Quick answer
To download the iOS 27 beta, back up your iPhone and enroll your Apple Account at beta.apple.com, or sign in once in the free Apple Developer app. Then open Settings › General › Software Update › Beta Updates, choose iOS 27 Public Beta or iOS 27 Developer Beta, go back and install. It is free, and no profile is needed.
Which iOS 27 beta can you download right now?
The current iOS 27 beta is iOS 27.2 beta 4, build 24B5110a, released on 13 October 2026. If you enroll today, that is what Software Update offers you, not the June builds.
The iOS 27.0 beta cycle is over. Apple announced iOS 27 and released developer beta 1 on 8 June 2026, shipped iOS 27.0 to everyone on 14 September (24A437), and followed with iOS 27.0.1 on 28 September (24A446). Testing has moved on to iOS 27.2.
| Track | Version | Build | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| Latest beta | iOS 27.2 beta 4 | 24B5110a | 13 October 2026 |
| Previous beta | iOS 27.2 beta 3 | 24B5099f | 5 October 2026 |
| Public release | iOS 27.0.1 | 24A446 | 28 September 2026 |
| First public release | iOS 27.0 | 24A437 | 14 September 2026 |
If all you want is iOS 27 on your iPhone, you no longer need a beta. iOS 27.0.1 is available to every supported iPhone through a normal software update.
Is the iOS 27 beta free?
Yes, both iOS 27 beta tracks are free with any Apple Account. Two changes in 2023 made that possible. Apple removed beta configuration profiles, so enrollment now happens inside Settings › General › Software Update › Beta Updates. It also opened the developer beta to everyone with an Apple Account, not just paying developers.
The $99 a year Apple Developer Program still exists, but you only need it to publish apps on the App Store and use the other membership services. Guides that tell you to pay for beta access, or to download a .mobileconfig file, are out of date.
Public beta or developer beta: which should you choose?
Choose the public beta if this is your everyday iPhone. Choose the developer beta if you build or test apps and want each new build the day it lands. Both cost nothing, both use your Apple Account and both appear in the same Beta Updates menu.
| Public beta | Developer beta | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Free |
| How to enroll | beta.apple.com | Sign in once in the Apple Developer app |
| When builds arrive | After the developer builds | First |
| Stability | Steadier | Rougher, especially early builds |
| Best for | Curious users | App developers and testers |
Our full comparison of the iOS 27 developer beta and public beta explains how to switch between the two.
Which iPhones can download the iOS 27 beta?
Every iPhone that runs iOS 27 can install the beta: iPhone 11 and later, plus iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation). That is the same list that ran iOS 26. The iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and older models cannot install it.
| iPhone | iOS 27 beta | Apple Intelligence |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, 17e, iPhone Air | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max, 16e | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone 15, 15 Plus | Yes | No (A16 chip) |
| iPhone 14, 13 and 12 families | Yes | No |
| iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max | Yes | No |
| iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation) | Yes | No |
| iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and older | No | No |
Apple Intelligence on iPhone needs an A17 Pro chip or newer. The full list, with iPad and Mac models, is on our iOS 27 supported devices page.
Before you download: back up and make room
Make a computer backup before you install, and keep a copy of it. A backup made on a beta cannot be restored onto an older iOS version, so the backup you make now is the one you need if you ever go back to iOS 26.
- Connect your iPhone to a Mac (Finder) or a Windows PC (Apple Devices app).
- Select the iPhone and choose to back up all of its data to the computer.
- Turn on Encrypt local backup so passwords and Health data are included.
- Archive or copy that backup so a later one does not overwrite it.
- Check free space in
Settings › General › iPhone Storageand clear room if it is tight. - Charge the battery or keep the iPhone plugged in during the install.
Our guide to backing up and restoring before the iOS 27 beta covers iCloud backups and how to archive a Finder backup. If you are short on space, see how much storage the iOS 27 beta needs.
How to install the iOS 27 public beta
The public beta is the recommended route for most people, and it only takes a few minutes before the download starts.
- On your iPhone, open Safari and go to beta.apple.com.
- Tap Sign In and sign in with the Apple Account you use on the iPhone.
- Accept the agreement and follow the prompt to enroll your iPhone.
- Open
Settings › General › Software Update › Beta Updates. - Choose iOS 27 Public Beta.
- Go back to Software Update and tap Update Now or Download and Install.
- Enter your passcode and leave the iPhone on charge until it restarts.
You only enroll once. Later public beta builds arrive in Software Update like any other update.
How to install the iOS 27 developer beta
The developer beta needs one extra sign-in, and it is still free.
- Install the free Apple Developer app from the App Store.
- Open it, go to Account and sign in with the Apple Account you use on the iPhone.
- Accept the Apple Developer Agreement if asked. No payment is involved.
- Open
Settings › General › Software Update › Beta Updates. - Choose iOS 27 Developer Beta.
- Go back to Software Update and install the build that appears.
