Apple releases second iOS 15.1 beta for developers

If you're a developer looking to get to work on iOS 15, here's how to install the developer beta.

iOS 15 is coming later this year with new features that require third-party developer input. As such, the company is releasing developer betas so that software engineers can get a head start on making great software for you.

Apple occasionally offers updates to iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS, and macOS as closed developer previews or public betas. While the betas contain new features, they also contain pre-release bugs that can prevent the normal use of your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV, or Mac, and are not intended for everyday use on a primary device. That's why we strongly recommend staying away from developer previews unless you need them for software development, and using the public betas with caution. If you depend on your devices, wait for the final release.

What's new in iOS 15?

September 28, 2021: Apple releases second iOS 15.1 beta for developers

Apple has seeded the second iOS 15.1 beta for developers. Those with registered developer accounts can download and install the beta right now via their Mac, and should be able to install the beta profile and install it as an over-the-air update directly on an iPhone soon.

September 21, 2021: Apple releases first iOS 15.1 beta for developers

Apple has seeded the first iOS 15.1 beta for developers. Those with registered developer accounts can download and install the beta right now via their Mac, and should be able to install the beta profile and install it as an over-the-air update directly on an iPhone soon.

September 14, 2021: Apple launches iOS 15 RC for developers

Apple has seeded the final release candidate of iOS 15 for developers. Those with registered developer accounts can download and install the beta right now via their Mac, and should be able to install the beta profile and install it as an over-the-air update directly on an iPhone soon.

August 31, 2021: Apple launches iOS 15 beta 8 for developers

Apple has seeded the eighth beta version of iOS 15 for developers. Those with registered developer accounts can download and install the beta right now via their Mac, and should be able to install the beta profile and install it as an over-the-air update directly on an iPhone soon.

August 25, 2021: Apple launches iOS 15 beta 7 for developers

Apple has seeded the seventh beta version of iOS 15 for developers. Those with registered developer accounts can download and install the beta right now via their Mac, and should be able to install the beta profile and install it as an over-the-air update directly on an iPhone soon.

August 17, 2021: Apple launches iOS 15 beta 6 for developers

Apple has seeded the sixth beta version of iOS 15 for developers. Those with registered developer accounts can download and install the beta right now via their Mac, and should be able to install the beta profile and install it as an over-the-air update directly on an iPhone soon.

August 10, 2021: Apple launches iOS 15 beta 5 for developers

Apple has seeded the fifth beta version of iOS 15 for developers. Those with registered developer accounts can download and install the beta right now via their Mac, and should be able to install the beta profile and install it as an over-the-air update directly on an iPhone soon.

July 27, 2021: Apple launches iOS 15 beta 4 for developers

Apple has seeded the fourth beta version of iOS 15 for developers. Those with registered developer accounts can download and install the beta right now via their Mac, and should be able to install the beta profile and install it as an over-the-air update directly on an iPhone soon.

July 14, 2021: Apple launches iOS 15 beta 3 for developers

Apple has seeded the third beta version of iOS 15 for developers. Those with registered developer accounts can download and install the beta right now via their Mac, and should be able to install the beta profile and install it as an over-the-air update directly on an iPhone soon.

June 30, 2021: Apple launches updated version of iOS 15 beta 2 for developers

Apple has released an updated version of the second beta of iOS 15 for developers. Even if you already have the first version of this beta installed, you can download this as an over-the-air update just like any other beta version.

June 24, 2021: Apple launches iOS 15 beta 2 for developers

Apple has seeded the second beta version of iOS 15 for developers. Those with registered developer accounts can download and install the beta right now via their Mac, and should be able to install the beta profile and install it as an over-the-air update directly on an iPhone soon.

June 7, 2021: Apple launches iOS 15 beta 1 for developers

Apple has seeded the first beta version of iOS 15 for developers. Those with registered developer accounts can download and install the beta right now via their Mac, and should be able to install the beta profile and install it as an over-the-air update directly on an iPhone soon.

June 7, 2021: Apple announces iOS 15

Apple has announced iOS 15, the latest version of its software for iPhones. It comes with several new features that will need testing before it launches to the public later this year, and developers will be able to grab the first beta release very soon.

How to download the iOS Restore Image to your Mac

This first part is easy and works just like it does on any Mac operating system.

Navigate to developer.apple.com on your Mac.
Click on the Discover tab.
Click on iOS at the top of the screen.
Click Download in the upper right corner.
Log in with your developer account credentials when prompted.
Under iOS 15 beta, click on Download Restore Images.
Click on the iOS restore image for the device you're installing the developer beta on.

How to make an archived backup of your iPhone

Before you begin, make sure you back up your iPhone. While the beta process is fairly straightforward, any time you make any significant change to your device you risk problems. And with your personal data, it's always — always! — better to be safe than sorry. Even if you back up every night, you'll want to make sure it's absolutely up-to-date.

Connect your device to your Mac using the cable it came with.
Launch a Finder window.
Select your connected device under Locations in the sidebar of the Finder window.
Click Pair to pair the device to your Mac.
Tap Trust on the device to confirm that you want to pair it.
Enter your passcode on your device.
If you don't already have a backup on your Mac, click Back Up Now to make a backup.
Click Manage Backups after you've made a recent backup.
Right or Control click on your device backup.
Click Archive.
Click OK.

Archiving will prevent your current backup from being overwritten by an iOS 14 backup in the future, should you want to revert for any reason.

How to install the iOS beta on your Mac

With your device still connected to your Mac, open a Finder window if you haven't already.
Select your connected device under Locations in the sidebar of the Finder window.
Hold down the Option key and click on Check for Updates. This will launch another window with your recent files.
Click on the IPSW restore image.
Click Open.
Click Update when prompted.

Your Mac will now install iOS 15 onto your iPhone. This process will take some time, and you shouldn't unplug your iPhone from your Mac until the update is complete.

How to install the iOS beta using a profile

Before you do anything else, make sure you have a developer account with Apple — without a paid account, you won't be able to download any non-Xcode betas.

Thanks to Apple's configuration profile, you can download iOS betas directly on your iPhone, no Mac required! (You can still install the iOS beta on your iPhone by connecting your device to iTunes, but you'll need to be running the Xcode beta first. The method listed below is generally a lot faster, with fewer wires.)

Go to developer.apple.com on your iPhone.
Click on the "Discover" tab.
Click on of the operating system buttons in the bar near the top of the screen.
Tap Download.
Log in with your developer account's username and password.
Go to the iOS 15 beta section and tap the download. This will start the process of downloading the iOS beta software profile on your iPhone.
Tap Close.
Open Settings.
Tap Profile Downloaded.
Tap Install. You may need to enter your Passcode.
Agree to the Consent form and press Install once in the upper right corner, and once at the bottom of the screen.
Press Restart to apply the changes to your iPhone.

To install the beta itself, just visit system preferences.

Launch Settings from your Home screen, tap on General, then tap on Software Update.
Once the update appears, tap on Download and Install.
Enter your Passcode.
Tap Agree to the Terms and Conditions.
Tap Agree again to confirm.

Your iPhone will reboot to install iOS 15. There will be a couple of progress bars going across the screen. Sit tight, and let everything finish.

How to get started with iOS beta

Once your iPhone reboots, it'll be running iOS the latest beta. There's a brief bit of setup you'll need to go through, however, as the system will have changed enough that it'll need your login to complete the update.