Apple unveiled big changes to its iPhone operating system when it announced iOS 26 at WWDC 2025. Instead of launching iOS 19 consecutively to the current iOS 18, Apple rebranded its OS versions to match the year when users will use them the most. In this case, iOS 26 will officially launch in the fall, though most feature updates will roll out through 2026.

Apple most recently pushed iOS 26 Beta 3 to developers, refining smaller tweaks -- including more opaque navigation bars for apps like Music and App Store, updated Control Center toggle colors, new "Halo," "Dusk," "Sky," and "Shadow" wallpapers with richer Dark Mode variants, Maps fog advisories in offline mode, an iPadOS pointer shake to enlarge the cursor, and more.

Also: What is Liquid Glass? Everything we know about Apple's major UI overhaul at WWDC

The general release of iOS 26 is still a few months off, but if you want to jump in on the beta action and potentially submit your feedback to Apple, you can download the developer beta right now via the Apple Developer Program. If you'd rather wait for the public beta, which allows non-developer testers to test the latest changes firsthand, it's expected to be available in mid-July.

Before installing any beta, be sure to back up your device, avoid using your primary iPhone, and remember that pre-release software can contain bugs and glitches.

How to install the iOS 26 developer beta

What you need:An iPhone running iOS 16.5 or later with an Apple ID enrolled in the Apple Developer Program. Since not all iPhones support iOS 18, you'll also need a model newer than iPhone 11.