iOS 26.1 beta 2 now available: Here's everything new and how to download it
Apple has a new iOS beta build out now, and you can download it for your perusal.
The developer beta for iOS 26.1 is available now, bringing with it a handful of smaller changes that certainly don't stack up to the introduction of Liquid Glass or anything like that. Still, it's a new iOS beta, which means it's interesting to plenty of folks. Here's what it entails and how to download it.
How to download the iOS 26.1 beta
The latest beta build for iOS 26.1 is currently only available for developers, but that doesn't mean you're locked out of trying it. Apple has a free tier of its developer program that you can enroll in to try new beta builds. You can register for it without dropping any kind of payments on Apple's website. Once you've done that, go to the Apple developer website and log in, then enroll your device in the beta program.
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From there, make a device backup and then follow these steps:
Go to Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates
Choose the iOS 26 Developer Beta
Go to the previous screen and select Download and Install
After that, you should be good to go. Just sit back and wait for it to install.
What's new in the iOS 26.1 beta
Per 9to5Mac, this is a small beta update that mostly brings minor changes to the iOS 26 ecosystem.
For instance, the Phone app's number pad now uses a Liquid Glass design, while the video scrubber in the Photos app has a new background. The Music app can also switch between songs by swiping left or right on the Now Playing bar.
Beyond that, there have been some added languages for Apple Intelligence. Several new languages can now interface with Apple's AI features, including Chinese, Danish, Norwegian, and Vietnamese. Live translation via AirPods has also gotten support for five new languages, listed below:
Chinese (Mandarin, simplified)
Chinese (Mandarin, traditional)
Korean
Japanese
Italian
As I said, it's not a huge update; Apple already got that out of the way a few weeks ago. But there's still some stuff to chew on, so go and get to chewing.
Alex Perry is a tech reporter at Mashable who primarily covers video games and consumer tech. Alex has spent most of the last decade reviewing games, smartphones, headphones, and laptops, and he doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. He is also a Pisces, a cat lover, and a Kansas City sports fan. Alex can be found on Bluesky at yelix.bsky.social.
