Apple Releases Sixth Public Betas of iOS 26 and More

[MacRumors]

Apple today released the sixth public betas of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and tvOS 26, allowing the public to test the updates ahead of their September launch. The sixth public betas come a week after the fifth public betas, and the updates correspond with the ninth developer betas that were released earlier today.

Public beta testers that have registered on Apple's website can download the latest iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS 26 public betas by opening the Settings or System Settings app, going to the General section, tapping on Software Update, and choosing the iOS 26, iPadOS 26, or macOS 26 Public Beta options.

iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 feature Apple's Liquid Glass design, with a visual aesthetic that focuses on transparency. Icons, menu buttons, navigation bars, and more reflect and refract light with subtle animations. There are pop-out menus in some areas, tab bars shrink down, and everything has a more rounded look.

There are new Apple Intelligence features like Visual Intelligence for screenshots, updated order tracking in the Wallet app, new features in Reminders, and Live Translation for the Messages, Phone, and FaceTime apps. Image Playground has ChatGPT style options, and Genmoji supports mixing two or more emoji characters to make something new.

2D photos have a more 3D look with a Spatial Scene feature, and Safari has updated navigation. In the Phone app, there are new Call Screening and Hold Assist features that will save you time, while the Messages app supports customizable backgrounds and polls. Apple Music has a DJ-like AutoMix feature, CarPlay has an overhauled interface, there's a new Apple Games app, and Preview has come to the iPhone for the first time.

macOS Tahoe has the same Liquid Glass design as iOS 26, and it extends to app icons, folders, the Dock, in-app navigation, menus, the Control Center, and the Menu Bar. The Control Center and the Menu Bar are customizable, and you're also able to customize folders, app icons, and widgets.

Safari has an updated tab design and a redesigned sidebar, and Apple has brought the Phone app to the Mac for making phone calls through Wi-Fi Calling. The Phone app supports the new Call Screening and Hold Assist features.

Spotlight has been overhauled with improved search and the ability to execute hundreds of actions without opening up an app. There's a new Games app with a Game Overlay feature, and developers have access to Metal 4.

More on what's new can be found in our iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe roundups.

Article Link: Apple Releases Sixth Public Betas of iOS 26 and More

 

[CalMin]

Question: Is it safe to load these latest betas on my only, mission critical, devices that I need for work and for life and don't have backed up? They must be stable by now right?

😇 Don't be silly! It's still a beta.
😈 Do it, do it, do it, do it...

 

[cableguy84]

I CANT SEE THE BETA YET

 

[Wegmans]

In before “battery life way better” posts

 

[jz0309]

Question: Is it safe to load these latest betas on my only, mission critical, devices that I need for work and for life and don't have backed up? They must be stable by now right?

😇 Don't be silly! It's still a beta.
😈 Do it, do it, do it, do it...

Is it safe? Yes, they don't bite or hurt you in any way.
Is it smart? Maybe not

 

[Robert.Walter]

Question: Is it safe to load these latest betas on my only, mission critical, devices that I need for work and for life and don't have backed up? They must be stable by now right?

😇 Don't be silly! It's still a beta.
😈 Do it, do it, do it, do it...

In the words of Thomas “Babe” Levy: “So safe you wouldn’t believe it.”

 

[Robert.Walter]

Presently have iOS 26 PB 5 (23A530a).

Waiting for it to show up in updates so I can load
iOS 26 PB 6
onto my
iPhone 25 e.

 

[chriscl]

I wonder if they fixed the mis-sized font issue that I reported vis "Feedback"?

We will soon find out...

 

[LogicalApex]

Presently have iOS 26 PB 5 (23A530a).

Waiting for it to show up in updates so I can load
iOS 26 PB 6
onto my
iPhone 25 e.

Look at my boy here. Living in the future with an iPhone 25.

Drop me a few winning lottery numbers so I can afford an iPhone 17!

 

[archvile]

Question: Is it safe to load these latest betas on my only, mission critical, devices that I need for work and for life and don't have backed up? They must be stable by now right?

😇 Don't be silly! It's still a beta.
😈 Do it, do it, do it, do it...

On a serious note, I regret it. Sure the new look is something different to interact with but something is causing my Mac Studio to kernel panic on Tahoe every few days and I can’t figure out what is causing it. Turns out, you can’t run macOS diagnostics on beta versions, so that’s out the window too. No issues with Sequoia. Very light software load, mostly browsers. It is very bizarre. My MacBook Air is just fine. I’ve ran betas in the past and never had a show stopping issue like this, it is very frustrating and the only “real” option I have is to clean install (Genius Bar won’t help on beta either), which why would I do that when it is so close to public release.

Hopefully this beta version or RC next week fixes it. At least then I’ll be able to run diagnostics on the RC.

 

[Mackie924]

Question: Is it safe to load these latest betas on my only, mission critical, devices that I need for work and for life and don't have backed up? They must be stable by now right?

😇 Don't be silly! It's still a beta.
😈 Do it, do it, do it, do it...

Just make sure you have a local backup.

 

[ChamomileTea]

At the current state, iOS 26 is stable from the point of view that you’re not going to lose a call or lose your work because of it, but it’s full of small bugs that spoil the experience. For example, I’m always losing the keyboard sound.

 

[legacyb4]

At the current state, iOS 26 is stable from the point of view that you’re not going to lose a call or lose your work because of it, but it’s full of small bugs that spoil the experience. For example, I’m always losing the keyboard sound.

