Think Twice Before Installing iOS 26.3 Beta 1

Last Friday, Apple released iOS 26.2 to all iPhone users. Bringing with it several new features and important security patches, this will be the last major software update from Apple before the year ends. Still, the company is expected to start beta testing iOS 26.3 soon. It's unclear what Apple is planning for this update beyond the Unity wallpapers, which roll out in January to celebrate Black History Month, but even if you enjoy testing Apple's latest software, iOS 26.3 beta 1 is one you should probably skip.

Unlike most other beta releases, this is one we can't recommend to the average iPhone user. After all, it will be nearly a month before Apple releases the second beta version due to the delay caused by the holiday season. That said, if you find any major bugs in iOS 26.3 beta 1 or even just a little annoying issue, you'll have to wait until the second week of January to get a new build with bug fixes.

Even though Apple typically takes longer than usual to release the second version of its x.3 iOS beta builds, this cycle is usually one of the shortest of any beta. In past years, Apple only seeded two to three beta versions of iOS x.3 before the Release Candidate version arrived. In other words, everyone should get their hands on iOS 26.3 by early February.

It's also worth noting that over the past three years, Apple targeted the end of January or early February for the arrival of an iOS update. What's more important about iOS 26.3 is actually what comes next. After all, the company failed to deliver an all-new Siri with iOS 18.4 and delayed new Apple Intelligence features and smart home products as well. With Apple engineers focused on delivering this major software update, this could be yet another indicator that iOS 26.3 will be a relatively small update.

Last week, a report revealed some of the iOS 26.4 features Apple has been working on, in addition to details about some of the upcoming functionalities expected for iOS 27 and iOS 28. We expect 2026 to be another big year for Apple's software update, especially when it comes to Siri.