Apple has released the first developer betas of iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5, arriving about a week after the launch of iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4.
The new betas are now available for testing, giving developers early access to the next incremental updates in Apple’s software cycle. As with previous releases, Apple is expected to use this testing phase to refine performance, fix bugs, and prepare the updates for broader rollout in future public releases.
Registered developers can download the iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 betas directly through Settings on iPhone or iPad by navigating to General → Software Update, provided they have enabled Beta Updates.
While Apple has not detailed many new features for this release, there has been speculation that iOS 26.5 could include early groundwork for Apple Intelligence Siri enhancements. However, current reports suggest those capabilities are more likely being delayed until iOS 27.
Other features that could potentially arrive in iOS 26.5 include expanded support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging, as well as EU-focused changes such as notification forwarding and proximity pairing for third-party wearables.
At this stage, Apple has not confirmed the full feature set for the update, and additional changes may still be discovered as developers continue testing the beta.