Installing the iOS 18 beta might be tempting, but many iPhone users should stay put on iOS 17.
iOS 18, Apple’s upcoming operating system for iPhone, is loaded with new features and you don’t have to wait until the official release this fall to try them out.
There are plenty of reasons to consider trying the iOS 18 beta out today. It includes a new Passwords app, improvements to Messages, and a whole lot more.
While it’s exciting to try out new features ahead of their official release, there are also some great reasons to avoid the beta.
Beta software is typically plagued by a variety of bug and performance issues and the iOS 18 beta is no different.
If you run into issues on the software, you can jump back down to iOS 17. However, you can only downgrade back to iOS 17.5.1. You can’t move your phone’s software back to anything older than that.
This means moving to the iOS 18 beta a pretty big decision for those of you running iOS 17.5 or older. Once you make the move, there’s no getting back.
Apple will improve iOS 18 over time and a lot of you will want to wait for the additional polish upcoming versions of the beta will provide. Many others will just want to stay put on stable iOS 17 software.
If you’re on the fence, allow us to guide you through the best reasons to try the iOS 18 beta and the best reasons to wait or avoid it completely.
Install to Help Improve Improve iOS 18
Installing the iOS 18 beta on your iPhone will help Apple squash issues before they reach millions of iPhone users around the world.
Your feedback about the iOS 18 beta’s performance could help the company discover a nasty bug or a glitch ahead of the final release in the fall.
If you’re sick of dealing with issues or sick of hearing friends and family complain about problems, think about giving the iOS 18 beta a try.
If you decide to download the iOS 18 beta and find an issue on board, make sure you report it to Apple. This way, company engineers can get to work on a permanent fix.
Install If You Want to Try watchOS 11
If you want to try Apple’s new watchOS 11 operating system on your Apple Watch, you’ll need to download the iOS 18 beta onto your iPhone.
watchOS 11 debuted alongside iOS 18 at WWDC and the Apple Watch’s new operating system comes with some intriguing features.
If you want to use the software before the official release this fall, you can download it right now. That said, your iPhone has to be on iOS 18 beta.
For more about watchOS 11, check out Apple’s guide.
Install iOS 18 Beta for New Passwords App
iOS 18 delivers a dedicated Passwords app that is an alternative to services like LastPass and 1Password.
Like these services, the Passwords app makes it easy for iPhone users to access passwords, passkeys, Wi-Fi passwords, and verification codes.
The app also includes alerts for weak passwords, passwords that have been used multiple times, and ones that appear in known data leaks.
Install for Control Center Improvements
Apple’s redesigned Control Center in iOS 18 and the changes give users a lot more flexibility when it comes to the feature’s look and feel.
You can now have multiple Control Center screens. When you pull down from the top right of the iPhone’s screen, you can continuously swipe to access more Control Center screens.
Users can now add controls from supported third-party apps into Control Center and change the size of the buttons/controls so that you can prioritize your favorites for easier access.
The redesign also delivers quick access to new groups of your most-utilized controls like media playback, Home controls, and connectivity.
Install for RCS Messaging
U.S. carriers have enabled RCS support for iPhone users running the beta.
RCS (Rich Communication Services) messages bring improved media and delivery as well as read receipts for those who don’t use iMessage (Android).
Other improvements iPhone users will see with RCS include:
- Better group chat performance
- Audio messages
- Real-time typing bubbles
- Support for higher resolution photos and videos
- Support for larger file sizes and file sharing
iOS 18 beta/iPhone users on AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon should have access right now. iPhone users on MVNO’s and smaller regional carriers will have to wait for access.
Install for New Flashlight Controls
If you’re an avid user of your iPhone’s flashlight, you might want to install the iOS 18 beta.
iOS 18 has a new flashlight interface, accessed from Control Center or the Lock Screen, that lets you adjust the width of the LED beam.
You can now pick between a narrow, medium, and wide beam. A small but potentially useful change for iPhone users.
Install for New Tapbacks
iOS 18 comes with changes to Tapback in the Messages application.
Tapback responses, which include a heart, thumbs up, thumbs down, HAHA, exclamation marks, and a question mark, look more colorful than they currently do on iOS 17.
iOS 18’s version of Tapback also lets you add emojis to messages sent by friends and family.
Install for Lock Screen Enhancements
iOS 18 lets you change the two shortcuts on the iPhone’s lock screen for the first time.
On iOS 17, users are stuck with Flashlight and Camera. On iOS 18, those can be swapped out for other apps like Notes, Translate, Timer, and many others. The shortcuts can also be removed completely.
iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max users can access these controls via the Action Button.
