On the first day of the WWDC developer conference, Apple released the first developer beta of its new operating system. This year, that means that the first release of iOS 27 outside Cupertino came on June 8, 2026.
The pattern goes like this: Apple releases developer-only betas for the first month or so, and then starts releasing the same build for both developers and public beta testers. Based on historical precedent, we expect the third or fourth beta to be the first one to go out to public beta testers rather than just developers.
If you want to try out the new OS 27 updates and provide feedback, check out our article on how to become a beta tester. It’s easy.
Updated July 13, 2026: The first Public Beta is out now. It is identical to Beta 3 released for devlopers last week: build 24A5380h. Apple released a new “verison 2” build of beta 3 only for iPadOS and macOS, which is the build used for those Public Betas.
What’s new in iOS 27
The big iOS 27 release this year is focused on three main areas:
- Trust and Safety – New parental controls to keep kids safe and control screen time.
- Performance and refinement – Speeding everything up, improving efficiency, tweaking interfaces, and addressing dozens of small user requests.
- Apple Intelligence and Siri – Entirely new Apple Intelligence models improve AI throughout the system, and a brand-new Siri is vastly more capable than ever before.
For a more complete breakdown of all the new features and changes, check out our iOS 27 guide.
Beta 3 brings the following changes, in addition to bug fixes and performance improvements:
- Siri voice menu to control Pace and Expressivity is active. (iPhone Air and 17 Pro)
- Apple Watch finally gets the new Siri. (watchOS 27 beta 3)
- Indexing notice in Settings changed to “Optimizing Search and Siri.”
- Small adjustments to some app icons.
- Some users have to redownload new Apple Intelligence models.
iOS 27: How to install the developer beta
You’ll need to be registered as an Apple Developer, but a free developer account will do. You can get one via Xcode or the Apple Developer app in iOS. Here’s how to do it via the Apple Developer app:
- Download the Apple Developer App from the App Store.
- Open the app.
- Tap on Account.
- Sign in using your usual Apple ID.
Once you have a free developer account, just follow the same instructions as with the public beta:
- Open Settings.
- Tap General, then Software Update.
- Make sure the Beta Updates selection is set to iOS 27 Developer Beta.
- Follow the on-screen instructions.
iOS 27: How to install the public beta
The first iOS 27 public beta is not available yet but is expected to arrive in July. When it lands, you can follow these steps to test it out even if you’re not a developer:
- Click Sign Up on the Apple Beta page and register with your Apple ID.
- Log in to the Beta Software Program.
- Click Enroll your iOS device.
- Open the Settings app, tap General, then Software Update.
- In the Beta Updates section, select the iOS 27 Public Beta.
It may take a few moments after registering for the beta option to appear in Software Update.
