Apple / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET
Apple held its Worldwide Developers Conference a month ago, during which it previewed the latest operating system upgrades across all of its devices, including iOS, iPadOS, MacOS, TVOS, WatchOS, and more. These updates give Apple users, regardless of whether they have the latest hardware, the opportunity to have a device refresh -- and this year, perhaps more than ever.
During the event, Apple launched Liquid Glass, a new look for all of its devices that embodies a glass-inspired aesthetic and is the biggest redesign in 13 years. It also introduced a handful of exciting features, from the viral AutoMix feature for Apple Music to the Apple Shortcuts AI makeover.
Also: How to clear your iPhone cache (and why it greatly improves the performance)
Although the official launch of Apple's latest operating systems won't happen until the fall with the introduction of the latest iPhone lineup, here's what you need to know about the public betas, which were just released and give you a preview of all of the latest features.
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When will iOS 26 public beta release? The iOS 26 public beta was released on Thursday, July 24. You can download the public betas across the Apple ecosystem now. Show more
Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET
How can I try Apple's public betas? To enroll, all you have to do is visit the Apple Beta Software Program site and click the blue sign-up button. The Apple Beta Software Program is free and open to anyone with an Apple Account who accepts the Apple Beta Software Program Agreement. Also: How to download the iOS 26 beta on your iPhone right now (and which models support it) Once you enroll and the public beta is available, you'll go to Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates and click on iOS 26 Public Beta. It is worth highlighting that the betas are called betas for a reason -- they are not the final product and can come with bugs that can hurt your device's performance by slowing it down and draining battery. Apple recommends downloading the beta on a device that is not your primary device and backing up all your information before you install it. Show more
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