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How to Install the iOS 16 Public Beta

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Apple today seeded new iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 beta updates to its public beta testing group, giving non-developers an opportunity to try out the new software ahead of its fall launch.


Signing up to get the iOS 16 or iPadOS 16 beta is simple, and can be done by enrolling an iPhone or iPad in Apple's free Apple Beta Software Program. Instructions are below.

apple-beta-software-ios-16.jpg

  1. On your iOS device, open up Safari and navigate to the Apple Beta Software Program website.
  2. Tap the Sign up button and enter your Apple ID credentials, or sign in with your Apple ID if you've signed up to beta test a previous update.
  3. Agree to the Apple Beta Software Program terms and conditions if required.
  4. After signing in, you'll see a main screen that's a Guide for Public Betas. Click on iOS (or iPadOS if you're installing on an iPad).
  5. Read through Apple's instructions carefully, and then using the link in the "Get Started" section, select "enroll your iOS device."
  6. Make sure to make an archived backup of your current version of iOS using Finder by following Apple's instructions or using our tutorial below. This will allow you to downgrade back to iOS 15 if necessary and is crucial if you don't enjoy the iOS 16 testing experience.
  7. Scroll down and tap on the "Download profile" button.
  8. When you see a popup that says the website is trying to download a configuration profile, tap on "Allow."
  9. Open up the Settings app on your iOS device and then tap on the "Profile Downloaded" section that's located right below your Apple ID information.
  10. In the upper right corner of the screen, tap on "Install."
  11. Enter your passcode and then tap "Install" again. If you have a prior beta profile installed, you may need to remove it at this point under General > Profile and redo the above steps. Otherwise, agree to the consent text and tap "Install" a third time.
  12. Tap Done.
  13. Your phone will prompt you to restart. From there, go back to the main Settings screen.
  14. Under "General," choose "Software Update" and then "Download and Install."
  15. Once the beta update has been downloaded you can tap on "Install Now" to get it set up, and from there, the iPhone will install the software, restart, and you'll be up and running with the iOS 16 software.
Compatibility

iOS 16 is compatible with the iPhone 8 and later, and it unfortunately drops support for the iPhone 6s and iPhone 7 models. iPhones able to run iOS 16 are listed below.
  • 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 XS
  • iPhone XS Max
  • iPhone XR
  • iPhone X
  • iPhone 8
  • iPhone 8 Plus
  • iPhone SE (2nd generation or later)
iPadOS 16 is compatible with the following iPads:
  • iPad Pro (all models)
  • iPad Air (3rd generation and later)
  • iPad (5th generation and later)
  • iPad mini (5th generation and later)

How to Make an Archived Backup

As mentioned in our tutorial for installing the public beta, it's essential to make an archived backup of your device if you want to be able to downgrade to a version of iOS 15. Once you upgrade to iOS 16, an iOS 16 backup cannot be restored to the iOS 15 software, which is why you need to make a backup beforehand. Here's how:

[*]Plug your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch into your Mac using the supplied cable.
[*]Open a Finder window by clicking the Finder icon in the Dock.
[*]Click your iOS device's name in the sidebar.
how-to-backup-ios-devices-catalina5.jpg

[*]If this is the first time connecting your device to your Mac, click Trust in the Finder window.
how-to-backup-ios-devices-catalina1.jpg

[*]Tap Trust on your device when prompted, then enter your passcode to confirm.
[*]In the General tab, click the circle next to where it says Back up all of the data on your [iPhone/iPad/iPod touch] to this Mac.
If you don't want to create an encrypted backup, or you've already set up encrypted backups, click Back Up Now at the bottom of the General tab... Click here to read rest of article

Article Link: How to Install the iOS 16 Public Beta
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/install-ios-16-public-beta/
Last edited:
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Reactions: satchmo
For the newbies: if you only have 1 phone, it is not a good idea to install the beta on your primary device. Too many bad things can go wrong using a beta and potentially leave you unable to use necessary apps or worse, the phone itself. It doesn't matter if 50% of the beta users here say they don't usually have any problems. What matters, is not putting yourself in a situation where you can't use your phone.
 
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Reactions: fwmireault, arkitect, bigfatipod and 11 others
I think I will wait… it will be “almost ready” with this version, but i am not into the hassle of fixing something that works now but gets broke by installing the beta… waiting to the golden master is always a good hedge… but things can go wrong in the public release too…

I do look forward to reading all the “what about this” and the “how come its not that” type of comments…
 
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Reactions: lbmdk1, Tim E and romaguyntx
So stage manager doesn’t work with Split View? I use Split View all the time. I turned it on and turned it off right away.
 
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I use my iPhone to run the International Space station, control all the nuclear weapons on the planet, manage the electricity, gas, and water supplies of over eight billion people, and to take endless selfies of my over-inflated ego. Safe to install this beta?
 
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Apple_Robert said:
For the newbies: if you only have 1 phone, it is not a good idea to install the beta on your primary device. Too many bad things can go wrong using a beta and potentially leave you unable to use necessary apps or worse, the phone itself. It doesn't matter if 50% of the beta users here say they don't usually have any problems. What matters, is not putting yourself in a situation where you can't use your phone.
Click to expand...
The world may be a better place if everyones phones stopped working. People got along much better before smart phones and social media. I bet most people would get a lot more work done!
 
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Reactions: magicman32, sparkinstx, dellaster and 3 others
I’ve installed the betas on all my primary devices.... Is this safe?
 
The font choices for the lockscreen are all pretty awful. The only useable one is the thinnest one and the other 7 are garbage and make the lockscreen look cheap. Hopefully they will add in new options or allow for installing some, anything? It’s the one thing really annoying me, lol, aesthetically. I do love the blur effect option available now though for homescreen photos.
 
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Reactions: Pasqualem
While I‘d love to check out the new features early, an interactive lock screen and stage managers are not compelling enough to potentially interrupt my work on my primary devices, at least not yet. ;) Even after the significant risks of an early beta decrease, I am still concerned about poor battery performance and spotty WiFi connections. So, I’m waiting for now.
 
YOLO'ed this onto my primary phone (yeah, I'm kind of badass) and so far it's been good - the only app that's having problems is Slack which seems to think my phone is jailbroken.

I still don't like the customisation for the lockscreen though. 10+ years of Android being a thing has taught us that people have absolutely no taste whatsoever and should only be allowed minimal customisation options lest I have to constantly see ugly fonts, ugly lock screens, and ugly home screens.
 
I was reading somewhere tonight this is the 3rd beta release of 16 already, which kind of indicates they are finding some significant game changing bugs in these beta releases… i think i will wait… i am not the tinker type of guy i used to be… years past i would jump into the stuff and try to help resolve the problems i and other encountered… not anymore… too time consuming and for no compensation. Software developers have been using the general public for years as free quality control… nothing is different here with Apple and the golden release is on paper only and really not golden; Golden doesn’t really come until your at .3 or .4 in the golden development cycle… i.e. iOS 16.4 will really be considered a golden standard
 
I was unsure whether to install iOS 16 or iPadOS 16, but ultimately sided with putting it on my iPhone because I consider my iPad to be my main device anyway. So far, I’m actually kinda bored. Once you customize your Lock Screen, it’s basically just business-as-usual since the coolest of the new features aren’t available yet.

(I never install on more than one device: I may been an idiot for installing beta software on my devices unnecessarily, but I’m not a complete moron.)
 
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