Install for Home Screen Customization
iOS 18 also gives you more control over the app icons and widgets on your iPhone’s home screen.
You can arrange apps and widgets in any open space on the Home Screen. This includes the ability to place them right above the dock for easy access.
App icons and widgets can be made darker and they can also be tinted. You can also make them appear larger on your home screen.
Install for New iPhone 15 Charging Limits
The iOS 18 beta include new charging limits for the iPhone 15 series.
Right now, the iPhone 15 series has a setting that prevents the device from being charged beyond 80% which can help prolong the battery’s life span.
iOS 18 introduces new 85%, 90%, and 95% charging limit options for the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
The new additions can be found in Settings under Battery.
Install to Lock Apps Behind Face ID
iOS 18 has a potentially useful change for those who want to keep their most sensitive data away from prying eyes.
The software lets you lock certain apps behind Face ID. Information from these apps won’t surface in search or notifications either.
Install iOS 18 Beta If You Work in IT
This almost goes without saying, but if you work in the IT industry, you should probably install the iOS 18 beta in order to test apps and services for issues.
Enterprise issues are extremely common and we always get complaints after Apple releases a new version of iOS. We expect a flood of complaints in September when Apple releases the final version of iOS 18.
If you’re an IT professional who supports end users at your company you should install the beta on a device and use it throughout the summer.
Testing the beta will help you prepare for support calls and trouble tickets from co-workers and clients who upgrade to the official version of iOS 18.
Wait for Apple Intelligence
iOS 18’s big AI initiative, Apple Intelligence, isn’t available right now and it will be deployed in a future version of the beta this summer.
Apple Intelligence is still under development and Apple needs more time. When it launches this fall, it will be released in beta form.
Some features won’t even make it into the iOS 18.0 beta and will be released in other versions of the software in late 2024 and 2025.
If you own an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iOS 18’s other features don’t excite you, you may want to hold off on installing the beta until Apple Intelligence features are released.
Don’t Install iOS 18 Beta If You Haven’t Prepared
Make sure you’re prepared to install the iOS 18 beta on your iPhone. This is especially true if this would be your first time trying beta software.
The iOS 18 beta will likely cause problems on your iPhone so it’s important to prepare for the installation. A few minutes of prep work can go a long way toward preventing major headaches.
To assist, we’ve put together a guide that will take you through some pre-installation tips. This walkthrough will show some of the steps we take before we install iOS beta software on our iPhones.
If you’re new to Apple’s iOS beta process, make sure you read up on how to install the iOS 18 beta on your iPhone.
Don’t Install If You Can’t Stand Bugs
If you can’t stand dealing with bugs, performance issues or potential security issues, you should probably avoid the iOS 18 beta for now.
While iOS betas can be used on a primary device, we highly recommend using the software on a secondary device if you have one. Apple agrees.
In its Beta FAQ Apple “strongly” recommends installing iOS beta software on secondary devices rather than primary ones.
The current list of iOS 18 beta problems include broken apps and services, installation problems, issues with Bluetooth, and more.
Apple will refine the software with new versions of the beta but future betas will bring problems of their own.
While you might be able to fix some problems yourself, others will require a fix from Apple. Some problems might even stick around in the final iOS 18 release.
Again, you can downgrade back to iOS 17, but only to iOS 17.5.1. The downgrade path to other versions of iOS is closed.
If you depend on your device to get through the day, you’ll probably want to stay put on iOS 17.
Don’t Install Before or While Traveling
If you’re preparing to go on a trip or if you’re in the middle of a trip, avoid the iOS 18 beta.
The iOS 18 beta has the potential to cause problems on your phone and that’s probably the last thing you want to be dealing with during a fun vacation or an important business trip.
Over the years we’ve seen travelers complain about apps not working, email breaking, and maps and GPS acting up. That’s not ideal if you’re on business or you’re traveling in a foreign place for the first time.
If you’re going to be away from home and away from your backups, we highly recommend waiting until you’re back before trying out the beta.
Don’t Install If You Still Jailbreak
If you’re currently using a jailbroken iPhone or you want to jailbreak your device, avoid the iOS 18 beta.
We haven’t seen a public iOS 18 beta jailbreak emerge and there’s a good chance we’ll never see one.
While jailbreak developers might tease an iOS 18 jailbreak down the road, we’d be surprised if they burned their exploits on pre-release software. We’d be shocked if we saw a jailbreak tool emerge for iOS 18 beta users.
If you want to jailbreak your iPhone you need to stay put on older software.
