Apple on Monday released a public beta of its next-generation software for iPhone, Mac, iPad, and Apple Watch, giving users the chance to try out iOS 18 and many of its new features and provide feedback to Apple, except for Apple Intelligence, which will be released in beta this fall.
If you want to try out Apple's upcoming software upgrades, you can sign up for the Apple Beta Software Program on the company's website. Registering your device there will give you access to early versions of these features. iOS 18 includes several new customization options for the home screen. For example, you can place app icons and widgets anywhere you want on your iOS home screen and give it all a color.
Other features seen in the iOS 18 beta include an all-new layout for the Photos app on iPhone. The Messages app will also get new features, including the ability to use Tapbacks with your favorite emojis and stickers. In Wallet, the iOS 18 beta will give Apple users early access to Tap to Cash, which lets them make payments in person by tapping their devices.
Once you're done trying the iOS 18 beta, you can restore the previously released OS version by following Apple's instructions here. The company says that only iPhones, iPads, and Macs can roll back to the older software. Your Apple Watch will need to stay on the beta until iOS 18 is officially released in the fall.
One feature I'm particularly keen to try out in the iOS 18 beta is the ability to say “yes” or “no” to Siri by nodding while wearing AirPods Pro (you'll need the second generation for this feature), which was announced at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in June.
Another feature that garnered attention at WWDC was Apple Intelligence, the iPhone maker's answer to the current AI craze, which isn't available in today's public beta release and will be limited to the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, if it is released at all.