Apple just dropped the sixth round of public betas for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26 (Tahoe), watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and HomePod software 26.
If you’re part of the public beta program, you can grab these updates now through the Settings or System Settings app. This release lines up with the ninth developer betas that went live earlier today, showing we’re getting very close to the final versions expected in September.
What’s New in iOS 26 and iPadOS 26
The big highlight remains Apple’s new Liquid Glass design, which makes the entire interface feel more fluid and alive. Menus, icons, and navigation bars now shimmer with light refractions and rounded edges, while tab bars and pop-up menus shift dynamically as you use them.
Apple Intelligence continues to expand, with Visual Intelligence for screenshots, smarter Wallet tracking, Live Translation in Messages, Phone, and FaceTime, and even Genmoji for combining multiple emoji into one. There’s also Image Playground, which brings ChatGPT-like creative tools to your iPhone.
Other app updates include:
- Messages: polls and customizable chat backgrounds
- Phone app: Call Screening and Hold Assist
- Apple Music: AutoMix for a DJ-like experience
- CarPlay: fresh new interface
- Apple Games app: a dedicated hub for gaming
- Preview: finally arrives on iPhone
macOS Tahoe Beta 6
On the Mac side, Liquid Glass is here too, refreshing app icons, the Dock, the Menu Bar, and Control Center with a translucent, customizable style. Safari now has a redesigned tab layout and sidebar, while the Phone app comes to Mac for Wi-Fi calling with Call Screening and Hold Assist included.
Spotlight search is smarter and more powerful, capable of performing hundreds of quick actions without needing to open apps. And like iOS, macOS gets the new Games app with its Game Overlay feature, alongside developer access to Metal 4 for better graphics performance.
Getting the Update
If you’re signed up as a public beta tester, head to Settings > General > Software Update (on iPhone/iPad) or System Settings > Software Update (on Mac) to download the new builds.
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