to pay a lot of attention to detail. I’m looking forward to testing it out.

Live Translation can translate audio and text equally, so you can have bilingual conversations without knowing the other language. Visual Intelligence , which lets you analyze objects using the camera, now works with anything on your iPhone screen, which should make the feature even more useful. Genmoji and Image Playground now let you combine two AI images into one, and Shortcuts now supports Apple Intelligence.

The Phone app has received a redesign, along with a few new features that should cut down on spam: Call Screening , which asks callers for details before forwarding them to you, and Hold Assist, which lets you know when a live agent is available to call. You can also screen texts in the Messages app , as well as implement custom backgrounds and create polls. Group chats now support typing indicators. You’ll also see a redesigned Camera app the first time you take a photo in iOS 26.

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