iOS 26 Public Beta Release Date Revealed

Apple is reportedly preparing to launch the iOS 26 public beta on July 23, later than usual. Here’s what we know about the release timeline and how it compares to previous years.

First iOS 26 Public Beta Along With iPadOS Public Beta for For iPhone and iPad Will Be Available for Download On July 23

Apple has been testing iOS 26 with developers for over a month, but public beta testers are still waiting for their first official build. While Apple previously committed to a July release window, it now appears the launch will happen later than expected.

In a recent response on X, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said Apple is targeting Wednesday, July 23 for the public beta release of iOS 26.

This would mark a slight delay compared to recent years, where Apple typically released public betas within a week of beta 3 for developers.

• iOS 26 Developer Beta 3 was released on Monday, July 7
• Apple has yet to seed beta 4, which would normally precede the public beta

The shift in timing has caught the attention of testers, with speculation about whether Apple might issue a revised beta 3 or skip straight to the public build. Developer beta 4 anybody?

A Look at Past Public Beta Release Dates

To provide context, here’s a timeline of previous iOS public beta 1 release dates:

iOS 26 public beta 1 release would be one of the most late rollout of a public beta from Apple in the last 10 years, in fact. iOS 9 public beta 1 was released on July 9, iOS 10 on July 7, iOS 11 on Jun 26, and iOS 12 on June 25.

What This Means for Testers

If you’re planning to install the iOS 26 public beta, now’s the time to prepare. For information on how to get your iPhone or iPad ready for the public beta, see here: How to Sign Up for iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 Public Beta on iPhone and iPad.

If you’re eager to explore iOS 26 ahead of launch, the public beta gives you a front-row seat to Apple’s latest updates and should be a relatively stable affair compared to earlier developer betas, of course.