Ready to Upgrade? How to Get iOS 18

Apple VP Craig Federighi opened WWDC this year by ripping off a rainbow-striped flight suit and diving into what's new with iOS 18. Developers got their hands on the initial beta at the show, but now everyone else can poke around at an early version of iOS 18 via the free public beta, which went live today.

The updated OS will let you move icons and widgets wherever you want, tint your app tiles the same color, and make the Control Center live up to its name. Change the game when it comes to iMessage by using any emoji as a Tapback reaction, scheduling your texts, and even adding effects to every single word you write.

If you're already reaching for the heart eyes emoji to respond, read our guide on how to get iOS 18 either now with the public beta or when it's ready for regular release (and how to move to the front of the line for iOS 19).

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Can My iPhone Run iOS 18?

Even if your old iPhone is still up and running, it can't necessarily handle iOS 18. If you have one of these iPhones, though, you're good to go. (Note that access to Apple Intelligence will require an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max.)

• iPhone 15

• iPhone 15 Plus

• iPhone 15 Pro

• iPhone 15 Pro Max

• iPhone 14

• iPhone 14 Plus

• iPhone 14 Pro

• iPhone 14 Pro Max

• iPhone 13

• iPhone 13 mini

• iPhone 13 Pro

• iPhone 13 Pro Max

• iPhone 12

• iPhone 12 mini

• iPhone 12 Pro

• iPhone 12 Pro Max

• iPhone 11

• iPhone 11 Pro

• iPhone 11 Pro Max

• iPhone XS

• iPhone XS Max

• iPhone XR

• iPhone SE (2nd generation or later)

Join the Public Beta

If you want to get in on the iOS action and don't want to spend any cash, consider joining the public beta, which rolled out on July 13.

Some existing apps might not work with the new software, and you could lose data, so you may want to install it on a spare iPhone. But if you're willing to take the risk, there's no fee to join.

The point of a public beta is to find bugs developers have not yet uncovered. For iOS fans, this can be an interesting side project, especially if you have an older iOS device you can afford to upgrade with possibly buggy software. Join the Apple Beta Software Program, and you'll be ready to test out early versions of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia, tvOS 18, HomePod software 18, and watchOS 11. Here's how to get it:

• On the Apple Beta Software Program page, click on the software you want to test.

• Follow the instructions to add your device.

• Download the beta software to add it to your iPhone.

• Open Settings, tap on the profile, and hit Install.

• Your phone will reboot.

• Go to Settings > General > Software Update > Download and Install.

When you need your phone during the day, there's also the option to Install Tonight, which will do exactly that—install iOS 18 while you sleep, provided your device is charging.

You can also turn on automatic updates. Go to Settings > General > Software Update > Automatic Updates. Your iOS device will update to the latest version of iOS overnight when it's plugged in and connected to Wi-Fi.

General Release

General release means the software is available to everyone whose phone can run iOS 18. That's scheduled to happen this fall, likely alongside the release of the iPhone 16 in September.

When the day arrives, you can either wait for your phone to remind you with a pop-up alert that it's available, or you can force a manual update. (Before you update, it's always a good idea to back up your data.)

Navigate to Settings > General > Software Update. You might have to tap Upgrade to iOS 18 at the bottom of the screen and then Download and Install, or you'll be directed to Download and Install automatically. Either way, if your iPhone has a passcode, you'll be prompted to enter it. Agree to Apple's terms, and then wait.

You'll see Update Requested on the screen, which means Apple has added you to its download queue. Once iOS 18 begins downloading, you'll see a time-estimate bar up top; how long you'll wait depends on how many people are trying to upgrade. Your phone will then have to reboot, which could also take a few minutes.

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If there's not enough room on your device for the new iOS, you'll get a message asking to temporarily remove apps. Hit Continue, and the apps will be restored when the installation is finished. If you have trust issues, hit Cancel and remove apps manually before updating.

When you need your phone during the day, there's also the option to Install Tonight, which will do exactly that—install iOS 18 while you sleep, provided your device is charging.

You can also turn on automatic updates. Go to Settings > General > Software Update > Automatic Updates. Your iOS device will update to the latest version of iOS overnight when it's plugged in and connected to Wi-Fi.

Become an Apple Developer

If you want to be the very first to try out software updates from Apple, join the Apple Developer Program. It's designed for individuals and companies, but anyone can join for $99 per year.

A note of caution, though: Since you'll have early versions of iOS—including iOS 19 next year—you'll face more bugs than the minor annoyances you're used to on stable versions. The entire point of developers having the software is to test it out with their apps, so you might find that some of your apps become unusable or that you lose information. Make sure you're comfortable with that before signing up. Or install the dev version on a second, non-primary iOS device.