iOS 18 release date: When does it come out?

"When does iOS 18 come out?" must be the one question on many iPhone enthusiasts' minds.

iOS 18, packed with new Apple Intelligence features, was spotlighted at WWDC 2024. The official release date is later this year, likely alongside the launch of the iPhone 16 series, but that doesn't mean you can't get it earlier.

Apple showed off iOS 18 at WWDC 2024. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

In fact, the iOS 18 developer beta, as the name suggests, is only accessible by members of the Apple Developer Program (ADP) — and it's already available, giving users a first look at the new update. Luckily, anyone can join ADP. As long as you have an Apple ID, and you don't mind potentially having a rough-around-the-edges copy of iOS 18, you can test the upcoming update before its anticipated fall release. With this in mind, let's dive into when you'll be able to explore the new iOS 18.

iOS 18 release date: When does it come out?

The iOS 18 developer beta, as mentioned, is already out. You don't even need to pay to use it. It's free. However, you've been warned. This is a very early copy of iOS 18. Unless you have an extra iPhone lying around for testing, I would not recommend running such a raw version on one's daily driver device. It may be buggy, unreliable, and incompatible — and it's not worth the risk.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

On June 10, Apple announced that the iOS 18 public beta, which should be slightly more refined, is set to roll out some time in July. The stable release of iOS 18, however, is expected to debut in September.

If you insist on trying out the iOS 18 update during the beta stages, make sure you have an iPhone backup ready to go in case things go awry. If you want to brave iOS 18 despite its raw form, check out our how to install iOS 18 for developers guide.