Apple has started rolling out the iOS 26.1 developer beta for iPhones, just weeks after the public release of iOS 26. The new beta is aimed at developers and testers, offering a preview of features Apple plans to introduce in the coming months, along with fixes to improve stability.
New features
One of the biggest updates in iOS 26.1 beta is the expansion of Apple Intelligence language support. The AI framework, which powers features like advanced text generation and smart assistance, now works with additional languages including Chinese (Traditional), Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, and Vietnamese. This expansion will allow more regions to access Apple’s AI capabilities once they are fully enabled in future releases.
Apple is also extending the Live Translation feature showcased earlier this year. The latest beta adds support for languages such as Chinese (Mandarin in both simplified and traditional forms), Italian, Japanese, and Korean. Live Translation is designed to work with AirPods, and Apple has confirmed compatibility for the AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4, and AirPods Pro 2 alongside eligible iPhones.
Changes and improvements
Beyond AI and translation tools, iOS 26.1 beta introduces subtle UI refinements. The Phone app now includes a refreshed keypad design based on Apple’s Liquid Glass interface, while the Photos app offers a smoother playback option for video clips. The update also addresses bugs reported in the stable iOS 26 release, improving performance and stability for developers testing new apps.
Installation details
The developer beta can be accessed by enrolling in Apple’s beta program via the official beta website. Once registered, users can install the update by navigating to Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates on eligible iPhones. It is important to note that beta builds may contain bugs, so Apple advises installing them on secondary devices. Users should also back up their data before proceeding.
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