Quick answer
You can no longer download the iOS 16 beta. Apple stopped signing those builds after iOS 16 shipped in 2022, and the beta profile method was retired in 2023. iOS 16 is still installable only as a final public release on the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X, whose last major version it is. For the current beta, use the iOS 27 guide.
Looking for the current beta? This is a historical guide. To install today's beta, iOS 27.2 beta 4 (24B5110a), follow our iOS 27 beta download guide. It is free with any Apple Account and needs no profile.
How the iOS 16 beta was installed
iOS 16 belongs to the last generation of iPhone betas built around configuration profiles. The developer beta ran from WWDC in June 2022 until the public release that autumn, and testers enrolled in one of two ways:
- Configuration profile: you downloaded a small profile file, installed it in Settings and restarted. The beta then appeared in
Settings › General › Software Update. - IPSW restore: developers downloaded the beta firmware file for their exact model and restored it with Finder on a Mac or iTunes on Windows.
Later in the iOS 16 cycle, Apple began moving beta access into Settings and tying it to the Apple Account. By 2023, profiles were gone entirely. That is why an old iOS 16 profile does nothing on a modern iPhone, and why we no longer offer one for download.
Which iPhones support iOS 16?
iOS 16 dropped the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and the first iPhone SE, which stop at iOS 15. Everything from the iPhone 8 onward got it.
| iPhone | iOS 16 | Later versions |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X | Yes | No, iOS 16 is the last major version |
| iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR | Yes | Yes, but not iOS 27 |
| iPhone 11, 12, 13 and 14 series | Yes | Yes, including iOS 27 |
| iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation) | Yes | Yes, including iOS 27 |
| iPhone 6s, 6s Plus, 7, 7 Plus, SE (1st generation) | No | No, iOS 15 is the last |
If your iPhone appears in the iOS 27 rows, our page on checking iOS 27 support explains what it gets today.
Can you still install iOS 16 today?
Only in one situation. Apple lets Finder and the Apple Devices app restore a build only while it is "signing" that build for your model, and it generally signs just the newest release for each device.
- iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X: iOS 16 is their final major version, so the latest iOS 16 release is the one Apple offers them. You can update to it in Settings or restore it with an IPSW.
- Any newer iPhone: Apple no longer signs iOS 16 for models that support later versions. A restore attempt fails when the computer checks with Apple.
- iOS 16 beta builds: none are signed for any device.
How to restore an iPhone 8 or iPhone X to the latest iOS 16
A restore is the fix when an iPhone 8 or X will not update normally or needs a clean start. It erases the phone, so back up first.
- Back up the iPhone to iCloud or your computer. On a computer, archive the backup in
Manage Backupsso it is never overwritten. - Connect the iPhone to a Mac with Finder or a Windows PC with the Apple Devices app.
- Put the phone in recovery mode: press and release volume up, press and release volume down, then hold the side button until the recovery screen appears.
- Click Restore to let the computer download and install the newest signed version. If you already have the IPSW file, hold Option on a Mac or Shift on Windows while clicking Restore and choose the file.
- When setup starts, restore your backup.
If the computer reports that the build is not eligible, Apple is not signing it for that model. No setting or tool on the computer changes that.
What iOS 16 introduced
iOS 16 is remembered mainly for giving the Lock Screen a real overhaul.
- Customizable Lock Screen: new fonts and colors for the clock, small widgets below the time, and a depth effect that lets the subject of a photo overlap the clock.
- Lock Screens linked to Focus: pick a Lock Screen for each Focus, such as a quiet one for Work.
- Edit and Undo Send in Messages: edit a sent iMessage within 15 minutes and recall it within 2 minutes.
- Lift a subject from a photo: touch and hold the subject of a picture to separate it from the background and drop it into another app.
- Live Text in video: pause a video and copy text straight from the frame.
Troubleshooting old iOS 16 installs
Software Update shows nothing or an old beta
A leftover beta profile can confuse Software Update on phones that still have one. Open Settings › General › VPN & Device Management, delete any iOS beta profile, restart and check again.
Battery drain on an early build
Early betas were never meant for daily use. Move to the final iOS 16 release for your model, which includes the fixes made after the betas ended.
Apps that need a newer iOS
Some apps now require a later version than iOS 16. If an app will not install, check the App Store's purchased list, which can offer the last version that supports your iPhone when the developer allows it.
What to do next
If your iPhone supports newer software, there is no reason to chase iOS 16. Install the current release, or try the free iOS 27.2 beta using our iOS 27 beta install guide. For other historical versions, see our archived guides to the iOS 15 beta and the iOS 17 beta.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still download the iOS 16 beta?
No. The iOS 16 betas ended when iOS 16 shipped in 2022, Apple stopped signing those builds, and the configuration profiles used to enroll in them no longer do anything. Apple retired beta profiles altogether in 2023. Today the only way to run iOS 16 is a final public iOS 16 release on an iPhone that Apple still signs it for.
Which iPhones support iOS 16?
iOS 16 runs on the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XS, XS Max and XR, the iPhone 11, 12, 13 and 14 series, and the iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation). It dropped the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and the original iPhone SE, which stop at iOS 15. For the iPhone 8, 8 Plus and X, iOS 16 is the last major version.
Can I downgrade from iOS 27 to iOS 16?
No. Finder and the Apple Devices app only restore builds Apple is currently signing, and Apple does not sign iOS 16 for iPhones that support iOS 27. If you want to leave iOS 27, the current downgrade target is iOS 26.6.1 RC (23G82). You restore it from a Mac or PC, which erases the phone, then restore a backup made on iOS 26.
Do I need a configuration profile for the current iOS beta?
No. Since 2023, betas are enabled in Settings › General › Software Update › Beta Updates with your Apple Account, and both the public and developer betas are free. The current beta is iOS 27.2 beta 4 (24B5110a). Any old iOS beta profile still installed under Settings › General › VPN & Device Management can be removed safely.
What were the biggest new features in iOS 16?
The headline was the customizable Lock Screen, with new fonts and colors for the clock, widgets below the time, a depth effect that lets the subject of a photo overlap the clock, and Lock Screens linked to Focus modes. Messages gained editing within 15 minutes and Undo Send within 2 minutes. Photos let you lift the subject of a picture away from the background, and Live Text worked in paused video.