Apple kicked off May by releasing release candidates across its entire software lineup this morning, a clear signal that the public rollout is just days away. iOS 26.5, iPadOS 26.5, macOS Tahoe 26.5, watchOS 26.5, tvOS 26.5, visionOS 26.5, and HomePod 26.5 all received RC builds today, putting them on track to ship to everyone next week.
Release candidates are the final step before a public release. Unless Apple finds a critical bug that needs patching, the builds seeded today are what millions of users will download when the updates go live, likely around May 12.
Apple confirmed the following build numbers:
- iOS 26.5 RC: 23F75
- iPadOS 26.5 RC: 23F75
- macOS Tahoe 26.5 RC: 25F71
- watchOS 26.5 RC: 23T570
- tvOS 26.5 RC: 23L471
- visionOS 26.5 RC: 23O471
- iOS 18.7.9: 22H355
- iPadOS 18.7.9: 22H355
What’s Coming in 26.5
The 26.5 cycle has been relatively focused, with a handful of notable additions making it into the release. Apple Maps picks up a Suggested Places feature that surfaces recommendations directly in search. End-to-end encrypted RCS messaging, which Apple has been testing in betas, is expected to ship in the final build, allowing encrypted chats between iPhone and Android users for the first time. In Europe, Live Activities can now be pushed to third-party accessories.
The update also includes a new Pride wallpaper for iPhone and iPad, along with a matching watch face for Apple Watch. Both arrive in time for Pride Month in June.
One thing notably absent: new Apple Intelligence features. Those are being held for iOS 27, which Apple is set to unveil at WWDC 2026 on June 9.
Security Updates for Older Macs
Alongside the 26.5 RCs, Apple also seeded release candidates for macOS Sonoma 14.8.6 and macOS Sequoia 15.7.6. These are security-only updates for Macs that aren’t running macOS Tahoe, and they arrived today without any prior beta testing period, which is typical for maintenance security releases.
How to Get the RC
The release candidates are available now to developers and public beta testers. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, General, then Software Update. On Mac, head to System Settings, General, then Software Update. If you’re not already enrolled in the public beta program, you can sign up for free at beta.apple.com.
Most users are better off waiting for the public release, expected next week. RC builds are stable by design, but the final public version is always the safest bet.