iOS 16.6 beta released just weeks before the debut of iOS 17

Apple has begun the beta testing process for iOS 16.6 just a day after the release of iOS 16.5 and about two weeks before the expected first iOS 17 beta arrives at WWDC. The beta was first released to developers on May 19 and will likely be available to public beta testers within a day.

We don’t expect many new features to get in the way in this release – iOS 16 is about as mature as it will be, and all eyes are on the upcoming features announced for iOS 17. Minor tweaks and usability upgrades are possible, just like we got in iOS 16.5, and of course security updates are endless.

iOS 16.6: new features

We don’t yet know what’s new in iOS 16.6. We will update this article as we discover new features.

iOS 16.6: Install the public beta

If you want to be one of the first to test iOS 16.6, you can sign up for the public beta test. The process for installing a beta has changed in iOS 16.4. This is how the new process works:

1. Click Sign Up on the Apple Beta page and register with your Apple ID.
2. Sign up for the beta software program.
3. Click Register your iOS device.
4. Open the Settings app, tap GeneralThan Software update.
5. In the Beta updates section, select the iOS public beta.

It may take a while after registration for the beta option to appear Software update.

iOS 16.6: Install the developer beta

You must be registered as an Apple developer. Joining the Apple Developer Program costs $99 per year.

1. Register for the Apple Developer Program at developer.apple.com.
2. Open the Institutions app, tap GeneralThan Software update.
3. In the Beta updates section, select the Beta for iOS developers.

Registered developers can choose to get the public beta instead by selecting iOS public beta from the Software Update screen. After registering as a developer, it may take some time for the option to appear in Software Updates.

Some developers have registered an Apple ID for developer access that is different from the Apple ID associated with their personal Apple account and data. To use a different Apple ID for beta access than the rest of iOS, open Institutions > General > Software update > Beta updates and select the Apple ID at the bottom of the screen.

iOS 16.6 beta: risks and precautions

First of all, note that betas are test versions of upcoming software. They are unfinished by definition, and while they should contain most or all of the features of the final product, there will be cosmetic differences and, inevitably, some glitches and issues to fix. The glitches and issues are why Apple makes the effort to beta test iOS in the first place.

In other words, don’t expect a perfect user experience. In particular, don’t expect existing apps (including apps you may rely on) to work perfectly with the new version. In extreme cases, you may even find that your device has been bricked by the beta and cannot be used until the next beta comes along and hopefully fixes the problem. It is not uncommon for early beta software to also show problems such as excessive battery drain.

The closer we get to the final launch and iOS version, the more polished and complete we can expect the available betas to become. The opposite of that, of course, is that there’s less time left to wait for the official launch, so you won’t gain as much by installing a beta.

Assuming you decide to proceed, we can’t stress enough the importance of backing up your iPhone before installing an iOS beta, or better yet, use a secondary device instead of your main iPhone. You won’t lose everything if something goes wrong while the beta is being installed, and you can roll back to the latest version if you find you don’t like the new software or it contains too many bugs.