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iOS 14 beta: how to get access to the new iPhone software

The iPadOS 14 beta is available to try out on iPads now: Apple
The iPadOS 14 beta is available to try out on iPads now: Apple

Apple’s next iPhone software, iOS 14, comes with a lot of changes, from widgets to a new Translate app. And, if you can’t wait till the official release in September, then you can get your hands on it now.

The tech giant recently announced the first public beta of iOS 14 and iPadOS 14, the new iPad software, for people to try.

Before you go readying your device to download the new beta, the software isn’t perfect yet and will be full of bugs, as the point of the beta is to work out where the issues are and rectify them. In past instances, iOS betas have even bricked people’s phones so they no longer work so it’s not something to mess with lightly.

If you have an old iPhone or iPad lying around which isn’t your primary device, then this is a good way to try it but be careful before installing it on your main phone.

With that in mind, here’s how to try out the new iOS 14 beta.

What devices will run iOS 14?

Anyone with an iPhone 6S and above will be able to run the new iOS 14 beta. This is the same as last year’s iOS 13 software and is part of Apple’s mission to ensure its phones receive software updates as long as the device is able to support it.

Once you’ve tracked down a suitable device, be sure to back apps and documents onto iCloud in case anything goes wrong. Connect the iPhone to WiFi and visit Settings, and click on iCloud.

Scroll down till you see iCloud Backup and then select Back Up Now.

The new iOS 14 software features an App Gallery for the first time which will groups apps together automatically depending on their function (Apple)
The new iOS 14 software features an App Gallery for the first time which will groups apps together automatically depending on their function (Apple)

How to download iOS 14 beta

Now your device is successfully backed up, you can get on with downloading the beta.

  1. Visit Apple’s beta website and sign in with your Apple iD.

  2. Then download the configuration profile — this file tells your device to update to the beta. You can download this file from Safari on your iPhone or iPad directly.

  3. Then you’re ready to go with the new beta so you can start customising widgets, playing with App Clips, and start having conversations with people in other languages via Translate.

Of course, you might regret installing the iOS 14 beta, particularly if it’s very buggy. However, in order to do this you need to wipe and restore your iPhone or iPad, which is why it’s so important you do an iCloud backup first.

Grab your Mac or computer with iTunes installed and connect your device. Then put the iPhone or iPad into recovery mode and restore the device back to its original settings.