Apple has released the third public betas of iOS 27.2, iPadOS 27.2, and macOS Golden Gate 27.2, a few hours after developer beta 4 of each went out. Anyone enrolled in the Apple Beta Software Program can install them now, and watchOS 27.2 also got a third public beta on the same day.
The second public beta arrived on October 6, so testers waited about a week for this one. Anyone not yet enrolled can sign up on Apple’s beta software site, which also points testers to the Feedback Assistant app for sending bug reports.
The iPhone and iPad builds follow developer beta 4
Developers received beta 4 earlier on October 13, alongside watchOS 27.2 beta 4 and visionOS 27.2 beta 4. Testers get the public builds through the same Software Update screen after enrolling, and it is worth backing up your iPhone or iPad before installing.
- Open Settings, then General, then Software Update.
- Tap Beta Updates and select iOS 27 Public Beta or iPadOS 27 Public Beta.
- Go back and install the update when it appears.
macOS Golden Gate 27.2 public beta 3 carries Siri AI languages and the new sliders
The Mac build is the public counterpart of macOS Golden Gate 27.2 beta 4, which went to developers earlier on October 13. Apple skipped a macOS 27.1 release, and the final version of macOS Golden Gate 27.2 is expected toward the end of October.
Siri AI was English only when macOS Golden Gate launched on September 14, and the 27.2 betas add French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish. The volume and brightness sliders also have a new segmented bar design that appears when you use the keyboard keys, while Control Center keeps its old sliders.
Code in earlier builds added touch gestures for Safari, Notes, Photos, and Quick Look, which fed talk of a touchscreen MacBook Pro. No new features have been reported in beta 4, and Apple has not confirmed what the gesture code is for.
To install the public beta on a Mac, open System Settings, click General, then Software Update, and opt into the macOS Golden Gate public beta. Put it on a secondary Mac or a separate APFS volume instead of the Mac you rely on for work.
watchOS 27.2 public beta 3 arrives alongside the iPhone and Mac builds
watchOS 27.2 also reached its third public beta on October 13, a few hours after the developer build of watchOS 27.2 beta 4. The update has been in testing since September 16, with beta 2 on September 21, beta 3 on October 5, and beta 4 on October 13, and Apple has not given a release date for the final version.
watchOS 27 runs on the Apple Watch Series 9 and later, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and later, and the Apple Watch SE 3. Earlier 27.2 builds brought back the App Switcher with a new gesture, which remains one of the more visible changes so far, and Apple has not detailed anything new in beta 4.
Apple TV profiles, Siri AI languages, and CarPlay Ultra changes stay in iOS 27.2
The Apple TV app gets new profile options on the iPhone, and Siri AI adds the same five languages as on the Mac, which Apple has said will arrive in October. The update adds more than 10 features for the iPhone overall, including new wallpaper, gauge style, and color options for CarPlay Ultra and Call Context reminders for birthdays and anniversaries when you ring a contact.
Anything in a beta can change before the public release, so treat the full list as provisional.
Apple pulled the redesigned Health app from the beta
Developer beta 4 and this new public beta removed the redesigned Health app, and Apple has said it will not launch until later in the year.
The redesign adds Insights and Longevity tabs and a Health Age feature that compares your fitness age with your actual age. Apple has not given a release window for it.
iPhone Duo buyers should stay off the public beta
The iPhone Duo ships with iOS 27.1, which is older than the iOS 27.2 betas, and a backup from a newer version of iOS generally cannot be restored onto a device running an older one. iPhone Duo buyers should stay off the iOS 27.2 betas until their new phone is set up.
Apple is planning to release iOS 27.2 later in October, and HomePod mini 2 uses HomePod software 27.2 and ships on Friday, October 30.
