Apple began the iOS 16.6 beta testing process just a day after the release of iOS 16.5 and about two weeks before the expected first beta of iOS 17 hits WWDC. The beta version was released to developers on May 19th and will most likely be available to public beta testers within a day.
We don’t expect many new features in this release – iOS 16 is as mature as it gets, and all eyes are on the upcoming features announced for iOS 17. However, small tweaks and usability of the update are possible just as much as we got in iOS 16.5 and of course the security updates are endless.
iOS 16.6: new features
We don’t yet know what’s new in iOS 16.6. We will update this article as new features are discovered.
iOS 16.6: How to Install the Public Beta
If you want to be among the first to test iOS 16.6, you can sign up for the public beta. The beta installation process has changed in iOS 16.4. Here’s how the new process works:
- Click Sign Up on the Apple Beta page and sign up using your Apple ID.
- Sign in to the beta testing program.
- Click Register your iOS device.
- Open the Settings app, tap Generalthen Software update.
- V Beta updates section, select iOS public beta.
It may take a few seconds after registration before the beta version appears in Software update.
iOS 16.6: How to Install the Developer Beta
You need to register as an Apple Developer. Joining the Apple Developer Program costs $99 per year.
- Sign up for the Apple Developer Program at developer.apple.com.
- open Settings app, click Generalthen Software update.
- V Beta updates section, select iOS Developer Beta.
Registered developers can instead get the public beta by selecting the iOS public beta on the software update screen. After registering as a developer, it may take some time before the option appears in software updates.
Some developers have an Apple ID for developer access that is different from the Apple ID associated with their personal Apple account and data. To use a different Apple ID to access the beta than you use in the rest of iOS, open Settings > General > Software update > Beta updates and select your Apple ID at the bottom of the screen.
iOS 16.6 Beta: Risks and Precautions
Please note, first of all, that beta versions are test versions of future software. They are, by definition, work in progress, and while they should include most or all of the features of the finished product, there will be cosmetic differences and, inevitably, some glitches and issues that will need to be fixed. Due to crashes and issues, Apple is primarily concerned about iOS beta testing.
In other words, don’t expect a perfect user experience. In particular, don’t expect existing applications (including those you can rely on) to work perfectly with the new version. In extreme cases, you may even find that your device is locked by the beta and cannot be used until the next beta comes out, which will hopefully fix the problem. It is not uncommon for early beta software to also exhibit issues such as excessive battery drain.
The closer we get to the final launch and iOS version, the more polished and feature-rich we can expect the beta versions to be. The downside of this, of course, will be less time to wait for the official launch, so you won’t gain as much by installing the beta.
Assuming you choose to proceed, we can’t stress enough how important it is to back up your iPhone before installing the iOS beta, or better yet, use a secondary device rather than your primary iPhone. You won’t lose everything if something goes wrong while installing the beta, and you can revert to the latest version if you still don’t like the new software or it contains too many bugs.