Apple has released the first public beta of iOS 26.1, giving iPhone users an early look at the next major update. The public release follows an earlier developer beta and adds several changes across apps and system features.
New features and changes
iOS 26.1 expands AirPods Live Translation with five new supported languages, making the feature more useful for travel and multilingual conversations. Apple Intelligence now supports eight additional languages, widening access to its on-device assistance features.
Don’t miss the best of The Mac Observer
Set us as a preferred source and our Apple reporting ranks higher in your Google Search results and Discover feed — one tap, no account changes.
Apple Music gains a new swipe gesture to change tracks. The Photos app receives a redesigned video playback scrubber for smoother navigation. Calendar’s List view now uses full-width color highlights to improve event visibility. The Phone app keypad has been refreshed with Apple’s Liquid Glass design.
How to install the iOS 26.1 public beta
If you are already enrolled in Apple’s public beta program, you can download iOS 26.1 from Software Update in Settings. Make sure Beta Updates are enabled before you attempt the download.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Go to General > Software Update.
- Confirm that Beta Updates are enabled.
- Download and install iOS 26.1 from the update screen.
If you are new to Apple’s beta program, sign up at beta.apple.com and link your Apple ID before attempting the download.
Wider rollout and compatibility
Apple also seeded public betas for iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, and watchOS 26.1. The updates extend Apple Intelligence to Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. AirPods Live Translation adds support for Japanese, Korean, Italian, and both Traditional and Simplified Mandarin Chinese.
Based on Apple’s typical release cadence, iOS 26.1 is likely to reach all users in late October after several additional beta builds. Expect incremental changes as Apple polishes the update.
Discussion