iOS 26 Public Beta is Here: The Biggest iPhone Redesign

Apple has released the iOS 26 Public Beta, a huge moment for iPhone users around the world. On June 9, 2025, at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple revealed the new redesign “Liquid Glass”, along with the changes to the myriad of features, applications, and the intelligent aspects that make an iPhone user get in line for hours just to purchase a new model. This major interface redesign has not occurred since iOS 7 in 2013! Apple isn't just making changes to the iPhone’s user interface, they are blending looks and functionality in a radical way. But what will make this release meaningful to iPhone users? Let's get into the details and answer some of the questions that you might have to come to grips with this exciting new version of the operating system for your iPhone.

Apple years has come around to Apple's Liquid Glass design, which feels like the core of the iOS 26 Public Beta, which is taking an actual, physical way that iPhone users interact with their iPhones and mapping each interaction to a translucent, fluid design. Imagine buttons and a menu system made of liquid or flowing glass concepts that change depending on the content in front of you, across the iPhone operating system and every App. That's right! Apple isn't just giving a visual redesign to iOS 26 Beta; Apple has fundamentally rethought the entire interaction model. Now in Photos and Apple Music we have navigation bars showing much greater depth of translucency that not only lets all your backgrounds pass through in a single app experience, but it lets it bleed across every App or all at once, simultaneously! As soon as you tap or belt through a list, you can feel the animation bubbling through your touches on each column, every scroll. It feels alive!

Furthermore, Apple appears to have re-thought this design after developer comments in deployed features and early betas commented features that had too much transparency that impacted their readability, and (possibly) this limited their designed intended functions. The release of the iOS 26 Public Beta (4 weeks after beta 4 curiously) strikes a nice balance for used cases that have certain translucency levels, and are giving a refresh or appearance of update towards a complex data experience. The look and fee of this iPhone user experience has a modern but very familiar feel, and like Apple has intended, the overall action is still functional and easy. "This has been very carefully considered," said Alan Dye, Apple's VP of Human Interface Design, "to give it a and vitality that has a whole That's the foundation for every future iPhone interactive innovation." So, are you ready to use a UI that appears to be alive?

How Do You Go About Installing the iOS 26 Public Beta?

Are you excited to give the iOS 26 Public Beta a try? Installing it is easy but proceed with caution. First, back up your iPhone, as beta software can be buggy, and you don't want to lose any important data. Next, if you haven't already, sign up for the Apple Beta Software Program at beta.apple.com using your Apple ID and follow the prompts to enroll. You can then go to your iPhone's Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates and select the iOS 26 Public Beta. It is compatible with the iPhone 11 and later models.

That said, be careful. It is important to keep in mind that beta software can be buggy and affect performance; you may want to use a secondary device if you have one. There is a new Feedback app that Apple encourages users to use to send feedback and information to help improve the software before its actual release in Fall 2025. You are also providing Apple with product insight and the future of iOS. Have you backed up your phone and enrolled in beta? Or did you choose to wait for the public release?

What Are the New iOS 26 Features in Addition to the New Look?

Apart from the beautiful look, the iOS 26 Public Beta dives into new features that make the daily grind a little easier. The Phone app includes a new all-in-one interface, combining Favorites, Recents, and Voicemails into a single Tab. While this change may make things a little faster and more convenient when using navigation within the app, if this new style isn’t for you, Apple has provided an option to revert back to the previous style. Also, the new Call Screening feature will ask unknown callers to state their name, and state their purpose to aid in spam interruption and a brief Hold Assist feature will notify you when a live agent answers your call, instead of waiting for every tune in the hold music.

The Camera app, for example, has a simplified layout that gives priority to easy access to the photo and video modes. Other advanced functions are still available with simple swipes while not clogging up the initial screen. The Photos app also introduces a two-tab interface for the Library and for Collections so that organizing all of your fond memories is even easier. Other great things like Apple Music’s AutoMix feature that uses AI to create non-stop song transitions like a DJ would, or the ability to poll messages in Messages, or custom group chat backgrounds, followed by on-device spam detection, will each provide tons of fun. Which new area are you most excited to dive deeper into?

How Does Apple Intelligence Power the iOS 26 Experience?

There are some great features built into the iOS 26 Public Beta that are powered by Apple Intelligence to make you iPhone smarter! For instance, there is real-time translation in Phone, FaceTime, and Messages, allowing you to conduct conversations with many languages simultaneously live, but it can lose a second or two to get ready. There are Notification Summaries of news apps, where all that were redundant are companies together summarized like “Election polls tighten ahead of debate,” are back after over a year in beta 4. And to avoid being questioned again as they were, all summaries came with a "Summarized by Apple Intelligence" and warning they should verify.

Visual Intelligence examples allow you to search your screen for images like looking up businesses or information captured on a poster. You also now have the Image Playground app that makes images cartoon-like based on prompts in text. All these required supported models, such as IP 16 or iPhone 15 Pro, and related language setup. As language support continues to grow later in 2025, enjoy the options. How will this change how you are going to use your iPhone with Apple's AI tools?

