Apple has released iOS 26 beta 5 to developers, continuing the testing cycle ahead of the expected launch in September. The new beta is available via the Settings app for users with the developer profile, arriving just one week after beta 4. This rapid release cadence indicates Apple is entering the final stretch of polishing before the public release of iOS 26.
iOS 26 introduces a number of major changes including a new Liquid Glass design, enhanced Visual intelligence, improvements to Phone, Safari, Maps, Messages, Photos, Camera, CarPlay and a lot more. iPadOS 26 gets real multi-window multitasking, folders support in Dock as well as support for a lot more apps, Preview app, and much more,
With iOS 26 beta 5, Apple appears focused on improving overall system stability, battery life, and responsiveness. There are no release notes shared by Apple so far. We are currently testing the new beta on iPhone and iPad and will update this post once we find noticeable changes.
- The bottom row of apps on iPhone has a “glassier” background
- New “Classic Mode Switching” setting for Camera app lets users reverse the scroll direction
- AirDrop has a new icon in the Share menu
- Low battery alert is now part of Dynamic Island on iPhone
If you already have beta 4 installed, simply go to Settings > General > Software Update to download and install the new release.
Previous betas included minor UI updates such as adjusted icon spacing on the Home Screen, a cleaner design for app splash screens, and tweaks to Control Center’s layout. Many of these visual refinements remain unchanged in beta 5, suggesting the interface design is now largely finalized for this release cycle.
As Apple moves closer to the public release of iOS 26, the current beta is recommended for developers testing app compatibility, especially for features related to the new Apple Intelligence APIs. A corresponding public beta version is expected shortly, typically within 24 to 48 hours of the developer release.
