Apple has released the new iOS 26 Public Beta 5 update for iPhones. This comes only a few days after the company rolled out the Developer Beta 8 version. The update is now available for all users who have an iPhone XS or newer model.
It mainly brings bug fixes, small improvements, and a new tool to make iPhones more reliable before the final version of iOS 26 launches next month along with the new iPhone 17 series.
One of the most important additions is a new Recovery Assistant. This tool will help users bring back their iPhone if the device does not start properly after an update.
Apple said it worked to solve a big issue that some iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 users faced in earlier betas, where the phone would show only the low battery symbol and refuse to restart. This problem is now fixed in the new update.
Public Beta 5 also fixes problems with AppIntents, which was earlier failing to compile code for developers. Another bug that caused the mode picker screen to stay open after launch has been solved too. These changes are meant to smooth out performance before the final release.
Apple has also fixed issues in its new AI features, known as Apple Intelligence. Users in Japan had reported that adding modifiers to change the look of images in Image Playground and Genmoji did not work. At times, image creation was fully blocked. The new beta update has corrected this problem so that these tools now respond as expected.
The update carries many more fixes across iOS. Apple mentioned improvements for the Apple TV app, Bluetooth, Camera, CarPlay, and Game Mode. Other areas like HealthKit, the lock screen, Messages, Siri, and the Weather app have also been improved. Together, these fixes should make the system more stable and reduce crashes or glitches.
Apple has made the update available for all users who are part of its Beta Software Program. To install it, users need to open the Settings app, go to General, then Software Update, and tap Install Now when the update appears. Apple also advises creating a backup before installing any beta version, in case something goes wrong.
Looking at past trends, experts believe that Developer Beta 8 could be the final developer release before Apple launches the stable version of iOS 26. The full public release is expected in September, around the same time as the rumoured iPhone 17 launch on September 9, 2025. This matches Apple’s usual release cycle, where the stable iOS version arrives together with the newest iPhones.
This new iOS 26 Public Beta 5 update is all about fixing issues and polishing features. It adds the very useful Recovery Assistant, addresses problems in Genmoji and Image Playground, and brings a wide range of bug fixes across the system. With just weeks left for the launch of iPhone 17, Apple seems to be preparing to release the most stable and reliable version of iOS yet.