Apple Releases First Beta of iOS 11 to Public Beta Testers

by

Apple today released the first public beta of iOS 11 to its public beta testing group, allowing non-developers to download and test the update ahead of its fall release. iOS 11 has been available for developers since June 5, and the first public beta corresponds with the second developer beta.

Beta testers who have signed up for Apple's beta testing program will receive the iOS 11 beta update over-the-air after installing the proper certificate on an iOS device.

ios 11 beta
Those who want to join the beta testing program can sign up on Apple's beta testing website, which gives users access to iOS, macOS, and tvOS betas. Before installing a beta, make sure to create a full encrypted iTunes backup and be sure to install it on a secondary device because beta software is not stable and can include many bugs.

iOS 11 brings subtle design changes to the operating system, including a new Lock screen experience and a customizable, redesigned Control Center. Siri is smarter, has a more natural voice, and can do more, Messages features person-to-person Apple Pay, Notes has searchable handwriting and document scanning, and Music now lets you share playlists with your friends.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.

A new Files app improves file management on iOS devices, and for the iPad in particular, there's a new Dock, an App Switcher, and support for Drag and Drop, all of which vastly improves multitasking on the device. An entirely revamped App Store is coming in the update, photos and videos take up less space, iMessages can be stored in iCloud, and developers are getting new tools like ARKit for creating impressive new augmented reality apps and games.

For full details on all of the new features included in iOS 11, make sure to check out our iOS 11 roundup. iOS 11 will be available for developers and public testers for testing purposes for several months ahead of a planned fall release.

Related Forum: iOS 11

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

iPhone 17 Release Date, Pre-Orders, and What to Expect

Thursday August 28, 2025 4:08 am PDT by
An iPhone 17 announcement is a dead cert for September 2025 – Apple has already sent out invites for an "Awe dropping" event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The timing follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. At the event, Apple is expected to unveil its new-generation iPhone 17, an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17...
Read Full Article • 58 comments
iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 Pro Clear Case Leak Reveals Three Key Changes

Sunday August 31, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series on Tuesday, September 9, and last-minute rumors about the devices continue to surface. The latest info comes from a leaker known as Majin Bu, who has shared alleged images of Apple's Clear Case for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, or at least replicas. Image Credit: @MajinBuOfficial The images show three alleged changes compared to Apple's iP...
Read Full Article • 76 comments
xiaomi apple ad india

Apple and Samsung Push Back Against Xiaomi's Bold India Ads

Friday August 29, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple and Samsung have reportedly issued cease-and-desist notices to Xiaomi in India for an ad campaign that directly compares the rivals' devices to Xiaomi's products. The two companies have threatened the Chinese vendor with legal action, calling the ads "disparaging." Ads have appeared in local print media and on social media that take pot shots at the competitors' premium offerings. One...
Read Full Article • 209 comments
iOS 18 on iPhone Arrow Down

Apple Preparing iOS 18.7 for iPhones as iOS 26 Release Date Nears

Sunday August 31, 2025 4:35 pm PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 18.7 for compatible iPhone models, according to evidence of the update in the MacRumors visitor logs. We expect iOS 18.7 to be released in September, alongside iOS 26. The update will likely include fixes for security vulnerabilities, but little else. iOS 18.7 will be one of the final updates ever released for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR,...
Read Full Article • 47 comments
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: iPhone 17's 'Awe Dropping' Accessories

Friday August 29, 2025 8:12 am PDT by
Following the announcement of Apple's upcoming "Awe dropping" event, on this week's episode of The MacRumors Show we talk through all of the new accessories rumored to debut alongside the iPhone 17 lineup. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos We take a closer look at Apple's invite for "Awe dropping;" the design could hint at the iPhone 17's new thermal system with ...
Read Full Article • 22 comments

Top Rated Comments

tkukoc Avatar
tkukoc
107 months ago
Have fun with the bugs kids.
Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rtr1985 Avatar
rtr1985
107 months ago
Very tempting to try on iPad Pro.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TMRJIJ Avatar
TMRJIJ
107 months ago
Don’t mind me. Just putting this link here to make sure people backup their devices before complaining about bugs:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203282
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AndrewWx Avatar
AndrewWx
107 months ago
Not feeling ultra brave this time around - I am going to wait for B3 or B4
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
576316 Avatar
576316
107 months ago
I am shocked. I find OS11 far from being ready for a public beta.
Meh. I find that's what developers say when they're just mad they won't be part of an exclusive club anymore. ;)
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tkukoc Avatar
tkukoc
107 months ago
Everyone who's saying stuff like this, is it really that much worse than usual? What are the biggest issues you've had? Everyone's being so vague.
Let see, data spike while on 4g/LTE.. so those who have limited data make sure you're watching that. Messages app crashing while displaying multiple photos attached to an imessage.. Messages app restarts iPhone, sending it into a loop (you have to do a certain sequence of things to have this happen.) Certain apps refuse to open (obviously due to the new file system and IOS changes so there's not much that can be done till dev's update their applications). WIFI connectivity issues that cause loss of connection, reverting back to 4g/LTE and auto joining becoming disabled. Multitasking closure of applications does not work, battery drain due to applications not properly being unloaded from memory. (They continue to run in the background and they show sometimes in the tasker.. other times you dump them.. think they are unloaded.. only for them to return after opening another app).. I can go on and on.. Basically these betas are memory drainers, filled with a lot of small bugs, 2 huge bugs and a lot of annoyances. This is why I keep preaching to those who like to brag about how they have access to betas to please wait.. save yourself the annoyances and issues.. Hopefully beta 3 fixes a lot of these issues and more. Trust me, there's so many more than those I listed. I've reported over a 150 bugs at this point. And yes, I know it's beta but these are not your typical betas. These are the new Apple file system, applications changed to 64bit, some interface changes, a bunch of under the hood changes that will be unveiled with iPhone 8.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments