Apple has seeded the first developer betas of iOS 26.5, iPadOS 26.5, macOS Tahoe 26.5, watchOS 26.5, tvOS 26.5, and visionOS 26.5 today, just six days after the public release of the 26.4 updates. The betas are available to registered developers now, with public betas expected to follow in the next week or two.
Updated April 3, 2026: Apple has released a revised build of iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 Beta 1, now carrying build number 23F5043k (up from 23F5043g). The updated build is available to registered developers via Settings → General → Software Update. No new features have been announced for the revised build.
How to Install the Developer Beta
Registered developers can download the betas through the Settings app on each device. On iPhone and iPad, go to Settings → General → Software Update and make sure Beta Updates are enabled. The process is the same on Apple Watch and Apple TV. On Mac, open System Settings → General → Software Update. A free Apple developer account is required. If you’re not a developer, it’s worth waiting for the public beta, which should arrive in approximately one to two weeks.
What’s in iOS & iPadOS 26.5 Beta 1
Apple has published official release notes for iOS and iPadOS 26.5 Beta 1. The confirmed changes are focused on StoreKit for developers and a wallpaper bug fix . no Siri or Apple Intelligence changes are included in this first beta.
StoreKit . New Features
Apple is introducing support for a new monthly with 12-month commitment subscription billing plan for app developers. This allows developers to offer subscriptions billed monthly but with a 12-month commitment . similar to how many streaming services and software subscriptions work. Specifically:
- Developers can read pricing information for the new billing plan configuration via a new
PricingTermsmodel onSubscriptionInfo.pricingTerms - A new
billingPlanTypepurchase option lets developers specify the billing plan type - Customer entitlement metadata for subscriptions with the monthly commitment plan is accessible through a new
CommitmentInfodata model onTransactionandSubscriptionRenewalInfo - A new
preferredSubscriptionPricingTerms(_:)SwiftUI API allows developers to merchandise the monthly commitment plan using built-in styles
Wallpaper . Bug Fix
A bug has been resolved where Unity and Kaleidoscope wallpapers could fail to install or could not be removed from the Wallpaper Gallery.
What About Siri?
No Siri or Apple Intelligence changes are present in Beta 1 . confirmed by both Apple’s official release notes and early developer testing. The long-awaited Siri upgrades, including a new foundation model, on-screen awareness, and personal context, are now widely expected to be announced at WWDC 2026 in June as part of iOS 27. Apple inked a deal with Google earlier this year to use Gemini AI models to power some of these features, but none of that work has surfaced in the 26.5 betas yet.
All Platforms Updated
Today’s beta drop covers every active Apple platform simultaneously:
- iOS 26.5 (23F5043k) . iPhone 11 and later
- iPadOS 26.5 (23F5043k) . all iPads that support iPadOS 26
- macOS Tahoe 26.5 (25F5042g) . all Macs that support macOS Tahoe
- watchOS 26.5 (23T5541h) . public beta expected in April
- tvOS 26.5 (23L5443g) . public beta expected in April
- visionOS 26.5 (23O5441g) . developer-only, no public beta planned
Official Release Notes by Platform
Apple has published official Beta 1 release notes for all platforms. The changes are consistent across iOS, macOS, tvOS, and visionOS . all focused on a new StoreKit subscription billing feature for developers. watchOS has no new features listed in Beta 1.
| Platform | New Features | Bug Fixes |
|---|---|---|
| iOS & iPadOS 26.5 | StoreKit monthly with 12-month commitment billing plan | Unity and Kaleidoscope wallpapers failing to install or remove |
| macOS Tahoe 26.5 | StoreKit monthly with 12-month commitment billing plan | None listed |
| tvOS 26.5 | StoreKit monthly with 12-month commitment billing plan | None listed |
| visionOS 26.5 | StoreKit monthly with 12-month commitment billing plan | None listed |
| watchOS 26.5 | None listed | None listed |
The StoreKit changes are developer-facing only . they allow app developers to offer subscriptions billed monthly with a 12-month commitment, similar to how many streaming and software services work. End users won’t see this directly, but may start seeing new subscription options in apps once developers adopt it. The only visible end-user change in Beta 1 is the iOS wallpaper bug fix.
What to Expect Next
Apple typically runs three to five developer betas before releasing a public beta, then a Release Candidate ahead of the final public release. Based on Apple’s historical cadence for x.5 updates, a public release of iOS 26.5 is likely in late April or May . ahead of WWDC 2026, which is scheduled for June 8–12.
The big question hanging over 26.5 is Siri. Apple has been promising a significantly smarter, more personal Siri for over a year . originally targeting iOS 26.4, then pushed back again. Whether any of those capabilities surface in the first few betas will be the story to watch. We’ll update this article as features are discovered. For context on what Apple has planned for the bigger picture, see our WWDC 2026 preview and our iOS 26.4 roundup.