Apple released the first public beta of iOS 26.1 on Tuesday, just over a week after it released a major iPhone redesign in iOS 26. While that update introduced Liquid Glass, call screening and more to your device, iOS 26.1 doesn't bring many noticeable changes to the devices of developers and beta testers.
Since this is a beta, I recommend downloading it only on something other than your primary device. This isn't the final version of iOS 26.1, so the update might be buggy and battery life may be short, so it's best to keep those troubles on a secondary device.
Also, given that it's not the final version, there could be more features to land on your iPhone when 26.1 is released. There's no word on when Apple will release iOS 26.1 to the general public.
Apple/Screenshot by CNET
Here's what features developers and beta testers can try now, and what could land on your iPhone when Apple releases iOS 26.1.
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Changing songs in Apple Music
Apple Music got a handful of new features in iOS 26, but the first iOS 26.1 beta doesn't change much about the app or service. Instead, the update lets you change songs in a new way.
Instead of tapping the next or backwards buttons to change songs, with the iOS 26.1 beta you can swipe left or right on the song title from the music player within Apple Music. You can do this when the player is taking up your whole screen or when you're looking through Apple Music and the player is small and near the bottom of your screen. The song title even appears to jump left or right when you change songs now, too.
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