Apple has released the first developer beta of its new operating system, iOS 27, on June 8. This marks the beginning of a month-long period where developer-only betas will be available, followed by public beta releases.
Historically, the third or fourth beta release is made available to public beta testers, in addition to developers. Those interested in trying out the new OS updates and providing feedback can do so once the public beta is released.
The first Public Beta is now available, identical to Beta 3 released for developers, with build 24A5380h. A new “version 2” build of beta 3 was released for iPadOS and macOS.
iOS 27 focuses on three main areas: Trust and Safety, Performance and refinement, and Apple Intelligence and Siri. The update introduces new parental controls, improves performance, and enhances AI capabilities throughout the system.
The Trust and Safety features include new parental controls to keep kids safe and control screen time. Performance and refinement improvements aim to speed up the system, improve efficiency, and address user requests.
Apple Intelligence and Siri have been significantly upgraded, with entirely new Apple Intelligence models and a brand-new Siri that is vastly more capable than before.
Beta 3 brings several changes, including a Siri voice menu to control pace and expressivity, available on iPhone Air and 17 Pro. The Apple Watch also gets the new Siri with watchOS 27 beta 3.
Other changes in Beta 3 include an updated indexing notice in Settings, small adjustments to some app icons, and some users may need to re-download new Apple Intelligence models.
To install the developer beta, users need to be registered as an Apple Developer with a free developer account, which can be obtained via Xcode or the Apple Developer app.
Once a free developer account is set up, users can install the beta by going to Settings, tapping General, then Software Update, and selecting the iOS 27 Developer Beta option.
For those who are not developers, the first iOS 27 public beta is expected to arrive in July. When available, users can enroll in the Beta Software Program, log in, and follow the on-screen instructions to install the public beta.
After registering for the beta, users may need to wait a few moments for the beta option to appear in Software Update. Once available, they can select the iOS 27 Public Beta option to test out the new features.
