Apple Seeds Second Betas of iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6 to Developers

Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming two weeks after the release of the first betas.

iOS 16
Registered developers can opt in to the betas by opening up the Settings app, going to Software Update, tapping on the “Beta Updates” option and toggling on the iOS 16 Developer Beta. Note that an Apple ID associated with a developer account is required to download and install the beta.

iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6 lay the groundwork for iMessage Contact Key Verification. It is meant to let Apple device owners verify that they are messaging with the people they intend to message rather than a malicious entity that has intercepted a message or is eavesdropping on a conversation.

The feature is designed for Apple users who are facing “extraordinary digital threats.” Apple intends for iMessage Contact Key Verification to be used by journalists, human rights activists, government officials, and others who are in danger of malicious digital attacks from state-sponsored attackers or other malicious actors.

Apple said that iMessage Contact Key Verification would be available on the iPhone and other Apple devices at some point in 2023, and it is one of the last features we are expecting to see in iOS 16. In the first beta, hints of iMessage Contact Key were available, but the option was not fully enabled.

Related Forum: iOS 16

Popular Stories

Apple Logo Spotlight

Report: Apple to Launch These New Products in 2026

Sunday November 2, 2025 5:34 am PST by
Apple is planning to launch at least 15 new products in 2026, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman outlined what to expect from Apple in 2026 in the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter. He said the company is heading "into one of its most pivotal years in recent memory," with the rollout of major new Apple Intelligence features, intense regulatory pressure on the App Store,...
ios 26 1 slide to stop

iOS 26.1 Brings Back 2007 Feature in New Way

Friday October 31, 2025 1:40 pm PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a small but helpful change for iPhones, and it could prevent you from running late to something important. Specifically, when an alarm goes off in the Clock app, there is a new "slide to stop" control on the screen for turning off the alarm. On previous iOS 26 versions, there is simply a large "stop" button, which could be accidentally tapped. The new ...
Apple Intelligence General Feature 2

New Version of Siri to 'Lean' on Google Gemini

Sunday November 2, 2025 6:06 am PST by
In his "Power On" newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today provided an update on the status of Apple Intelligence and the plans for it in 2026. Apple is still planning to roll out its revamped version of Siri around March of next year. The release should be accompanied by the release of a new smart home display product with speaker-base and wall-mount options. A new Apple TV and HomePod...
HomePod mini and Apple TV

New Apple TV and HomePod Mini Likely Launching Soon

Sunday November 2, 2025 5:49 am PST by
A new Apple TV and HomePod mini could launch as soon as this month, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today suggested. In today's "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that Apple retail stores are planning an overnight refresh on the evening of November 11, where changes will be made after closing, such as refreshing displays and placing new products for the following day. The timing of the overnight...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.1 With Liquid Glass Toggle, Slide to Stop Alarm, New Apple Intelligence Languages and More

Monday November 3, 2025 1:11 pm PST by
Apple today released iOS 26.1, the first major update to the iOS 26 operating system that came out in September, iOS 26.1 comes over a month after iOS 26 launched. ‌iOS 26‌.1 is compatible with the ‌iPhone‌ 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings > General >...
Apple Foldable Thumb

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Friday October 31, 2025 8:52 am PDT by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that have been leaked about Apple's foldable iPhone so far. Ove...
Early Black Friday Deals 2

The Best Early Black Friday Apple Deals

Sunday November 2, 2025 10:04 am PST by
We're officially in the month of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When ...
M5 MacBook Pro

Waiting for New Macs? Apple Just Shared Bad News

Friday October 31, 2025 7:32 am PDT by
Apple has just given a strong indication that it will not be releasing any additional new Macs for the remainder of the year. Apple's CFO Kevan Parekh dropped the hint during the company's earnings call on Thursday:On Mac, keep in mind, we expect to face a very difficult compare against the M4 MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac launches in the year-ago quarter.Parekh essentially gave a heads up ...

Top Rated Comments

Realityck Avatar
32 months ago
Released today
iOS 16.6 beta 2 (20G5037d) - May 31, 2023
iPadOS 16.6 beta 2 (20G5037d) - May 31, 2023
macOS 13.5 beta 2 (22G5038d) - May 31, 2023
watchOS 9.6 beta 2 (20U5538d) - May 31, 2023
tvOS 16.6 beta 2 (20M5538d) - May 31, 2023
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Realityck Avatar
32 months ago
Availability of iOS/IPadOS 16.6b2 is well timed, gives the PB to be out tomorrow likely still an additional day before everything goes WWDC.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Realityck Avatar
32 months ago
[HEADING=2]iOS & iPadOS 16.6 Beta 2 Release Notes[/HEADING]
[HEADING=3]Known Issues[/HEADING]

* Pairing a first Matter accessory in a new Apple Home will fail when paired by selecting an accessory from the nearby accessories list. (109905770)
Workaround: Pair a first Matter accessory by scanning the QR code on the Add Accessory card in a new Apple Home. Subsequent matter accessories can be paired using the nearby accessories list.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
3166792 Avatar
32 months ago

Can we just get Airplay 2, please...
Came out almost exactly 5 years ago.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Fatwalrus93 Avatar
32 months ago

The current 16.x releases are one to two days after the dev release, unless there is something preventing seeding. If you mean to ask about WWDC next IOS 17 announcements, then the public beta recipients won't see any seeding until almost July or a bit afterwards. (usually beta 3 by then) Then the same delay would for apply for incremental PB betas some time later from dev seeds as stated first sentence.
Thank you!
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Realityck Avatar
32 months ago

How long does it usually take for a new iOS iteration to go from announced to being able to download the beta version?
The current 16.x releases are one to two days after the dev release, unless there is something preventing seeding. If you mean to ask about WWDC next IOS 17 announcements, then the public beta recipients won't see any seeding until almost July or a bit afterwards. (usually beta 3 by then) Then the same delay would for apply for incremental PB betas some time later from dev seeds as stated first sentence.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)