iOS 27 Beta 5: All the New Features and Changes

Apple has released iOS 27 beta 5 for developers, bringing another round of interface changes, Siri AI improvements, Liquid Glass refinements, Search controls, and smaller updates across several built-in apps.

The latest beta arrives as Apple moves closer to the public release of iOS 27, with many of the changes now focused on polishing existing features rather than introducing major new ones. Here is everything new we have seen in iOS 27 beta 5 so far.

iOS 27 Beta 5 at a Glance

Updated Liquid Glass App Icons

Apple has refreshed several built-in app icons as part of its continuing Liquid Glass redesign.

Updated icons include:

• Safari
• Siri
• Settings
• Remote
• App Store
• Preview

Some icons receive small visual refinements, while others have more noticeable redesigns with additional depth and glass effects.

The clearest Liquid Glass appearance setting has also become more transparent compared with the previous beta.

Siri AI Gets More Voice Controls

Siri AI voice customization has expanded in beta 5, allowing users to adjust Pace and Expressivity across all seven American voices and four British voices.

Pace controls how quickly Siri speaks, while Expressivity changes the level of emphasis and variation in its voice.

These customizations run on-device and require newer supported hardware, including the iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air.

Apple has also slightly reduced the saturation of the Siri animation.

Search Gets More Customization

Apple has added a new Before Search section inside Search settings, giving users more control over what appears when opening Home Screen Search.

Users can now:

• Disable app results completely
• Display four app suggestions
• Display eight app suggestions
• Enable or disable app shortcuts
• Control recent searches

Search also includes a new Search the Web option at the bottom of the results page.

Apple has adjusted the Search and Ask animation as well, so suggestions now appear at the same time as the search interface instead of loading shortly afterward.

Control Center and 5G Changes

When an iPhone connects to Wi-Fi, Control Center no longer displays the cellular network type, resulting in a cleaner status area.

Beta 5 also expands support for 5G+ indicators in additional regions and networks, including EE users in the UK and supported networks in Spain.

Contacts Shows Company Names

Contacts now displays a person’s associated company directly underneath their name in the contact list and Search results.

This makes business contacts easier to identify without opening individual contact cards.

Wallet Create a Pass Expands

Apple’s Create a Pass feature in Wallet is now available outside the United States, expanding access to a feature that lets users create compatible digital passes directly on their iPhone.

More Changes in iOS 27 Beta 5

Apple has made several other smaller improvements across the system:

• Photos, Wallet, and Music now include new splash screens explaining iOS 27 features.
• Settings > General > About shows when the latest software update was installed.
• Alarm and Timer text in the Clock app uses a thicker font.
• Mail includes a Personalize Smart Replies toggle, which is disabled by default.
• Battery settings can warn when poor cellular reception is contributing to higher battery drain.
• Siri AI indexing starts again after installing the beta.

How to Install iOS 27 Beta 5

Developers can install the update by going to:

Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates > iOS 27 Developer Beta

Beta software can still contain battery problems, app compatibility issues, crashes, and performance bugs, so installing it on a primary iPhone carries additional risk.

iOS 27 supports iPhone 11 and later models, along with the iPhone SE 2 and newer, although Siri AI and several Apple Intelligence features require more recent hardware.