You may obtain the visionOS 26 developer beta totally free — proper now. You may get a take a look at the thrilling new spatial widgets coming to the Imaginative and prescient Professional earlier than the replace is shipped to everybody. Not like different platforms, there is no such thing as a public beta choice, solely the developer beta.
After all, there are some things it is best to look out for. Beta software program might be buggy and may result in knowledge loss or apps that don’t work.
Should you’re nonetheless certain you need to strive it out, it is best to be sure to have a backup of your most necessary knowledge with two copies of your picture library earlier than you strive putting in. I’ll present you the way.
The right way to obtain the visionOS 26 developer beta
Desk of contents: The right way to obtain the visionOS 26 developer beta
Examine that you’ve an iCloud backup
Examine that your picture library is backed up
Change to permit beta software program updates
Set up the replace
1. Examine that you’ve an iCloud backup
Be sure you have an iCloud backup.
Screenshot: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
Earlier than you obtain the visionOS beta, it is best to ensure that your Imaginative and prescient Professional is backed up. Should you lose necessary knowledge, if the software program replace is unsuccessful or if you wish to roll again to the secure model of visionOS after making an attempt out the beta, this backup will save your pores and skin.
Double examine in Settings > (Your Identify) > iCloud > iCloud Backup. Proper below the button that claims “Backup Now,” it is best to see small textual content that claims, “Final profitable backup”. In case you have it arrange correctly, it’ll most likely say it final backed up in a single day.
If not, it’s essential to make a backup. To take action, faucet Again Up Now.
2. Examine that your picture library is backed up
Subsequent, open Pictures > Library. Scroll all the way in which down under the newest picture to see in case your images are backed up. If it says “Synced with iCloud,” you’re golden. In any other case, faucet Sync Now to be sure to don’t lose something.
In case you have a Mac with sufficient storage (or with an exterior drive) it is best to have one other copy of your picture library, too. Backing as much as iCloud will assist if one thing occurs to your Imaginative and prescient Professional, but when a bug corrupts your picture library and people adjustments are synced to iCloud, a separate copy will be sure to have a protected copy.
In your Mac, click on on the Finder and open the Dwelling folder together with your title (⇧⌘H). Open Footage. You must see a file known as Picture Library. Make a neighborhood copy by clicking File > Duplicate (⌘D), or copy it to an exterior drive by clicking and dragging it over. Then, rename it one thing descriptive, like Picture Library (Backup).
3. Change to permit beta software program updates
Decide “visionOS 26 Developer Beta.” (On this screenshot, visionOS 26 was not but out there.)
Screenshot: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
Go to Settings > Basic > Software program Replace. After it checks for updates, you’ll see the choice seem for Beta Updates. Faucet that and also you’ll see the choices presently out there: Off, visionOS 26 Developer Beta and visionOS 2 Developer Beta. There isn’t any visionOS public beta, so if you wish to be cautious, it is best to wait a day or two after a software program replace is launched earlier than putting in.
Faucet visionOS 26 Developer Beta to get the flashy new replace with all the best options like Spatial Pictures, new Dwelling and Management Middle gestures, a customizable Dwelling View and extra.
4. Obtain the visionOS beta replace
Faucet again and also you’ll see the visionOS 26 replace out there. Faucet Replace Now to obtain the visionOS beta and Set up Now when it’s prepared. It might take longer than a traditional software program replace.
On the finish, you’ll reboot into the shiny new beta working system! You may anticipate to get a brand new software program replace about each few weeks till September.
We initially printed this text on how one can obtain the visionOS beta on June 11, 2024. We up to date it with the most recent info on June 10, 2025.