Apple has now opened up pre-release versions of iOS 10 and macOS Sierra for public testing ahead of their official launch later this year. Anyone with a compatible device can now install the latest beta to get an early look at new features.
These are the second betas released since Apple announced the new software at WWDC last month. The first iteration was exclusive to app developers, but as promised Apple has now opened the testing to the public. A wider pool of users will help the company squash as many bugs and make as many improvements as possible before the full releases of iOS 10 and macOS Sierra.
Some of the key additions to iOS 10 include an overhaul of Apple Music, cool new Photos features like object recognition and automatic creation of video montages, and a super-charged Messages with rich links, animations, digital touch drawings and smart emojis. Notifications, Control Center and the Lock Screen have all undergone a redesign to boot. OS X has been rebranded to macOS, and the new version (titled Sierra) finally brings Siri to the Mac. For more details on the new features check out our WWDC keynote recap.
As ever, remember that beta versions of software still need plenty of testing and tweaking before their full release, and may be unstable. This first public beta seems relatively reliable so far, but it’s still pretty likely you will encounter a few bugs, and third-party apps may have compatibility issues. We’d recommend installing the beta on an older device if you have one, or backing up your device beforehand in case you want to restore to iOS 9 at a later date.
When you’re ready, open Safari and go to beta.apple.com on your chosen device. Press Sign Up (or Sign In if you did this last year) and follow the instructions as Apple guides you through the simple install process. Then just sit back and enjoy being ahead of the game!