The first developer beta of iOS 26 has been released, and Apple concluded WWDC 25 earlier this week. Developers (and the most eager fans) may see for the first time the improvements the company showcased on stage at Apple Park—a significant overhaul and AI enhancements for the iPhone software—through an early release.

The largest new feature is Liquid Glass, which has a translucent, lens-like appearance and is Apple’s new, unified design language for all of its products. FaceTime and Messages have Live Translation built in to facilitate multilingual communication. An improvement on Live Voicemail, Call Screening answers unfamiliar calls for you, asks why the call is coming from you, and displays a live transcript so you may choose whether to answer or let it go to voicemail. Hold Assist, its companion, pings you when a real person answers the phone and plays the hold music for you. There are many more.

By going directly from iOS 18 to iOS 26, Apple is indicating a generational shift and aligning the names of its mobile operating systems with those of its other platforms, as opposed to the customary yearly update. With improvements and changes to almost every aspect of the iPhone, it’s the largest OS upgrade since iOS 7.

You have the option to test out any of these features at this time. This is the method for downloading iOS 26.

Take a look: iOS 26 has impressed me. Apple has improved the iPhone.
A little caution before downloading iOS 26
Although the iOS 26 developer beta is free, keep in mind that it is intended for developers and not for everyday users. Early versions often include issues that might cause your phone to overheat, crash applications, deplete your battery, and overall make your device seem slow. Sticking with the public beta, which will be published next month, on your primary iPhone is preferable unless you need to test apps against Apple’s upcoming release.

Which iPhone models are compatible with iOS 26?

You may download iOS 26 as long as you have an iPhone 11 or later. This indicates that all A13 Bionic phones, including the next iPhone 17 models, are covered, whereas the iPhone XR/XS generation is no longer available. The complete list of iPhone models that are compatible with iOS 26 is as follows:

• iPhone 11 Pro iPhone 11
• The iPhone 11 Pro Max
• iPhone 12 Mini iPhone 12
• Pro and Max versions of the iPhone 12
• iPhone 13 Mini iPhone 13
• The 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max iPhones
• iPhone SE (later and second generation)
• The iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPhone 14
• The iPhone 14 Pro Max
• The iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Plus
• The iPhone 15 Pro
• The iPhone 15 Pro Max
• The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus
• The iPhone 16 Pro
• The iPhone 16 Pro Max
• iPhone 17 series (unannounced as of yet)
• Only compatible phones, such as the iPhone 16 model and the iPhone 15 Pro
• and Pro Max, may use Apple Intelligence.

Things to consider before downloading the iOS 26 developer beta
There are several things you should do before you get too enthusiastic and begin downloading the iOS 26 developer beta:

Start by inspecting your hardware. Only iPhone models 11 and above are compatible with this beta. You will need an iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, or any of the upcoming iPhone 17 models if you want the flagship Apple Intelligence capabilities.
The most recent public release has been updated. Verify that the most recent stable build—currently iOS 18.5—is installed on your phone. This lessens the chance of any problems resulting from upgrading using out-of-date software.
Make sure your Wi-Fi connection is strong. You should have a strong Wi-Fi connection if you want the installation to run well.
Make sure your phone has adequate space. To download the iOS 26 developer beta, your phone must have at least 15GB of free space.
Store a backup in an archive. You need an iCloud backup that cannot be overwritten, like a regular backup can. After connecting your iPhone to your Mac, launch Finder, choose your device, pick Back Up Now > Manage Backups, right-click the newly created backup, and then select Archive. It is much the same on Windows. Locate the backup in Preferences, click Back Up Now, launch iTunes, and then archive it.

Recognize the escape route. You will need to put your phone in Recovery Mode, restore iOS 18.5, and then restore that archived backup back onto the device if the beta destroys your phone for any reason (I have never experienced this).
After completing these steps, you’re essentially set to start.

How to set up your iPhone to run the iOS 26 developer beta

Anyone may now install developer betas on Apple without having to pay the $99 yearly charge. To do this, go to the Apple Developer website on the device you want to update, choose Account from the ☰ menu, and log in using the Apple ID of that device. After checking the necessary boxes and agreeing to the conditions, click Submit. Developer Mode may also need to be enabled under Settings > Privacy & Security.

The iOS 26 developer beta is now available for over-the-air update installation on your phone:

You should be able to download the iOS 26 developer beta from your settings after registering for the Apple Developer program.
Select the iOS 26 Developer Beta by going to Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates on your device.
Return to the new “iOS 26 Developer Beta” option and choose Download and Install.
The size of the iOS 26 developer beta is 15.28GB.
Lastly, enter your passcode, agree to the terms and conditions, and then let the installation finish. The download-and-reboot process should take around 10 to 15 minutes on a good Wi-Fi connection, however this might change. You will be using the iOS 26 developer beta when your iPhone restarts.