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New iOS 26 Public Beta 4 Gets Us One Step Closer to the Final iPhone Release

The final version of iOS 26 will drop next month. But you can try an early version of the software on an iPhone right now.

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Headshot of Patrick Holland
Patrick Holland Managing Editor
As Managing Editor, I lead CNET's mobile team, covering news and reviews on smartphones, wireless carriers, AI, wearables and more. I oversee the team's product testing and translate our findings into accessible recommendations. With nearly a decade of experience at CNET, I've covered Apple and the iPhone, Google and the Pixel, Samsung and the Galaxy, Motorola and the Razr, iOS vs. Android and much more. I'm passionate about storytelling (hey, former theater director and playwright here).
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  • Patrick's play The Cowboy is included in the Best American Short Plays 2011-12 anthology. He co-wrote and starred in the short film Baden Krunk that won the Best Wisconsin Short Film award at the Milwaukee Short Film Festival.
Patrick Holland
an iPhone with iOS 26 downloading on it

I'm downloading the fourth public beta of iOS 26 on an iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Patrick Holland/CNET

The latest beta software for iOS 26 is out, along with iPadOS 26 and MacOS 26. Apple dropped the fourth version of the iOS 26 public beta on Monday, following on the heels of last week's third public beta.

The fourth public beta of iOS 26 fixes a number of bugs and reflects the updates we saw in the iOS 26 developer beta version 7 that was released earlier on Monday.

Apple typically launches new major updates of iOS, WatchOS, MacOS, iPadOS and more in September. Public beta builds like Monday's release are a chance for early-adopters and those who are curious to try out the new software as Apple makes tweaks and changes leading up to the launch in September -- which will likely coincide with the rumored iPhone 17.

If you want to try the new software, here's how to download the iOS 26 public beta on your iPhone. We recommend not using your main iPhone and backing up your data before installing.

For more on iOS 26, check out these stories:

My Honest Advice About Waiting to Install iOS 26
All the Important New iOS 26 Features Coming to Your iPhone
Get Ready for All the New Ringtones in iOS 26
iOS 26 vs. Android 16
I Tried iOS 26 for a Month. These 3 Features Stand Out Most
Hidden iOS 26 Features Apple Didn't Mention at WWDC
This is how WatchOS 26 will upgrade your Apple Watch 

Watch this: 26 More Things Hidden in iOS 26