It was already easy to install the first few beta releases on iPhones and iPads, but they were mostly intended for developers testing apps and games. The public beta marks the start of a more stable iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 experience, aimed at the general public ahead of a final release in a few months. No developer account or workaround is required — just head to the Apple Beta Software Program portal and enroll your device.
The iPhone’s iOS 16 update includes a more customizable lock screen, improvements to Focus mode and Messages, multi-stop trips in Apple Maps, ‘unsend’ for Mail, and much more. The corresponding iPadOS 16 has most of those improvements, with the addition of Stage Manager for multitasking (though only on M1-powered iPads), a revamped Weather application, proper external display support (again, only for M1), and other enhancements.
As with all pre-release software, you should not install beta iOS or iPadOS on a device you depend on each day. Apple has had a few developer beta releases to iron out the worst bugs, but there are likely still a few issues left. If you don’t have a spare iPhone or iPad, it’s best to wait for the final stable version, when it will be ready for the best iPhones.