Things you hope they can wrap up in the next two releases!

 

[shipdestroyerrr]

mine won't update. keeps freezing at "verifying update" when I try to install the latest public beta. just have to reset the phone to get out, two times.

 

[ChamomileTea]

Things you hope they can wrap up in the next two releases!

Yes! But it's T minus 1 week and I guess many things will have to wait for point releases.

 

[q64ceo]

Nevermind

 

[Rob__Mac]

mine won't update. keeps freezing at "verifying update" when I try to install the latest public beta. just have to reset the phone to get out, two times.

Go to iPhone Storage in Settings, find the update, swipe to delete it, start again 😊

 

[mgymnop]

Still surprised how unpolished and inconsistent the GUI is.

 

[Max Webb]

Apple today released the sixth public betas of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and tvOS 26, allowing the public to test the updates ahead of their September launch. The sixth public betas come a week after the fifth public betas, and the updates correspond with the ninth developer betas that were released earlier today.

Public beta testers that have registered on Apple's website can download the latest iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS 26 public betas by opening the Settings or System Settings app, going to the General section, tapping on Software Update, and choosing the iOS 26, iPadOS 26, or macOS 26 Public Beta options.

iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 feature Apple's Liquid Glass design, with a visual aesthetic that focuses on transparency. Icons, menu buttons, navigation bars, and more reflect and refract light with subtle animations. There are pop-out menus in some areas, tab bars shrink down, and everything has a more rounded look.

There are new Apple Intelligence features like Visual Intelligence for screenshots, updated order tracking in the Wallet app, new features in Reminders, and Live Translation for the Messages, Phone, and FaceTime apps. Image Playground has ChatGPT style options, and Genmoji supports mixing two or more emoji characters to make something new.

2D photos have a more 3D look with a Spatial Scene feature, and Safari has updated navigation. In the Phone app, there are new Call Screening and Hold Assist features that will save you time, while the Messages app supports customizable backgrounds and polls. Apple Music has a DJ-like AutoMix feature, CarPlay has an overhauled interface, there's a new Apple Games app, and Preview has come to the iPhone for the first time.

macOS Tahoe has the same Liquid Glass design as iOS 26, and it extends to app icons, folders, the Dock, in-app navigation, menus, the Control Center, and the Menu Bar. The Control Center and the Menu Bar are customizable, and you're also able to customize folders, app icons, and widgets.

Safari has an updated tab design and a redesigned sidebar, and Apple has brought the Phone app to the Mac for making phone calls through Wi-Fi Calling. The Phone app supports the new Call Screening and Hold Assist features.

Spotlight has been overhauled with improved search and the ability to execute hundreds of actions without opening up an app. There's a new Games app with a Game Overlay feature, and developers have access to Metal 4.

More on what's new can be found in our iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe roundups.

Article Link: Apple Releases Sixth Public Betas of iOS 26 and More

Call Screening has worked a treat so far for unknown numbers amazing.

 

[msm888]

Question: Is it safe to load these latest betas on my only, mission critical, devices that I need for work and for life and don't have backed up? They must be stable by now right?

😇 Don't be silly! It's still a beta.
😈 Do it, do it, do it, do it...

While obviously written in jest it’s bang on. Once you load the beta you’re in, there’s no going back to 18. If you’ve got mission critical stuff on your phone (let’s say IBKR and you trade futures) you deserve what you get for loading ios 26 in beta. Leave it two rounds of the full release and then upgrade. I’ve been using mac os since 2001 and the cost of itchy beta fingers can be very high. Monstrously high. Full releases .0 and .1 are technically betas.

 

[EightyEight]

The Big Question: how transparent is the liquid glass in this beta?

 

[pdaholic]

Once you load the beta you’re in, there’s no going back to 18.

How to Downgrade From iOS 26 Beta to iOS 18

If you installed iOS 26 Beta or iPadOS 26 Beta through Apple's Developer Program or Software Beta Program, you may decide you want to downgrade...

www.macrumors.com

 

[msm888]

How to Downgrade From iOS 26 Beta to iOS 18

If you installed iOS 26 Beta or iPadOS 26 Beta through Apple's Developer Program or Software Beta Program, you may decide you want to downgrade...

www.macrumors.com

Have you actually ever had to do this? C&P links and actual real world experience are two very different things.

 

[PaladinGuy]

Have you actually ever had to do this? C&P links and actual real world experience are two very different things.

It’s not that hard to roll back to public release for iOS and iPadOS. watchOS is the one that is impossible without taking/sending your watch to Apple.

 

[CalMin]

While obviously written in jest it’s bang on. Once you load the beta you’re in, there’s no going back to 18. If you’ve got mission critical stuff on your phone (let’s say IBKR and you trade futures) you deserve what you get for loading ios 26 in beta. Leave it two rounds of the full release and then upgrade. I’ve been using mac os since 2001 and the cost of itchy beta fingers can be very high. Monstrously high. Full releases .0 and .1 are technically betas.

Yes - totally in jest, but I wrote the post because I'm genuinely tempted to try all of the liquid glass stuff.

I do have a 'spare' non-work critical Mac that I could use for these betas, but then again, I run my podcast with it and it would be a pain to rollback/reinstall if I had an issue. It wouldn't cost me money, but I have better things to do with my time than restore backups because of buggy beta software.

I've only ever gone with RC builds, but all this liquid glass stuff has me excited even though the reception has been lukewarm by those who have used it. I'll keep waiting...