Download iOS 15: Here's how to install the developer beta on your phone today
Should you install iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 now or wait for the public release? If you dare, here's how to get it.
The very first glimpse of iOS 15 is here. We'll tell you everything you need to know about getting it on your phone.
Screenshot by CNETAt WWDC 21, Apple lifted the curtain on iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, giving us our first look at new features that have the potential to make a big difference. The iPhone is getting new FaceTime features, an upgraded Maps experience and iMessage improvements. Meanwhile, the iPad isn't being left behind this time, gaining features like widgets on the home screen, App Library and a new multitasking experience.
As Apple usually does at its annual developers conference, the first developer betas are available for people with a paid developer account to download, install and test on their development devices. Notice I didn't say personal devices -- that's because, as is usually the case with any beta, there are bound to be bugs and issues with the early builds of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15.
Installing the developer beta isn't a hard process, but you will need to have a $100-per-year paid developer account and a supported device (a complete list is at the bottom of this post). If you meet those qualifications and are comfortable dealing with bugs and other issues, then you can install the developer beta following the steps below.
How to install Apple's iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 developer betas
Before you do anything, make sure you have a current backup of your iPhone or iPad. Relying on iCloud while testing a beta OS isn't good enough. When your device creates iCloud backups when you're using iOS 15 or iPadOS 15, you won't be able to use those as a restore point should you need to go back to iOS 14. Instead, you'll want to create a backup of your device on your Mac or PC following these instructions right now.
With that done, and assuming you have a paid Apple developer account, you can sign in to your account and find the instructions to download and install iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 along with the rest of the beta builds released on Monday.
Apple recommends that developers only install the beta on test devices and not their main iPhone or iPad. A public beta, that usually has fewer issues and bugs, will be released in July.
Will iOS 15 and iPad 15 work with my iPhone and iPad?
Apple published a list of devices that will receive the update when it officially launches later this year. It's easy to figure out if your iPhone or iPad will run iOS 15. If it's running iOS 14 right now, then you'll be able to install the update when it's released later this year. Here's all of the devices on the list:
DEVICES THAT WILL SUPPORT IOS 15, IPADOS 15
| iPhone 12 Mini | iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th generation) |
|---|---|
| iPhone 12 | iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation) |
| iPhone 12 Pro | iPad Pro 12.9-inch (4th generation) |
| iPhone 12 Pro Max | iPad Pro 11-inch (2nd generation) |
| Phone 11 | iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation) |
| iPhone 11 Pro | iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation) |
| iPhone 11 Pro Max | iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd generation) |
| iPhone XS | iPad Pro 12.9-inch (1st generation) |
| iPhone XS Max | iPad Pro 10.5-inch |
| iPhone XR | iPad Pro 9.7-inch |
| iPhone X | iPad (8th generation) |
| iPhone 8 | iPad (7th generation) |
| iPhone 8 Plus | iPad (6th generation) |
| iPhone 7 | iPad (5th generation) |
| iPhone 7 Plus | iPad Mini (5th generation) |
| iPhone 6s | iPad Mini 4 |
| iPhone 6s Plus | iPad Air (4th generation) |
| iPhone SE (1st generation) | iPad Air (3rd generation) |
| iPhone SE (2nd generation) | iPad Air 2 |
| iPod Touch (7th generation) |
Apple didn't only announce iOS 15 and iPadOS 15. The Apple Watch is getting a big update, there are more privacy features coming to iCloud and the Mail app, and MacOS Monterey is full of new tricks. Make sure to check out our WWDC roundup for all the news in one place.
iOS 15 is on the way, but will your iPhone be compatible? Check this list
Apple launched a developer version of iOS 15 at WWDC, which is out now ahead of its full launch this fall. We'll tell you if your phone will be compatible with Apple's latest software.
iOS 15 will be compatible with the iPhone 6S and later.
Apple/Screenshot by Sarah Tew/CNETLast week, the world got a preview of the next major software update for the iPhone, iOS 15. Announced at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference along with a slate of other product releases, iOS 15 is now available as a developer beta (here's how to download iOS 15), with a public beta launching in July and the general release arriving in the fall, likely alongside the rumored iPhone 13.
iOS 15 will include new features like spatial audio for FaceTime calls, easier sharing on iMessage and updates to Apple Maps. In terms of privacy-focused improvements, iOS 15 expands on-device processing to further limit the potential circulation of your data, and gives you more information about what data third-party apps are collecting from your Apple devices.
Want to know if you'll be able to download iOS 15 on your iPhone once it's generally available? Here are all of the supported devices.
Will iOS 15 work on my iPhone?
iOS 15 will be compatible with the following iPhones, according to Apple:
For more, check out everything we learned about iOS 15 today, and how to download iOS 15.
