Quick answer
The iOS 18 beta was free and needed no profile. You enrolled an Apple Account, opened Settings › General › Software Update › Beta Updates, chose iOS 18 Developer Beta or Public Beta and installed it. That cycle is over. Today the same menu offers the iOS 27 beta, currently iOS 27.2 beta 4 (24B5110a), on iPhone 11 and later.
This is a historical guide, kept for reference. If you want to test Apple's current software, follow our guide to downloading the iOS 27 beta instead.
Two corrections to older iOS 18 beta guides
Many iOS 18 beta guides, including an earlier version of this page, got two things wrong.
- There was no iOS 18 beta profile. Apple stopped using beta configuration profiles in 2023, starting with iOS 16.4. From then on, betas were switched on from the Beta Updates menu in Settings. A download labelled "iOS 18 beta profile" was never needed, and you should not install unknown profiles on your iPhone.
- No paid developer account was needed. Apple made developer betas free in 2023. A free Apple Account was enough for both the developer beta and the public beta.
Which iPhones ran iOS 18?
iOS 18 supported every iPhone that ran iOS 17, which is a longer list than iOS 27 supports today.
| iPhone | iOS 18 | Apple Intelligence on iOS 18 | iOS 27 today |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 16 models | Yes | Yes, from iOS 18.1 | Yes |
| iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max | Yes | Yes, from iOS 18.1 | Yes |
| iPhone 15, 15 Plus | Yes | No | Yes |
| iPhone 14, 13, 12 and 11 models | Yes | No | Yes |
| iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation) | Yes | No | Yes |
| iPhone XS, XS Max, XR | Yes | No | No |
Apple Intelligence was the headline of the iOS 18 cycle, but it did not arrive in the first release. It came in iOS 18.1, and only on iPhones with an A17 Pro chip or newer. That chip rule still applies in iOS 27.
How the iOS 18 beta was installed
The process was the same one Apple uses today, with iOS 18 in place of iOS 27.
Step 1: Make an archived backup
A backup made on a beta cannot be restored onto an older iOS version, so an iOS 18 beta backup would not restore onto iOS 17. Testers made a computer backup first and archived it.
- Connect the iPhone to a Mac or PC and open Finder, or the Apple Devices app or iTunes on Windows.
- Choose to back up all of the data on your iPhone to the computer, and turn on Encrypt local backup.
- Click Back Up Now.
- Open Manage Backups, Control-click the new backup and choose Archive.
Step 2: Enroll an Apple Account
For the developer beta, testers signed in once with a free Apple Developer account. For the public beta, they enrolled at beta.apple.com.
Step 3: Turn on Beta Updates
- Open
Settings › General › Software Update. - Tap Beta Updates.
- Choose iOS 18 Developer Beta or iOS 18 Public Beta.
- Go back to Software Update.
- Tap Update Now once the beta appears.
The update was large, so testers used fast Wi-Fi and kept the iPhone on charge. iOS needs at least 50% battery, or 20% while charging, to install an update.
Troubleshooting the iOS 18 beta
The problems testers hit then are the same ones testers hit with the iOS 27 beta now.
- Beta Updates missing or empty. Restart the iPhone. Check that the Apple Account shown under Beta Updates is the one you enrolled. Switch Beta Updates off and back on.
- Stuck on Update Requested. This is common on release days when Apple's servers are busy. Wait, then toggle Wi-Fi. If it still does not move, delete the downloaded update in
Settings › General › iPhone Storageand try again. - Poor battery life at first. For the first day or two after a major update, iOS re-indexes Spotlight, Photos and files in the background. Judge battery life after that.
For current fixes, see our guide to fixing the iOS 27 beta not showing up in Settings.
How testers went back to iOS 17
Leaving the iOS 18 beta worked the same way it does now. Turning off Beta Updates kept the current build and moved the iPhone to the next public release with a higher version number, without erasing anything. Going back to iOS 17 straight away meant restoring a signed iOS 17 build from a computer, which erased the iPhone, and then restoring the archived pre-beta backup.
The modern version of that process, from the iOS 27 beta back to iOS 26.6.1 RC (23G82), is in our guide to downgrading from the iOS 27 beta. Signed firmware for every model is listed on our IPSW download page.
Other archived beta guides
If you are reading up on how Apple's beta process changed over time, the older guides are still on the site: how to download the iOS 17 beta covers the first cycle after profiles were retired.
What to do next
To try Apple's newest iPhone software, start with how to prepare your iPhone for the iOS 27 beta, then install iOS 27.2 beta 4 from the Beta Updates menu.
Frequently asked questions
Did the iOS 18 beta need a configuration profile?
No. Apple retired beta configuration profiles in 2023, from iOS 16.4 onward, so the iOS 18 beta was turned on in Settings › General › Software Update › Beta Updates instead. Any site still offering an iOS 18 beta profile download is out of date at best. Installing an unknown profile gives whoever made it some control over your iPhone, so avoid them.
Was the iOS 18 developer beta free?
Yes. Apple made developer betas free in 2023, so an iOS 18 developer beta only needed an Apple Account signed in to Apple's developer site or the Apple Developer app, with no paid membership. The public beta was also free through beta.apple.com. The same rules apply to the iOS 27 beta today.
Which iPhones supported iOS 18?
iOS 18 ran on the iPhone XR, XS and XS Max and later, including the iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation) and the iPhone 16 models. Apple Intelligence arrived in iOS 18.1 and only on the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 16 models. The iPhone XS, XS Max and XR do not get iOS 26 or iOS 27.
Can I still install the iOS 18 beta?
Not on a current iPhone. The iOS 18 beta cycle ended long ago, and an iPhone that runs iOS 26 or iOS 27 now sees iOS 27 options under Beta Updates. The beta Apple is testing today is iOS 27.2, currently beta 4 (24B5110a). If you want to try new iPhone software before release, the iOS 27 beta guide is the one to follow.
Can I go back to iOS 18 from a newer version?
Only to a version Apple still signs, and for current iPhones the version Apple signs as a way back from the iOS 27 beta is iOS 26.6.1 RC (23G82). Check the signing status on your model's IPSW page before you try. Any restore erases the iPhone, and a backup made on a newer iOS version cannot be restored onto an older one.