In June, Apple released the iOS 16 developer beta during its developer conference, but not many were eligible to download and install the software. Developer betas require a subscription to Apple’s developer program, which is $100 per year, and they’re also not recommended for everyday use unless you’re a developer testing software, because developer betas can be extremely problematic and make your phone harder to use. Apple has now released the public beta for iOS 16, which should be a bit more stable. All you need to do is join the Apple Beta Software program, register your device and install a configuration profile to get iOS 16 beta on your device. Here’s how. For more, check out the redesigned and customizable lock screen in iOS 16 and some of the new Apple Maps features.

Before you begin, back up your iPhone

It can be exciting to get pre-release software, but there are precautions you should take before updating. All pre-release software like iOS 16 beta may contain bugs and other issues that can make your device more difficult to use, so you should back up your device in case you want to go back to iOS 15. By default, your iPhone should back up whenever it’s connected to power and Wi-Fi during normal sleeping hours. However, if this backup feature is turned off, you can go to Settings > Your Name > iCloud > iCloud Backup, then tap Back Up Now to back up your device. You can (and should) back up your iPhone to your Mac. Photo by Nelson Aguilar/CNET Additionally, you can back up your iPhone through the Finder on your Mac. Just connect your device to your computer, open Finder, select your device, then create a backup. Apple also recommends that you archive your backup so that it is not overwritten by other backups.

Join the Apple Beta software program

Once your device is backed up, it’s time to join the Apple Beta Software Program, which allows anyone to try pre-release software for free, to provide feedback to Apple about quality, usability, and issues. You can currently try the iOS 16 beta on any compatible Apple device (iPhone 8 and later). To join the Apple Beta Software Program:

  1. Go to the Apple Beta Software Program website on your iPhone.
  2. Press the blue Register button at the bottom of the page.
  3. Use Face ID or Touch ID to sign in to the Apple ID connected to your iPhone.
  4. Read and accept the Apple Beta Software Program Agreement. On the page that appears next, scroll down to get started and tap register your iOS device, which should be hyperlinked in the paragraph that appears. This will take you to another page where Apple will walk you through everything you need to do to download and install iOS 16 beta on your iPhone. Enrollment in the Apple Beta software program is free. Photo by Nelson Aguilar/CNET

Install the iOS 16 beta configuration profile

If you scroll down this page, you will see a section called Install Profile. To download and install iOS 16 beta on your device, you now need to install a configuration profile on your iPhone. Essentially, a configuration profile allows a third party to manage your device. in this case, Apple. You may have concerns if this is a privacy breach or not, but rest assured that this configuration profile just allows Apple to deliver and manage the iOS 16 beta on your device. To install the configuration profile, tap the blue Download Profile button, then tap Allow on the popup that appears. Then exit your browser, launch the Settings app, and tap Get Profile at the top of the page. You should then be presented with a window for your iOS 16 public beta configuration profile. Tap Install, enter your password, then tap Install two more times. Finally, tap Restart to get the over-the-air iOS 16 beta update. You must first download a configuration profile from the Apple website before you can update to iOS 16 beta. Photo by Nelson Aguilar/CNET

Download and install iOS 16 beta

Once your iPhone boots up, go to Settings > General > Software Update, tap Download & Install, and enter your passcode to start the iOS 16 beta update process. Once the configuration profile is downloaded and your phone has restarted, you can download and install the iOS 16 public beta. Photo by Nelson Aguilar/CNET If for some reason you don’t see the Download and Install option, you may need to either wait a few minutes or clear your memory to free up space. If you don’t have enough space, you won’t be able to download iOS 16, so clear your memory by deleting large files and downloading large apps. You should see a loading bar, along with an approximate estimate of how long the download process will take. Once the download is complete, restart your device and wait for the iOS 16 beta to install. When your iPhone boots up, you’ll see the iOS 16 beta downloaded to your device. Now playing: Watch this: Apple previews iOS 16 and a host of new iPhone features
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