[Software] Try iOS 18 Right Now. Here's How to Download the Developer Beta on Your iPhone

[Shyloo]

 

Apple is moving fast with iOS 18. Nearly two weeks after releasing the first developer beta for iOS 18, Apple this week released iOS 18 beta 2.

The second iOS developer beta offers two new features, including the ability to remotely mirror your iPhone on your Mac, which Apple showcased at WWDC, and improvements to SharePlay screen sharing.

But if you don't want to wait for the general public release later this year, you can download iOS 18 right now -- as long as you're fine with running a developer beta on your iPhone.

Read more: iPhone Mirroring Has My Attention: Here's How Apple Says This New Feature Will Work

Apple earlier this month announced iOS 18 at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), its yearly 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 huge redesign to the Photos app.

Plus, there are all the new AI features.

While iOS 18 for everyone is slated for fall, Apple has already issued the first and second iOS 18 developer betas, which you can download immediately, as long as you're enrolled in the Apple Developer program.

The Apple Developer program has long required a fee to join, at $100 per year. Last year, with the release of the iOS 17 developer beta, Apple created a free tier of the Apple Developer program, which allows you to download any developer betas for free as long as you have an Apple ID.

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

Why you might not want to download the iOS 18 developer beta
Just because you can download the iOS 18 developer beta for free doesn't mean you need to, or should.

Early developer betas, such as this one, are intended for developers to test their apps on upcoming versions of iOS. It's 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 a major reason why you may not want to download the iOS 18 developer beta on your phone: the bugs.

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