How to download the iOS 18 public beta

You can download the iOS 18 public beta for free — right now. You can get a look at the exciting new features coming to the iPhone before the update is shipped to everyone. And if you’re already running the iOS 18 developer beta, you can switch over to the public beta for additional peace of mind.

Of course, there are a few things you should look out for. Beta software can be buggy and can lead to data loss or apps that don’t work. Not to mention, a lot of the most exciting features announced at WWDC24 aren’t included yet.

If you’re still sure you want to try it out, you should make sure you have a backup of your most important data with two copies of your photo library before you try installing. I’ll show you how.

How to download the iOS 18 public beta

Table of contents: How to download the iOS 18 public beta

1. Check that you have an iCloud backup
2. Check that your photo library is backed up
3. Switch to allow beta software updates
4. Install the update

1. Check that you have an iCloud backup

Before you download the iOS beta, you should make sure that your phone is backed up. If you lose important data, if the software update is unsuccessful or if you want to roll back to the stable version of iOS after trying out the beta, this backup will save your skin.

Double check in Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup. Right under the button that says “Backup Now,” you should see small text that says, “Last successful backup”. If you have it set up properly, it’ll probably say it last backed up overnight.

If not, you need to make a backup. To do so, tap Back Up Now.

If you don’t back up over iCloud, you can back up your phone by plugging it into a Mac or PC.

2. Check that your photo library is backed up

Next, open Photos > Library. Scroll all the way down below the most recent photo to see if your photos are backed up. If it says “Synced with iCloud,” you’re golden. Otherwise, tap Sync Now to make sure you don’t lose anything.

If you have a Mac with enough storage (or with an external drive) you should have another copy of your photo library, too. Backing up to iCloud will help if something happens to your phone, but if a bug corrupts your photo library and those changes are synced to iCloud, a separate copy will make sure you have a safe copy.

On your Mac, go to Finder and open the Home folder with your name (⇧⌘H). Open Pictures. You should see a file called Photo Library.

Make a local copy by clicking File > Duplicate (⌘D), or copy it to an external drive by clicking and dragging it over. Then, rename it something descriptive, like Photo Library (Backup).

3. Switch to allow beta software updates

Go to Settings > General > Software Update. After it checks for updates, you’ll see the option appear for Beta Updates. Tap that and you’ll see the options currently available: Off, iOS 18 Public Beta, iOS 18 Developer Beta, iOS 17 Public Beta and iOS 17 Developer Beta.

• The iOS 18 public beta is a safer way to enjoy the prerelease software. Updates will go out at the same pace of every two to three weeks, but released about a day later to make sure there are no critical bugs in the software.
• The iOS 18 developer beta is the fast track, intended for app developers to test functionality and implement new features. These betas are released a little early, but have a higher risk of bugs.

Tap iOS 18 Public Beta to get the flashy new update with all the coolest features like customizable Home screen icons, iMessage text effects, the new Photos app and more.

4. Download the iOS beta update

Swipe back and you’ll see the iOS 18 update available. Tap Update Now to download the iOS beta and Install Now when it’s ready. It may take longer than a usual software update.

At the end, you’ll reboot into the shiny new beta operating system! You can expect to get a new software update about every few weeks until September. I also strongly recommend that you use the public beta — if you were already running the iOS 18 developer beta, you can switch over at any time with no risk.

If you’d rather not risk it yourself, you can instead read my hands-on impressions of the new features and the new Photos app.