Here’s What’s in the New IOS 26 Public Beta
Apple’s first public beta of iOS 26 is here . If you’ve been waiting to test out new features like Apple’s updated Liquid Glass design , check out the updated Safari , or try out live translation , now’s the time.
But this first public beta isn’t the first version of iOS 26. In fact, Apple has been beta testing this program for developers since WWDC in June , which was more than six weeks ago. During that time, the company has released four different versions of the developer beta, each with its own features and changes. Most of the core features and attributes of iOS 26 remain the same, but each time, some new features have been added, such as Apple’s Liquid Glass “flip” transparency effect and a new ringtone that wasn’t in the previous beta.
Apple’s fourth developer beta was released on Tuesday of this week, and surprisingly, it’s the same update that public beta testers are testing today. Here are the key changes that affect both versions of the beta for anyone upgrading from iOS 26 developer version (Beta 3).
Liquid glass is more transparent
Apple has been trying to find its footing with Liquid Glass, and it’s been a rollercoaster ride. After the first beta, users complained that the glass effect wasn’t transparent enough, especially when there was a lot going on on the screen. In the next two betas, Apple toned down the transparency of the effect to the point where it looked more like frosted glass than Liquid Glass.
However, things seem to be changing again. Dev beta 4 and public beta 1 both use the smoother Liquid Glass again.
This tweet is currently unavailable. It may be loading or has been removed.
News Notification Digests Have Been Bring Back
Apple’s attempt to generalize notifications and alerts using AI has had some problems. In one case, alerts reported that a user’s partner had broken up before the user had even read the messages themselves. Worse, the feature mistakenly generalized a BBC headline , making it appear that suspected United Healthcare shooter Luigi Mangione had committed suicide in prison. Following the incident, Apple disabled the feature for all alerts in the News and Entertainment categories.
However, after installing the latest iOS 26 betas, you will find that the short notifications for news and entertainment are back . Not only do these short notifications have the same cursive font as other short notifications from Apple Intelligence, but they also contain a clear clue: “Compiled by Apple Intelligence.” So it should be obvious that any short notifications may be incorrect, as the AI has a bad habit of making up information from time to time .
12 New Wallpapers for CarPlay
iOS 26 brings new features for CarPlay users , including widgets, Live Activities, and a new dynamic interface. In the latest beta, you can also choose from six new colors : blue, brown, gray, green, purple, and red, each with light or dark theme options. That’s essentially 12 new wallpapers for CarPlay.
This tweet is currently unavailable. It may be loading or has been removed.
Access code and passwords
As spotted by MacRumors , there’s a new option in the Passwords app called “Allow Website Access.” If you enable this option, Passwords will privately access websites for two reasons: first, to display updated icons for apps and websites you’ve saved data for; and second, to check whether a website supports passwords.
Additionally, when you access Face ID and Passcode settings, you’ll see a new “Enter Passcode” prompt.
Updates for unknown number filter
The Unknown Number Filter is a great new feature in iOS 26 that filters out unimportant and spam calls. MacRumors also found that Apple added new options to this setting in the latest beta. You can now choose to “Ask Why Call” to have iOS ask why the call is coming; “Mute” to silence the unknown number; or “Never” to turn the feature off entirely.
Weather can use significant places
The Significant Places feature allows your iPhone to track the places you frequently visit. The goal is to know where your most important places are and offer relevant services in various apps.
You can turn this feature off if you find it intimidating, but it looks like the Weather app has started taking advantage of it in the latest iOS 26 beta. MacRumors spotted a new “Use Significant Locations” toggle in the Weather app’s settings that allows it to access your home and work addresses from your contacts, as well as destinations you’re most likely to visit.
There aren’t many details on this setting, but it seems designed to alert you to the weather in any important location iOS thinks you’re headed to. If iOS thinks you’re heading to work, it might send you an alert that it’s raining near your office, so bring an umbrella.
iOS 26 Wallpapers Are Now Dynamic
Apple continues to update the wallpapers for iOS 26. In the latest beta, the company added new color options. Now, as MacRumors reports, the wallpapers have become dynamic. This means that they will change throughout the day.