You’ve seen the screenshots. The new "Liquid Glass" icons are everywhere on social media, looking all translucent and shiny. Honestly, it makes iOS 18 look like ancient history. But before you go smashing that update button in your settings, there is a lot you need to know. Installing a beta—especially one as design-heavy as iOS 26 beta—isn't just a "one-click and forget" situation. It’s buggy. It’s fast. It’s kind of a mess sometimes.
But hey, you want the new features now. I get it.
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Can Your iPhone Even Handle It?
Apple is notorious for cutting off older devices, and this year, the axe fell on the A12 Bionic chip. If you're still rocking an iPhone XR, XS, or XS Max, I have bad news. You’re stuck on iOS 25. Apple basically decided that the "Liquid Glass" animations and the new Apple Intelligence 2.0 features needed more horsepower than those old legends could provide.
Here is the quick "Yes, you're good" list:
- iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max (obviously)
- iPhone 16, 16 Plus, and 16e
- iPhone 15 series
- iPhone 14 series
- iPhone 13 series
- iPhone 12 series
- iPhone 11 series
- iPhone SE (2nd Gen or later)
A quick warning though: just because an iPhone 11 can run it doesn't mean it should. Most of the cool AI stuff, like the Genmoji 2.0 and the real-time "Visual Intelligence" for screenshots, requires at least an iPhone 15 Pro. If you have an older phone, you're basically just getting a new coat of paint and some better ringtones.
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Step 1: The Backup You’ll Actually Regret Skipping
Don't be that person. You know, the one who pings me on Twitter because their phone is stuck in a boot loop and they lost three years of baby photos.
Beta software is unfinished. It's literally in the name. iOS 26 beta can and will crash. Sometimes the cellular data just stops working for no reason. Sometimes the "Adaptive Power" mode decides your battery should last exactly 42 minutes.
Plug your iPhone into a Mac or PC. Open Finder (or iTunes if you’re on Windows). Create an Archived Backup. This is vital. A regular iCloud backup gets overwritten. An archived backup stays frozen in time. If you hate iOS 26 and want to go back, this is your only ticket home.
How to Install iOS 26 Beta Right Now
Apple changed the game a couple of years ago. You don't need to go hunting for shady "beta profiles" on random websites anymore. That’s a great way to get malware. Now, it’s all tied to your Apple Account.
- Register as a Developer (It’s Free): Go to the Apple Developer website. You don’t need to pay the $99 fee unless you're actually publishing an app. Just sign in with your Apple Account and accept the agreement.
- Toggle the Switch: On your iPhone, head to Settings > General > Software Update.
- Beta Updates: You’ll see a new row called "Beta Updates." Tap it.
- Pick Your Poison: Select "iOS 26 Developer Beta."
- The Wait: Go back one screen. The update should appear. It’s usually a massive 6GB to 8GB file, so make sure you’re on Wi-Fi and not at a Starbucks with 1 bar of signal.
If the option doesn't show up, try restarting your phone. It’s a classic move, but it actually works because it forces the settings to re-ping Apple's servers.
The Public Beta Alternative
If you're reading this in July, the Public Beta is probably out. It's usually "Beta 3" of the developer version. It’s slightly more stable. If this is your only phone—your "daily driver"—wait for the public beta. Seriously.
Why Everyone Is Obsessed With Liquid Glass
The big draw this year is the UI. Apple is calling it "Liquid Glass." Basically, the edges of app icons now have this lensing effect that reacts when you tilt your phone. It’s subtle but looks premium.
There’s also a new "Clear" theme. It makes your home screen icons almost completely transparent, letting your wallpaper shine through. It’s the most customization we’ve seen since the great widget revolution of iOS 14.
What Else Is New?
- Call Screening: Your phone will now answer unknown calls for you, ask who it is, and show you a transcript in real-time. If it’s a bot, you just tap "End."
- Hold Assist: This is a lifesaver. When you’re put on hold by a company, your iPhone listens to the terrible elevator music for you. It pings you the second a human picks up.
- Customized Snooze: Finally. You can set different snooze durations for every single alarm. No more being forced into a 9-minute window.
The "Apple Intelligence" Factor
If you have an iPhone 15 Pro or newer, the iOS 26 beta unlocks the new version of Siri. It doesn't just talk; it does things. You can say, "Hey Siri, find that photo of the receipt from last Tuesday and send it to Dave," and it actually works.
But it runs hot. Since the AI processing is happening on-device, your phone is going to feel like a warm potato for the first 24 hours while it indexes everything. This is normal. Don't panic and think your battery is fried.
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Dealing with the inevitable bugs
Expect the "Games" app to crash. Expect your bank app to maybe not open at all—banks are notoriously slow at updating their security for beta software. If an app is "mission critical" for your job, maybe hold off.
Also, the "Adaptive Power" mode is a bit aggressive in the early builds. It might dim your screen when you don't want it to. You can toggle this off in the Battery settings if it drives you crazy.
Your Next Steps
Before you dive in, verify your backup one last time. If you've already started the download, make sure your phone is plugged into a charger; if the battery dies mid-install, you're looking at a very expensive paperweight. Once it's installed, head straight to the Feedback app. It’s that purple icon that magically appears on your home screen. If you find a bug, report it. That is literally why the beta exists. Check your storage too—iOS 26 likes to keep a lot of "System Data" logs early on, so make sure you have at least 15GB of free space before you begin.