Apple Publishes Fifth Public Betas of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe, and tvOS 26 Ahead of September Release
Apple has released the fifth public betas of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26 (codenamed Tahoe), and tvOS 26, making the latest versions available for public testers ahead of their expected September launch. The new beta versions arrive just a week after the fourth public betas and correspond with the eighth developer betas that were seeded earlier in the day. Users enrolled in Apple’s public beta program can install the updates through the Software Update section in Settings or System Settings.
The iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 betas showcase Apple’s new Liquid Glass design, which introduces a more transparent, light-reflective interface across icons, menus, and navigation bars, combined with smoother animations and rounded aesthetics. Several new Apple Intelligence features are also included, such as Visual Intelligence for screenshot analysis, enhanced order tracking in the Wallet app, Live Translation for Messages, Phone, and FaceTime, and improvements to Reminders. Additionally, Image Playground allows for AI-driven image generation with customizable styles, Genmoji lets users combine multiple emojis, and a Spatial Scene feature adds depth to photos. Safari navigation has been revamped, while the Phone app gains Call Screening and Hold Assist. Other highlights include customizable backgrounds and polls in Messages, AutoMix for Apple Music, a redesigned CarPlay interface, a new Apple Games app, and the Preview app arriving on iPhone for the first time.
macOS Tahoe introduces the same Liquid Glass aesthetic systemwide, extending to the Dock, folders, icons, and Control Center. Users can customize the Menu Bar, folders, app icons, and widgets. Safari benefits from a new tab layout and sidebar design, while Spotlight has been overhauled to provide faster searches and execute hundreds of actions without opening applications. Notably, the Phone app has been brought to macOS, supporting Wi-Fi calling alongside the new Call Screening and Hold Assist features. Developers also gain access to Metal 4 and a new Game Overlay feature in the Games app. This release is expected to be the final public beta before Apple rolls out the release candidate and final versions in September.