Apple released the first public beta of iOS 18.5 for developers only a few days after making iOS 18.4 available to the general public. With iOS 19 on the horizon, we don’t anticipate any significant new features in iOS 18.5, but you can be sure that some of the current ones, like Apple Intelligence, will be somewhat improved.

Alert: You must have an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or the iPhone 16 series—which includes the recently revealed iPhone 16E, which is scheduled to ship next week—in order to use Apple Intelligence capabilities.

You can still download the most recent iOS 18 developer beta using this procedure if you don’t have certain models; you simply won’t be able to utilize the Apple Intelligence capabilities.

Read more: Discover the 5 Apple Intelligence features that you will really use on a daily basis.

Original emoji, email proofreading, article summarization in Safari, notification prioritization, audio transcript analysis, and interruption reduction are all possible with Apple Intelligence on your iPhone and other compatible devices. Because of its connection with ChatGPT, Siri will utilize AI to help you more effectively.

A revamped home screen, a control center that can be customized, scheduled text messages, hidden and locked applications, a new password manager software, satellite text messaging, and a massive makeover of the Photos app are all features in iOS 18.

Read more: I’m Paying Attention to iPhone Mirroring: Apple Explains How This New Feature Will Operate


Take a look: iOS 18 Introduces Text Over Satellite and New Tapback Features
There has long been a $100 annual enrollment fee for the Apple Developer program. Apple established a free tier of the Apple Developer program last year with the introduction of the iOS 17 developer beta, enabling you to download any developer beta for free as long as you have an Apple ID.

Here’s how to test out iOS 18.5 right now.

Why downloading the iOS 18.5 developer beta may not be for you

You don’t have to or should download the iOS 18.5 developer beta just because it’s available for free.

Developers are supposed to test their applications on future iterations of iOS using early developer betas like this one. Additionally, developers may use it to find and report defects, assisting Apple in making the program better before it is made available to the public. The issues are one of the main reasons you may not want to download the iOS 18.5 developer beta on your phone.

Your phone might become unstable due to a software problem or other issues. Some of your favorite applications may not work, and even if they do, you could have to contend with unexpected app crashes. The developer beta may cause your phone to slow, deplete your battery more quickly than normal, or even overheat, which might impact the overall operation of your phone.

The way you interact with Apple devices will be improved with new gestures.

For the last ten years, I have downloaded developer betas on my own iPhone without seeing any significant problems. I’ve always managed, but it’s primarily just frustrating when an app quits or my battery runs out of juice.

You should absolutely utilize your backup iPhone for the iOS 18.5 developer beta as you won’t be using it daily and won’t be affected by any bugs or other problems. Running the iOS 18.5 developer beta on your main should hopefully work well if you don’t have one.

There will undoubtedly be a more reliable iOS 18.5 public beta in the next weeks if you still want the operating system but don’t want to cope with the developer beta.

Things to consider before downloading the developer beta for iOS 18.5
You should be aware of the following before beginning to download the iOS 18.5 developer beta:

A compatible phone is required. The iPhone XS and later run iOS 18.5. Only the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and all iPhone 16 series devices will be able to use Apple Intelligence capabilities.
Update your mobile device. Prior to upgrading to a developer beta, it is advisable to upgrade to the most recent public version. Right now, iOS 18.4 is the most recent version.
Make a backup of your iPhone as well. You can’t simply do a standard backup for this. On your computer, you will need to archive a backup—a backup that cannot be erased or restored automatically. Connect your iPhone to your Mac, launch the Finder app, choose your iPhone, click Back Up Now, pick Manage Backups, right-click the newly produced backup, and finally select Archive. On Windows, the procedure is the same, except you’ll utilize the iTunes app.
Here is our detailed tutorial in case you ever wish to return to iOS 18.

iPhone device backups are shown in a MacOS dialog box with the option Archive underlined and a contextual menu.
You may manually backup your iPhone using the settings if it doesn’t do it for you.
You are now prepared to enroll in the Apple Developer program.

How to sign up for a free Apple Developer program membership
The Apple Developer program now has a free tier that lets you download any developer beta without having to pay for it. To upgrade to iOS 18.5, use the Apple ID linked to the device and do the following actions:

1. Open the Apple Developer website, choose Account from the menu that appears after hitting the three-dash menu in the upper-left corner.

2. Enter your Apple ID to log in.

3. Finally, go over the Apple Developer Agreement, make sure everything is checked, and click Submit.

The iOS 18.5 developer beta will be available to you, but you won’t have full access to the programming tools that are available with the premium Apple Developer program membership. You should think about purchasing the premium version if you work as a developer.

registering for an iOS 17 free Apple Developer Program account
After there, you may navigate to Software Downloads to see what you can install, including the developer beta for iOS 18.5.
On your iPhone, install the iOS 18.5 developer beta over the air.
Although the iOS 18.5 developer beta may be downloaded manually, an over-the-air update is the most convenient method, which is similar to downloading and installing a standard iOS update. You should be able to download the iOS 18.5 developer beta from your settings after registering for the Apple Developer program.

The steps to obtain the iOS 18.5 developer beta over the air are as follows:

1. Navigate to Settings > General > Software Update on your iPhone.

2. Next, choose the iOS 18 Developer Beta option under Beta Updates.

3. Lastly, choose Download and Install from the newly shown “iOS 18.5 Developer Beta” menu.

iPhone iOS 18 developer update
You’ll have to wait a little while if the iOS 18.5 beta option isn’t shown.
Simply wait for the update to install on your iPhone after entering your passcode and accepting the terms and conditions. The whole procedure should take ten to fifteen minutes, depending on your internet connection.

The iOS 18.5 developer beta should be installed on your phone when it has rebooted.

Additionally, you may use your Mac to download the iOS 18.5 developer beta.
Over-the-air updates have the drawback of requiring a certain quantity of storage, therefore you won’t be able to utilize the option in the preceding section if your storage is almost full. Thankfully, you can upgrade to the iOS 18.5 developer beta on your PC.

Get the iOS beta software restoration image for your iPhone model by going to this Apple Developer Program download page on your Mac, finding “iOS 18.5 beta,” and clicking Download restoration Images.

2. Link your phone to your PC, then click Trust This Computer or enter your device passcode.

3. Click your device in the Locations sidebar after launching a Finder window.

4. Lastly, choose the iOS 18.5 beta software restoration image you just obtained from the Apple Developer website by holding down the Option key while clicking Check for Update.