You can download the second beta of iOS 18 Developer on your iPhone. Here’s how

Apple’s iOS 18 public beta is set to launch this month, bringing a more stable version of the new operating system to iPhone users. If you don’t want to wait until then, you can download the second developer beta of iOS 18 now.

The latest version brings two new features to iOS 18, including the ability to remotely mirror your iPhone to your Mac, as well as some improvements to SharePlay screen sharing. That’s on top of all the other new features iOS 18 will have when it releases later this year.

However, if you don’t want to wait for the general release in the fall, you can download iOS 18 right now — as long as you don’t mind running the developer beta on your iPhone.

read more:iPhone mirroring caught my eye: Here’s how Apple says the new feature will work

Earlier this month, Apple announced iOS 18 at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), its annual developer seminar. The latest iOS update brings new features like a redesigned Home screen, a customizable Control Center, locked and hidden apps, scheduled text messages, a new password manager app, text messaging via satellite, and a massive redesign of the Photos app.

Plus, all the new AI features are available.

While iOS 18 is scheduled to launch for everyone this fall, Apple has already released the first and second betas of iOS 18 for developers, which you can download immediately if you sign up for the Apple Developer Program.

The Apple Developer Program has long required a $100-a-year joining fee. Last year, with the release of the iOS 17 developer beta, Apple created a free tier of the Apple Developer Program that lets you download any developer beta for free as long as you have an Apple ID.

If you want to try iOS 18 today, here’s how.

Why You Might Not Want to Download the iOS 18 Developer Beta

Just because you can download the free iOS 18 developer beta doesn’t mean you have to or should.

Early developer betas like this one are designed for developers to test their apps on upcoming versions of iOS. They’re also a way for developers to identify and report bugs, which helps Apple improve the software before it’s released to the general public. That’s the main reason you might not want to download the iOS 18 developer beta on your phone: bugs.

A software bug or other glitches can make your phone unstable. You may not be able to use some of your favorite apps, or even if you can, you may have to deal with apps that crash unexpectedly. The performance of your entire phone may be affected; developer betas can cause your phone to lag or drain its battery faster than usual, or even overheat.

I’ve been downloading developer betas on my personal iPhone for the past decade and haven’t had any major issues. It’s just annoying when an app crashes or the battery drains quickly, but I’ve always managed.

If you have a spare iPhone, you should definitely use it for the iOS 18 Developer Beta since you won’t need it every day, so you won’t be fully affected by bugs or other issues. If you don’t, running the iOS 18 Developer Beta on your primary should be fine.

If you still want iOS 18 but don’t want to deal with the developer beta, there’s always the more stable iOS 18 public beta, which should be released later this month. You can sign up here .

What to know before downloading the iOS 18 developer beta

Before you download the iOS 18 developer beta, there are a few things you should know:

• You need a supported phone. iOS 18 will run on iPhone XS and newer.
• Update your phone. It’s best to update to the latest general release before updating to the developer beta. The latest version of iOS is currently 17.5.1. You’ll need at least iOS 16.4 if you want to download the iOS 18 developer beta as an OTA update.
• Also, back up your phone. If you ever want to go back to iOS 17, you’ll need a backup. To back up your phone, go to Settings > Your name > iCloud > iCloud backup > Back up now. You can also make a backup copy on your computer.

Now you can sign up for the Apple Developer Program.

How to sign up for the Apple Developer program for free

As I mentioned, there is now a free version of the Apple Developer Program that lets you download any developer beta without paying. Using the Apple ID that is linked to the device you want to update to iOS 18, do the following:

1. Go to the Apple Developer website, click the three-dash menu in the upper left corner, and then tap Account in the menu that appears.

2. Log in with your Apple ID.

3. Finally, read the Apple Developer Agreement, check all the boxes and click To fold.

You won’t get full access to the developer tools that come with a paid Apple Developer Program membership, but you will have access to the iOS 18 developer beta. If you’re a developer, you should consider signing up for the paid version.

Install iOS 18 Developer Beta Wirelessly on Your iPhone

You can download the iOS 18 developer beta manually, but the easiest way to do it is via an OTA update — just like you would download and install a regular iOS update. Once you’ve signed up for the Apple Developer Program, you should see the option to download the iOS 18 developer beta in your settings.

To download the iOS 18 Developer Beta wirelessly, follow these steps:

1. On your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Software update.

2. Then go to Beta Update and tap iOS 18 Developer Beta option.

3. Finally, go back and tap Download and install under the new “iOS 18 Developer Beta” option that appears.

Note: If you don’t see the iOS 18 beta option, you’ll need to wait.

Enter your passcode, accept the terms, and simply wait for the update to install on your iPhone. Depending on your internet connection, the whole process should take about 10 or 15 minutes.

Once your phone restarts, it should be running the iOS 18 developer beta.

You can also download the iOS 18 developer beta for Mac

The problem with updating over the air is that it requires a certain amount of storage, so if your storage is almost full, you won’t be able to use the options in the previous section. Fortunately, you can use your computer to update to the iOS 18 developer beta.

1. On your Mac, go to the Apple Developer Program download page, find “iOS 18 beta” and click Download Restore Images and download the iOS beta software recovery image for your iPhone model.

2. Connect your phone to your computer and enter the device passcode or press Trust this computer.

3. Open a Finder window, then click your device in the sidebar under Locations.

4. Finally, hold down the Option key and click Check for updates and select the iOS 18 beta software recovery image you just downloaded from the Apple Developer website.

The iOS 18 developer beta software will begin installing on your iPhone. Wait a few minutes and once your phone restarts, you should have access to iOS 18.

To learn more, check out how you’ll soon be able to use your iPhone on your Mac.