You Can Now Install the Public Betas of IOS 26.2 and MacOS 26.2
On Tuesday, Apple released the first developer betas of iOS 26.2 and macOS 26.2 . While these updates aren’t as extensive as iOS 26 or macOS 26 , version 26.2 includes a number of new features and changes, including the ability to add alarms to reminders and changes to how Apple calculates the new Apple Watch sleep score . Despite these welcome changes, I can’t recommend users install the new updates on their personal devices. Three days later, I still don’t recommend it, but I won’t discourage you either, as public betas of both updates are now available.
Developer Betas and Public Betas
Before releasing a major software update to the general public, Apple first tests it on a small group of users. This is called beta testing. First, the company releases a beta version specifically for developers, which they can install on their devices to test how their apps perform with the upcoming update. They can then report any issues they find to Apple, which will fix them in future beta updates.
After a short developer-only testing period, Apple is releasing a public beta. This beta is intended for any Apple user who is feeling adventurous and wants to try out the new features as soon as possible. However, even though the software is still in development, users may encounter issues that they can report to Apple. Based on this feedback, Apple continues to refine the update and, once it is stable, releases it to the general public.
Previously, Apple restricted access to the developer beta to its paid program, which cost $99. Without paying, you couldn’t access the developer beta, so you had to either wait for the slightly more stable public beta or search for the dev beta file online. The latter option exposed users to the risk of malware, which is perhaps why Apple removed the paid access to the dev beta. Now, anyone with an Apple account registered as a developer, regardless of whether they paid for the program, can download and install the developer beta.
Technically, you could have been running beta 26.2 since Tuesday if you wanted to go that route. However, due to the nature of beta testing, the developer beta (and the first ever) is the riskiest to install. This is Apple’s first attempt at a beta, meaning it’s largely untested. You could encounter issues that could brick your device, and without proper backups, you could lose valuable data. While all betas carry risks, the public beta is at least sufficiently tested to address these critical issues.
While I don’t recommend running betas on personal devices, most of us don’t have a spare iPhone or Mac to test on. So if you’re planning to install the beta, now’s the time to do it.
How to install iOS and macOS 26.2
Before installing the beta on your iPhone or Mac, make sure you’ve backed up any important information. This means creating a full backup of your iPhone on a Mac or PC, or a backup of your Mac data on a separate hard drive . If something goes wrong during the beta, you’ll have to roll back to iOS 26.1 or macOS 26.1, and if you don’t have a backup, you’ll have to reset your device to factory settings. Again, there are real risks involved.
If you’re comfortable with these risks and have made the necessary backups, enroll your Apple account in the Public Beta Program . You’ll then be able to access beta versions from any connected Apple account. Next, go to Settings > General > Software Update (iOS) or System Preferences > General > Software Update (macOS) and select Beta Updates. Select “iOS 26 Public Beta” or “macOS Tahoe 26 Public Beta,” then return to the next page. Wait for the page to load, then download and install the beta version like any other update.