After iOS 27’s third developer beta shipped on July 6, Apple released the first public betas for iOS 27 on July 13, 2026. While the main additions remain the same across the builds, the latter is the more refined and polished version, free of rudimentary bugs and glitches.
If you have a compatible iPhone, you can install the first public beta of iOS 27 today and experience the new Siri AI and other features yourself, provided that you know exactly what to do.
So how do you actually install it?
- First, head to beta.apple.com and sign up for the free Apple Beta Software Program. It doesn’t require any membership whatsoever.
- Then, on your iPhone, head to Settings > General > Software Update.
- You’ll see a Beta Updates option, likely toggled off. Enable it, and you should see iOS 27 Public Beta. If you’ve already enrolled in the developer program, the public beta should be available alongside the developer beta.
- Select it, tap back, and your iPhone should inform you when the download is ready. If the option doesn’t show up right away, restart your iPhone first. Once available, you can download and install iOS 27’s public beta.
One thing worth knowing before you tap install is that this is still beta software, so I recommend you back up your iPhone first and avoid putting it on the device you can’t afford to have glitch out for a day or two.
What’s actually new once you’re in?
To be frank, Siri AI is the headline addition. Apple has transformed its basic everyday assistant into a conversational chatbot with its own dedicated app that can see what’s on your screen and take actions across other apps.
Photos gets new AI editing tools for cleaning up, extending, and reframing shots, while Safari organizes your tabs automatically based on the topics. Shortcuts can be built using plain English instead of a rigid workflow builder, while system features like AirDrop and opening new captures in the Photos app are up to 80% and 70% faster, respectively.