Apple Releases iOS 26.5 Beta 4 and iPadOS 26.5 Beta 4 to Developers [Download]

Apple has released the fourth betas of iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 to developers for testing. The new builds carry version number 23F5069b and arrive one week after the third round of updates.



The iOS 26.5 cycle continues to add a few notable changes. Apple is refining a Suggested Places feature in the Maps app that surfaces nearby destinations based on recent searches and local trends. The software also includes the underlying code and user prompts needed to support sponsored local advertisements expected to launch in Apple Maps this summer.


Cross-platform messaging security remains a focus in this release. Apple is still testing end-to-end encryption for RCS chats between iPhones and Android devices. The feature showed up in the iOS 26.4 betas but didn't make the final release.

For users in the European Union, the update adds new interoperability features required under regional regulations. Third-party smartwatches and earbuds are gaining support for Live Activities, notification forwarding, and proximity pairing, bringing them closer to the Apple Watch and AirPods experience.

The highly anticipated generative AI upgrades for Siri remain absent from this testing cycle. Those features are instead expected to headline a chatbot-style overhaul in iOS 27 later this year.

Registered developers can download the new iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 builds over the air through the Software Update menu in Settings.