Apple Makes Developer Betas Free to Download and Install

Apple's developer betas have historically been limited to developers who have a paid account that costs $99 per year, but with the launch of the most recent betas, that's changing.

apple developer banner
Anyone can now enroll in the free version of the Apple Developer program and get access to beta releases. All that's required to download betas is an Apple ID.

"OS beta releases" is now listed as an available resource even for those who are not members of the Apple Developer Program.


This change means that anyone with an ‌Apple ID‌ can download and install the iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS Sonoma betas without waiting for the public betas to launch.

Of course, it is not a good idea to install these betas on a main device as there can be notable bugs and issues with early software. More information can be found on Apple's membership page.

Apple's decision to make betas free follows a beta installation change introduced in iOS 16. Apple began requiring an ‌Apple ID‌ linked with a developer membership to prevent people from using profiles and other means of getting the beta without being a registered developer. Apple will now be able to keep track of everyone who is installing the developer betas with the ‌Apple ID‌ link.

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Top Rated Comments

sniffies Avatar
26 months ago
At first I thought it was a glitch, a good glitch.

I installed anyway.

Good thing I didn’t rush to renew my membership.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rorschach Avatar
26 months ago
I wonder if this isn't just finally acknowledging reality. People who want the betas are going to find a way to get them. Might as well let them do it officially rather than going through sketchy websites, risking getting scammed, etc.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
26 months ago
The only thing I can think of... This will lead people to get on the beta train and the adoption rate of newer iOS will increase.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
xhArRiSoNxD Avatar
26 months ago
I never thought I would live to see the day. I remember splitting the bill of a developer profile with a couple friends just to run the beta. Before public betas.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vertsix Avatar
26 months ago
This is an odd change.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bbplayer5 Avatar
26 months ago
Wow, good on you Apple!
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)