Leaked Builds Indicate Imminent Public Beta Launch for iOS 26
When is Apple set to unveil the inaugural iOS 26 public beta? Historically, the tech giant has kicked off the initial public beta of its latest iPhone software around the week of July 15; however, a more buggy experience may have caused a postponement this time. Recently, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman indicated that Apple is targeting a public beta release for iOS 26 around July 23. Following the availability of the iOS 18.6 RC version on Monday, the company inadvertently published the public beta channel for macOS Tahoe, which a handful of users managed to download under very specific circumstances (not having Rosetta 2 installed and owning an Apple Silicon Mac).
Beyond Apple’s unintentional leak, there’s further evidence indicating the forthcoming release of iOS 26 public beta 1, as a well-known leaker with a private X account has confirmed the builds for the upcoming beta 4 across all new operating systems. It is highly probable these will be rolled out just prior to the initial public beta versions of Apple’s fall updates.
The iOS 26 public beta is on the horizon, but beta 4 precedes it
Although Apple typically releases the public beta of a significant operating system update after its third developer test version, the company has opted to refine the experience with iOS 26. This marks the most substantial shift in iPhone software since iOS 7, and Apple aims to guarantee a dependable experience even for public beta testers (despite it still being in beta).
Per the leaker, the builds for the forthcoming beta 4 are as follows:
– iOS 26 beta 4: 23A5297i
– iPadOS 26 beta 4: 23A5297i
– macOS 26 beta 4: 25A5316i
– tvOS 26 beta 4: 23J5316g
– watchOS 26 beta 4: 23R5317g
– visionOS 26 beta 4: 23M5300g
Among these new builds, it’s important to note that Apple does not plan to issue a public beta for visionOS 26. Users will have the opportunity to experience the other updates once they are released. Therefore, Apple is likely to roll out beta 4 for iOS 26 today, with a public beta following tomorrow. If the company adheres to its usual practice, the public beta typically launches 24 hours after the developer beta release.
In the meantime, prepare for the upcoming launch by checking out our article on how to download the iOS 26 public beta, and discover why you should steer clear of downloading the watchOS 26 public beta once it becomes available.
