Apple Releases iOS 26.5 Beta 3 and iPadOS 26.5 Beta 3 to Developers [Download]

Apple has seeded the third developer betas of iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 for testing. The updates arrive exactly one week after the company released the second betas to its developer channel.



This testing cycle continues to lay the groundwork for upcoming features while holding back on others. As expected, these betas do not include the highly anticipated generative AI upgrades for Siri. Those capabilities are instead slated for a major overhaul in iOS 27 later this year. However, the Maps app is seeing continued development. Apple is refining a new Suggested Places feature that recommends nearby locations based on recent searches and local trends. The update also includes backend code and user prompts to support sponsored local advertisements expected to launch in Apple Maps this summer.


Apple is also continuing work on security improvements for cross-platform messaging. The iOS 26.5 beta maintains support for end-to-end encryption on RCS conversations between iPhone and Android users. Apple previously tested this functionality during the 26.4 beta cycle but pulled it before the final public release.

For users in the European Union, the software introduces interoperability changes to comply with the Digital Markets Act. Third-party wearables like smartwatches and earbuds are gaining support for Live Activities, notification forwarding, and proximity pairing. This brings their integration closer to the experience currently offered by the Apple Watch and AirPods.

Registered developers can download the update over the air by navigating to the Software Update menu in Settings.