Apple releases visionOS 27 public beta 5 for Vision Pro users

Apple has released the fifth public beta of visionOS 27 for Apple Vision Pro users enrolled in its public beta program. The new update carries build number 24M5359a, matching visionOS 27 developer beta 7 released earlier this week.

At this stage of testing, Apple appears to be focusing mainly on bug fixes, stability, and performance improvements as visionOS 27 moves closer to its public release.

If your Apple Vision Pro is already enrolled in the public beta program, follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings app on Apple Vision Pro.
2. Select General.
3. Open Software Update.
4. Select Beta Updates if the new beta is not already enabled.
5. Choose visionOS 27 Public Beta.
6. Return to the Software Update page.
7. Select Download and Install when visionOS 27 public beta 5 appears.

Make sure your Vision Pro has enough battery power and remains connected to Wi-Fi during installation.

All changes in visionOS 27 public beta updates

The fifth public beta does not appear to introduce a major new user-facing feature of its own, but it includes the wider set of visionOS 27 changes Apple has been testing throughout the beta cycle.

• Siri AI: Vision Pro gets the new Siri AI experience, including improved personal context, broader knowledge, expanded app actions, and longer conversational interactions.
• Visual Intelligence with Siri: Users can look at content inside an app window or a physical object around them and ask Siri questions about what they are seeing.
• New Siri app: visionOS 27 includes a dedicated Siri app where users can view previous conversations and continue chats synced through iCloud across supported Apple devices.
• Spatial panoramas and personal Environments: Panorama photos can be converted into spatial scenes and used as personal immersive Environments on Apple Vision Pro.
• New Iceland Environment: Apple has added a Thórsmörk Environment featuring Icelandic mountains, valleys, glaciers, and northern lights.
• Curved app windows: App windows use a more curved design intended to make the workspace feel more natural inside Vision Pro.
• Redesigned Control Center: Apple has reorganized Control Center to make commonly used system controls and notifications easier to access.
• Wider Safari windows: Safari can display wider windows, giving users more room for websites and web apps in their spatial workspace.
• Web Environments: Websites can support immersive 360-degree environments through Safari, allowing developers to create more spatial web experiences.
• Improved widgets: visionOS 27 adds more widget options, including smaller sizes and support for accessory widgets that can show glanceable information around the user.
• Expanding notifications: Notifications can automatically expand when the user looks at them, making details easier to read without extra interaction.
• 3D models from Mac: Users can bring supported 3D models from a Mac into their Vision Pro space for previewing and editing.
• RealityKit improvements: Developers get updated lighting, Projective Textures, real-time cloth simulation, spatial audio improvements through Reverb Mesh, and additional tools for building spatial experiences.
• Faster Wi-Fi connections: Apple says connecting Apple Vision Pro to Wi-Fi can be up to three times faster with visionOS 27.
• Spatial Persona fix: An issue that could make Spatial Personas appear laggy during High Quality Recording was resolved during the beta cycle.
• Photo improvements and fixes: Apple fixed a PhotoKit issue involving the addedDate property, although the beta still lists a known issue where switching between 2D and Spatial views of very large panorama images can cause Photos to close unexpectedly.

Apple is expected to keep refining visionOS 27 with bug fixes and performance improvements as the software approaches its final release.

If you’ve already installed the update, let us know your experience in the comments.