- Apple has dropped the first public beta for iOS 26, making the update available to more users.
- The update features the new Liquid Glass design language, along with several new tweaks and improvements.
- If you want to join the public beta, then sign up at beta.apple.com and install the new build.
After a series of developer beta updates, Apple has officially dropped the first public beta for iOS 26. This update brings the new Liquid Glass design along with a slate of improvements for iPhones. With public beta, regular users can now try out everything new that Apple has to offer with iOS 26, much earlier than the general rollout.
What’s New in iOS 26 Public Beta?
The latest iOS 26 public beta comes out just two days after the release of iOS 26 developer beta 4. It’s a more stable build than earlier developer betas that we have seen before. So, if you are on the latest developer beta, I suggest switching to the public build.
The update features Apple’s new Liquid Glass visual design. This brings a translucent glass-like reflective motif to the entire UI including toolbars, control center, toggles, menus, toolbars, and app icons. Liquid Glass received a lot of backlash in early developer betas due to readability issues.
Apple has now tweaked the Liquid Glass design and improved readability, which was a big concern with this new design language. iOS 26 also updates the lock screen, the Camera app with simpler controls, and the Phone app, which gets a unified look for recents, missed calls, favorites, and voicemails.
You can also screen incoming calls or let your iPhone hold the call for you. The Messages app in iOS 26 lets you change the background in your chats. CarPlay gets an overhaul, and picking a call doesn’t take the entire screen. Users who enjoy gaming will find a new Games app on their iPhones.
In addition, there are new Apple Intelligence features like Visual Intelligence, which is now available for screenshots, and order tracking in the Wallet app. Moreover, iOS 26 brings Image Playground with ChatGPT-style options, the ability to mix multiple emojis to create a new one in Genmoji, and Live Translation in the Phone, FaceTime, and the Messages app.
Besides these, there are some other minor improvements that you will notice when you try out the new update. If you want to go ahead and install the iOS 26 public beta, then sign up at beta.apple.com.
