Anyone with a compatible iPhone can now download the public beta version of iOS 16 for free.
In June, Apple released the beta version of iOS 16 developers around its developer conference, but there weren’t many people eligible to download and install the software. Developer betas require a subscription to the Apple Developer Program, which is $ 100 per year, and are also not recommended for daily use, unless you are a developer who is testing software, because beta versions of developers can have a lot of bugs and make your phone difficult. use.
Read more: Apple’s lock mode can protect against iPhone hackers. How to use it
Apple has now released the public beta for iOS 16, which is free and easy to download to your iPhone, and should be a little more stable. All you have to do is sign in to Apple Beta Software, register your device, and install a configuration profile to get iOS 16 beta on your device. Here’s how.
For more information, here’s a look at the redesigned, customizable lock screen in iOS 16 and a couple of new features from Apple Maps.
Before you begin, back up your iPhone
Putting pre-launched software in your hands can be exciting, but there are precautions you should take before upgrading. Any previously released software like iOS 16 beta may contain bugs and other issues that may make your device more difficult to use, so you should back up your device in case you want to go back to iOS 15.
By default, your iPhone should back up every time it connects to power and Wi-Fi during normal sleep hours. However, if this backup feature is turned off, you can go to Settings> Your name> iCloud> iCloud backup and then tap Backup now to back up your device.
You can also (and should) back up your iPhone to your Mac.
Screenshot of Nelson Aguilar / CNET
Additionally, you can back up your iPhone using Finder to your Mac. Simply connect your device to your computer, open the Finder, choose your device, and then create a backup. Apple also recommends that you back up your backup so that it is not overwritten by other backups.
Sign up for Apple’s beta software program
Once you’ve backed up your device, it’s time to sign up for Apple’s beta software program, which allows anyone to try pre-released software for free to provide feedback to Apple on quality, usability. and problems. You can currently test iOS 16 beta on any compatible Apple device (iPhone 8 and later).
To sign up for Apple’s beta software program:
1. Go to the Apple Beta Software website on your iPhone.
2. Touch the blue Register button at the bottom of the page.
3. Use Face ID or Touch ID to sign in to the Apple ID that is attached to your iPhone.
4. Read and agree to the Apple Beta Software Agreement.
On the page below, scroll down to Start and tap save your iOS device, which should be hyperlinked to the paragraph that appears. This will take you to another page, where Apple will show you everything you need to do to download and install iOS 16 beta on your iPhone.
Registration for Apple’s beta software program is free.
Screenshot of Nelson Aguilar / CNET
Install the iOS 16 beta configuration profile
If you scroll down this page, you’ll see a section called Install Profile. To download and install the beta version of iOS 16 on your device, you now need to install a configuration profile on your iPhone.
Basically, a configuration profile allows a third party to manage your device; in this case, Apple. You may have doubts about whether or not this is a breach of privacy, but rest assured that this configuration profile simply allows Apple to deliver and manage the beta version of iOS 16 on your device.
To install the configuration profile, press the blue Download Profile button, then tap Allow in the pop-up window that appears. Then exit your web browser, launch the Settings app, and tap Download profile at the top of the page. You should then be shown a window for the public beta configuration profile for iOS 16. Tap Install, enter your password, and then tap Install twice more. Finally, tap Restart to get the iOS 16 beta update on the air.
You must first download a configuration profile from the Apple website before you can upgrade to iOS 16 beta.
Screenshot of Nelson Aguilar / CNET
Download and install iOS 16 beta
Once you have a backup of your iPhone, go to Settings> General> Software Update, press Download and Install, and enter your password to begin the iOS 16 beta upgrade process.
Once you’ve downloaded the setup profile and restarted your phone, you can download and install the public beta of iOS 16.
Screenshot of Nelson Aguilar / CNET
If for some reason you don’t see the Download and Install option, you may have to wait a few minutes or clear your memory to make room. If you don’t have enough space, you won’t be able to download iOS 16, so clear your memory by deleting large files and downloading important apps.
You should see a upload bar, along with an approximate estimate of how long the download process will take. Once the download is complete, restart your device and wait for iOS 16 beta to install. When your iPhone starts up, you should see the beta version of iOS 16 downloaded to your device.
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