If a web sign-in at developer.apple.com tells you your account is not eligible, sign in through the Apple Developer app instead. That route usually clears it.
How to install the iOS 27 beta with an IPSW
You can also install a beta by restoring an IPSW file from a Mac with Finder or a Windows PC with the Apple Devices app. Use this for a clean install, or when the over-the-air update keeps failing. A restore erases the iPhone, so back up first. Every file comes straight from Apple's servers. Our iOS 27 beta IPSW download page lists the file for each iPhone and explains the restore.
After you install the iOS 27 beta
Expect the first day or two to feel different from normal. After a major update the iPhone indexes Photos, rebuilds Spotlight and syncs iCloud, and on Apple Intelligence models it may download on-device models. Battery drain and a warm phone during that time are normal. Give it a couple of nights on Wi-Fi and a charger before you judge battery life.
- Report bugs. Every beta includes the Feedback Assistant app. Our guide to reporting iOS 27 beta bugs shows what to include.
- Keep updating. Each new beta fixes problems from the last one. Turn on updates in
Settings › General › Software Update › Automatic Updates. - Expect some app trouble. Banking, authenticator, VPN and work-managed apps are the most likely to misbehave on a beta. Do not delete an authenticator app, as you may lose its codes.
What to do if the beta does not appear or will not install
If iOS 27 Public Beta or Developer Beta is missing from Beta Updates, check that you enrolled with the same Apple Account that is signed in on the iPhone. Then close and reopen Settings and give it a few minutes.
- Beta option missing: confirm the account in
Settings › [your name], then reopenBeta Updates. - Download stuck or failing: check Wi-Fi and free space, delete the partial download in
Settings › General › iPhone Storage, then try again. - Still failing: reset network settings at
Settings › General › Transfer or Reset iPhone › Reset › Reset Network Settings. - Stuck on the Apple logo: give it time, then force restart. Press Volume Up, press Volume Down, then hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears.
The full list of causes is in our guide to fixing the iOS 27 beta not showing up.
How to leave the beta or go back to iOS 26
To leave the beta without erasing anything, set Beta Updates to Off. The iPhone keeps its current build and moves to the next public release with a higher version number. To return to iOS 26 now, restore iOS 26.6.1 RC (23G82), the version Apple is currently signing for iPhone, from a computer. Then restore your pre-beta backup. Our iOS 26 downgrade guide has the steps.
What to do next
Make your computer backup, decide between the public and developer track, and switch on Beta Updates. If you are unsure your model qualifies, check the supported devices table above before you start.
Frequently asked questions
Is the iOS 27 beta free, or do I have to pay $99?
It is free. Any Apple Account can install both the public beta and the developer beta. The $99 a year Apple Developer Program is only needed to publish apps on the App Store and use the services that come with membership. It has nothing to do with installing beta software. If a sign-in page asks you for payment, you are on the wrong page.
Where do I download the iOS 27 beta profile?
You don't, because there is no profile. Apple retired beta configuration profiles in 2023. Enrollment is now tied to your Apple Account, and you pick the beta from Settings › General › Software Update › Beta Updates. Any site still offering an iOS 27 beta profile download is out of date at best, and installing a profile from an unknown source puts your iPhone at risk.
What is the latest iOS 27 beta?
The newest beta is iOS 27.2 beta 4, build 24B5110a, released on 13 October 2026. If you enroll today, that is the build your iPhone downloads. The current public release is iOS 27.0.1 (24A446) from 28 September 2026, which followed iOS 27.0 on 14 September. Apple first released the iOS 27 beta on 8 June 2026 at WWDC.
Can I install the iOS 27 beta without a computer?
Yes. The normal method happens entirely on the iPhone through Settings. A computer is still worth having for one reason: a local backup made before you install. That backup is your way back to iOS 26, since a backup made on a beta cannot be restored onto an older iOS version. You also need a computer to install an IPSW or to downgrade.
Will my iPhone 11 get the iOS 27 beta?
Yes. iOS 27 runs on iPhone 11 and later, plus iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation). That is every iPhone that ran iOS 26. The iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and older models cannot install iOS 27. Apple Intelligence is a separate question: it needs an A17 Pro chip or newer, so the iPhone 11 runs the beta without those features.
Can I downgrade from the iOS 27 beta to iOS 26?
Yes, while Apple keeps signing iOS 26. Right now it signs iOS 26.6.1 RC (23G82) for iPhone. Restore that IPSW from a Mac with Finder or a Windows PC with the Apple Devices app. The restore erases the iPhone, so afterwards you restore the backup you made on iOS 26 before installing the beta. Without one, you set the phone up as new.
How do I stop getting iOS 27 beta updates?
Open Settings › General › Software Update › Beta Updates and choose Off. Your iPhone keeps the build it has and moves to the next public release with a higher version number than your beta. Nothing is erased. If you are on an iOS 27.2 beta, that means waiting for the public iOS 27.2 release. To leave sooner, restore iOS 26 from a computer.