Now that the iOS 26 public beta is now available, you may be itching to install it on your iPhone and start to experience the new Liquid Glass interface, live translation and other features coming in the fall.

After a month of developer testing, Apple is ready to unleash iOS 26 for wider testing. Here's why you might want to wait.

– If you go ahead and install the iOS 26 public beta on your main device, then be sure to back up your phone’s data first. – Beta builds can have some privacy or security weaknesses, so try to avoid entering sensitive personal information while using it.

To install the public beta, you'll need to enroll your Apple Account in the Apple Beta Software Program. Once you do, open Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates. Choose "iOS 26 Public Beta," then tap Back. iOS will load the beta, and you'll be able to hit Update Now when it's ready.

iOS 26 looks new and modern. And for once, how Apple describes it — liquid glass — makes sense: it’s a lot of layers of transparent elements overlapping and, in places, the animations are quite… liquidy. Menus and buttons will respond to your touch, with some of them coalescing around your finger and sometimes separating out into new menus.

The fourth developer beta of iOS 26 introduces 12 new CarPlay wallpapers. The new CarPlay wallpapers are based on the official iOS 26 wallpaper

The macOS 26 public beta is packed with intelligent features, a bold new design, and deeper iOS synergy than ever before. I can't wait to make the final release release my new daily driver.