After a series of three private betas, Apple has finally rolled out the first public beta of IOS 16, opening up the testing process to all fans who have been eagerly awaiting the new features.
Apple today launched the first public beta of its upcoming iOS 16 software update so you can try out its new features. In addition to iOS 16, Apple has also rolled out the first public betas of iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura and even WatchOS 9which significantly improves the watch software with new arrhythmia monitoring and medication reminders.
What’s new for iOS 16?
As a reminder, this introduces features such asa customizable lock screen with widgets. You can long press on the lock screen and start customizing a style by choosing a new photo, font style, filter and depth effect. There is also an improved messaging experience, security patches that install automatically and even a discreet tribute to Steve Jobs.
The Messages app has also received a few updates, including support for editing, deleting, and marking unread messages. The new Photos app will also bring locked folders for hidden and deleted photos and duplicate removal, which can save a ton of space on your device. Safari is also updating, and you can now create shared tab groups in Safari to collaborate with your friends.
Function SharePlay is no longer limited to FaceTimeso Messages can be used for communication between people sharing content with each other. FaceTime calls can be forwarded from one device to other peopleand the Health app has a new Medications feature that tracks the vitamins and medications you take.
How to install the iOS 16 public beta on your iPhone?
To install the iOS 16 public beta, you will first need to make sure you have an iPhone compatible with this new version. As a reminder, Apple deprived the iPhone 7 and 7+ of iOS 16, so you will need a newer device.
Then go to the gate Apple beta software on your phone’s Safari browser and register or sign in with your Apple ID. You will then need to follow this procedure:
- Enroll your iOS device by accepting the general conditions
- Scroll down the page until you find a reminder to make sure you have created a backup of your phone’s content in case you need to revert to a previous state.
- At the bottom, click the “Download profile” button. Click on To allow when a warning appears.
- Open the Settings app. A new section titled Profile uploaded should be added at the top. Select it, and you will have access to the beta software download.
- Select Install in the upper right corner
- Enter your password and accept the very long declaration of consent by pressing Install again.
- Restart your smartphone to activate your profile
- Update your smartphone by going to Settings > General > Software Update. The iOS 16 update should be there. Select Download and install and follow the instructions.
Like every beta updateits installation involves riskswhich is why Apple makes you sign a long consent list that does not make it responsible for any problems you may encounter. These updates may be unstableso avoid installing beta builds on your main device unless you’re comfortable with the risks.
Since this is the first public beta, you shouldn’t expect it to be perfect, far from it. There are likely to be many annoying issues and bugs, but these should be fixed soon in future releases. Apple is expected to roll out the final stable version of iOS 16 around September 2022on the occasion of the launch of the next iPhone 14. The good news is that once the first beta is installed, you will simply receive the new updates over the next few weeks in the same section of the settings.
