The iOS 17 public beta doesn’t arrive for a few weeks — Apple says it’s coming in July — but that doesn’t mean you have to wait until then to try out the next version of Apple iPhone software. The iOS 17 developer beta has already arrived, and this year there seems to be no restrictions on who can download it.
In previous years, you had to be a registered member of the Apple Developer Program to get your hands on the developer beta, and joining required a $99 annual fee. With a public beta available for free so soon after the developer beta, it didn’t make sense for non-developers to pay that fee.
However, this time around, anyone with an Apple ID — which basically covers almost every iPhone user — can get their hands on the iOS 17 developer beta, whether or not they’re a paid developer program member. The iOS 17 beta download and installation process is fairly simple.
Should you get the iOS 17 developer beta?
Before I tell you how I got the developer beta on the iPhone, let’s revisit the difference between “can” and “should” — as in, yeah, you could Download the iOS 17 developer beta, however He should You?
Ultimately, Betas is incomplete software and not every feature will be in prime working condition. In some cases, you may find that the apps you rely on for daily use may not work well with the shareware. You’ll almost certainly run into bugs—even more so than you would with the public because one of the purposes of a developer beta is to help smooth software out for public release.
For this reason, it makes sense for most people to wait until the iOS 17 public beta release in July. However, we recommend that you do not put any beta version – developer or public – on the iPhone that you use as your everyday device. I’m running iOS 17 developer beta on a spare iPhone I have, while my iPhone 12 continues to run iOS 16.5.
So proceed with caution before installing any beta on your iPhone. And should you decide to go ahead, make sure to back up your iPhone with an archived backup before downloading and installing the iOS 17 developer beta.
You’ll also need to make sure you have the beta installed on a device that supports iOS 17. Any iPhone XR, iPhone Xs, or later will run the new software. iOS 16 compatible phones that dropped from iOS 17 include the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X.
How to download and install the iOS 17 developer beta
1. Go to the Apple Developer website
(Photo: © Tom’s Guide)
Using a browser on the iPhone you want to upgrade, go to Apple developer site And scroll down until you see iOS 17. Tap on iOS 17.
2. Sign in to download the iOS 17 beta
(Photo: © Tom’s Guide)
On the next page, Click the download button in the upper-right corner of the screen. You will be prompted to log in – Use your Apple ID and password.
3. Agree to the Apple Developer Agreement
(Photo: © Tom’s Guide)
You will be asked to agree to the Apple Developer Agreement. Scroll to the bottom of the page And Check the desired box before Click on send.
The later iOS 17 beta page doesn’t seem to have any links to download the developer beta, but don’t worry — you’ve just registered your device with Apple. The actual download takes place elsewhere.
4. Check for software updates in Settings
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Launch the Settings appthen Click General followed by system update.
5. Select the trial version you want to install
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Click on Beta Updates And on the next screen, Click iOS 17 Developer Beta. hit back When you’re done.
6. Download and install the iOS 17 developer beta
(Photo: © Tom’s Guide)
The iOS 17 developer beta should be waiting for you on the next page. Click Download and Install And Enter your passcode For confirmation. when prompted.
From there, the iOS 17 beta will download to your phone. When it’s done, you’ll be prompted to restart your iPhone, at which time, the iOS 17 beta will be installed.
And that’s all there is to it. I haven’t confirmed whether other developer betas that Apple has released for macOS Sonoma, iPadOS 17, and watchOS 10 are similarly available to anyone with an Apple ID, but I don’t see why they aren’t. Just make sure in Step 1 that you go to the developer’s site on whatever device you plan to install the beta on.
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