Apple Seeds First Betas of iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1

Apple today provided developers with the first betas of upcoming iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1 updates for testing purposes. The new betas are the first updates to the iOS, iPadOS, macOS 26, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS releases that came out last week.

iOS 26
The new betas can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update.

We don't yet know what's included in the beta software, but there are a couple of features that didn't make it into the launch version of iOS 26, like Wallet support for passports. We'll share details when we learn what's new.

The iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.1, tvOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1, betas are limited to developers right now, but Apple will likely release some of the updates to public beta testers in the future.

Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26
Related Forum: iOS 26

Popular Stories

Apple Logo Zoomed

Tim Cook Teases Plans for Apple's Upcoming 50th Anniversary

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026. "I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
imac video apple feature

Apple Makes Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever

Tuesday February 3, 2026 12:45 pm PST by
Apple recently acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for close to $2 billion, according to Financial Times sources. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone maker Beats in 2014. This is also the largest known Apple acquisition since the company purchased Intel's smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019....
wwdc sans text feature

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Finder Siri Feature

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...

Top Rated Comments

TJFDenver Avatar
20 weeks ago
Did they fix the problem where they don’t test anything?
Score: 39 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Alfred.Woodden Avatar
20 weeks ago
Please contain a ton of bug fixes and optimization, especially scrolling animation performance in safari and lists like mail and apple music. its so jittery and stuttery on 15 pro.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JMalone Avatar
20 weeks ago
Hopefully restores normal corners, normal buttons that look clickable, avoids text clash when text scrolls under text (which should not be a thing anyway) and reduces Liquid Glass to only the Dock because we don’t need to simulate refraction in a UI except as a marketing gimmick.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hyperactiv8 Avatar
20 weeks ago

Good to see they’re moving things along with alacrity.
Today, I learned the word “alacrity”. Thanks!
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rexel69 Avatar
20 weeks ago

Imagine if Apple had taken the beta phase seriously. Instead of releasing a new version every two weeks, they waited four weeks. Just like developers of Ubuntu, LinuxMint or Windows do. And simply postponed the release by a few weeks.

Everyone would be happy about a much more bug-free upgrade, instead of now having to "looking forward" for new updates to fix the bugs.

I know! That would be so innovative and special, you would be able to call it “think different”.
Let’s be clear — Apple doesn’t release a beta and then sit around waiting for a couple of weeks to see what happens. iOS 26 was built and tested internally months ago. The public and developer betas are part of a structured process, primarily aimed at developers, so they can test their apps and games, report bugs, and ensure everything runs smoothly ahead of the final release. The notion that the beta is a last-minute trial run is a significant misunderstanding. It’s a critical phase of ongoing development, not a polished product for everyday users.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Johnny907 Avatar
20 weeks ago
Just give me the option to disable all the Liquid Glass nonsense and I’ll be happy. This isn’t a huge ask.
Just give us a toggle in the Display control panel, Apple. It’s ok for people giving you money to not be 100% onboard with your “bold new vision.”
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)