Which Other Apps And Systems Are Included In The Improvements To iOS 26?

The iOS 26 Public Beta extends its Liquid Glass design and shortcuts to Apple's other ecosystems. For instance, the iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, and tvOS 26 adopt the same translucent design, allowing a sense of togetherness across all devices. The new Safari pulls all of tab tools into the compact design allowing full capacity to browse things, although you still can use the iOS 18 display of large tabs. CarPlay keeps maps up and front of the screen, even during calls, and introduces wallpapers specific to CarPlay as a new goodie on the platform.

In addition, Apple Music on tvOS allows any iPhone to act as now a microphone for everyone to sing with, with lyrics shown on the screen. The Wallet app gives a refresh of digital boarding passes, sharing flight status, the release of a Games app solely dedicated as the go-to for gaming content. These changes are a reflection of Apple's ecosystem being a complete one! Will you be checking out the changes to your iPad or Mac or Apple TV as well?

Should You Try the iOS 26 Public Beta?

The iOS 26 Public Beta may seem alluring, but it's not for everyone. Public betas are generally even better than developer betas, just in terms of stability, but they still have bugs that could spoil your experience. Early adopters on X have provided various experiences, with some praising the stability and others describing bugs on specific devices, such as the iPhone 15 Pro Max. If you choose to go this route, you can limit your risk by installing beta on a secondary device and backing up your main iPhone, of course.

In contrast to this static assessment of the risks associated with participating in the beta, a beta will give you a preview of the latest unbelievable capabilities, and you can provide valuable feedback that will help to inform the final release. If you are an early adopter and are excited to begin utilizing innovative features like the Liquid Glass initiative and AI enhancements, the public beta is a reasonable way to start. On the other hand, if you are looking for a less risky consumer-level offering, it may make sense to wait until the final release in September 2025! So, are you brave enough to try the beta, or will you wait for the finalized version?

The Benefits and Dangers of Signing up for the Public Beta

With taking part in the iOS 26 Public Beta, comes the common expedition of both benefits and dangers. The benefits are pretty clear: getting a glimpse of a revolutionary redesign, smarter features, and updated version of the apps. Being part of the public beta gives more power to you, the user and the ability to express your thoughts and opinions through the Feedback app. For you Technology users, this is a key opportunity to explore Apple's vision of the future direction of iOS.

The dangers include bugs that can cause problems with device performance and battery life, or worst, potential data loss if you forget to back up. Although Apple’s public betas are more reliable than they used to be, they are not without risks. Taking all of this into account together, consider how comfortable you are with technology and the importance of reliable technology. What is more important for you: at risk for old bugs or earliest access?

How Does iOS 26 Stack Up Against Prior Redesigns Like iOS 7?

The devices scene returns to 2013 to compare the iOS 26 Public Beta to iOS 7, which marked the introduction of flat design. Similar to iOS 7, iOS 26 changes the face of the iPhone with a Liquid Glass surface while also introducing Artificial Intelligence (AI) with a fluid, animated experience like traditional desktop computing. While iOS 7 had previous versions' metaphors removed in favor of a minimalist design, iOS 26 aims to provide depth and interactive elements; menus change dependent on context and content. Hence, iOS 26 may feel more organic than its predecessor.

Apple addressed issues during the iOS 7 launch by employing a beta development style to further strengthen the iOS 26 experience. In comparison to the polarizing launch of iOS 7, iOS 26 is positioned to maintain a balanced approach through the ability to use legacy layouts with Safari, Phone, and other apps. Could iOS 26 set the standard for the next decade as iOS 7 did in 2013?

Frequently Asked Questions About iOS 26 Public Beta

Q: Which devices support the iOS 26 Public Beta? A: The beta is compatible with iPhone 11 and later models. Check your device’s eligibility in Settings > General > About.

Q: Is the public beta safe to install? A: It’s generally stable but may have bugs. Back up your device and consider using a secondary iPhone to minimize risks.

Q: Can I revert to iOS 18 if I don’t like the beta? A: Yes, but you’ll need to restore your device using a computer and a backup made before installing the beta. Follow Apple’s instructions at support.apple.com.

Q: When will the final iOS 26 release be available? A: Apple plans to launch iOS 26 in September 2025, alongside the iPhone 17 series.

Q: How do I provide feedback on the beta? A: Use the Feedback app on your iPhone to report bugs or suggest improvements directly to Apple.

Conclusion

The iOS 26 Public Beta is a bold step forward, blending the innovative Liquid Glass design with AI-powered features and app enhancements. From the revamped Phone and Camera apps to cross-platform consistency, this update promises to elevate the iPhone experience. While risks like potential bugs exist, the opportunity to explore and shape Apple’s biggest redesign since 2013 is compelling. Whether you dive in now or wait for the final release, iOS 26 is poised to redefine how we interact with our devices. What’s your next step—installing the beta or waiting it out?