Apple is expected to release iOS 18.1 and Apple Intelligence next week, but the company is already looking beyond that.
Today, Apple released iOS 18.2 to developers, which brings ChatGPT and GenMoji integration to iPhone, two features that won’t be available in the general public iOS 18.1 release. The new ChatGPT integration makes Siri much smarter, allowing you to ask more complex questions and get more detailed answers than ever before. And with GenMoji, you can use AI to create your own emoji.
If you own an iPhone 16, you’ll also get early access to Visual Intelligence, which is Apple’s version of Google Lens, allowing you to scan the world around you with your camera and identify objects, such as landmarks or dogs , in reality time. You can use it to search everything around you really.
Attention: You can download the iOS 18.2 developer beta and use Apple Intelligence only if you have an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or the iPhone 16 series.
If you don’t have an iPhone 15 Pro or 15 Pro Max, you can still use this guide to download the latest iOS 18 beta – you just won’t get the Apple Intelligence features.
Read more: iPhone 16: What we know about the release date, leaks and more
You can use Apple Intelligence to create original emoji, proofread your emails, summarize items in Safari, prioritize your notifications, analyze your audio transcripts, and reduce interruptions on your iPhone and other devices. other compatible. Siri will use AI to help you better, thanks to integration with ChatGPT.
iOS 18 generally brings a redesigned home screen, a customizable control center, locked and hidden apps, scheduled text messages, a new password manager app, satellite text messages, and a major redesign to the Photos app.
Read more: iPhone Mirroring has my attention: Here’s how Apple says this new feature will work
Check this out: iOS 18 brings new tapback features and satellite text
The Apple Developer Program has long required a fee to join, at $100 per year. Last year, with the release of the iOS 17 developer beta, Apple created a free tier of the Apple Developer program, which allows you to download any developer beta for free as long as you have an Apple ID.
If you want to try iOS 18.2 today, here’s how.
Don’t miss out: Apple Intelligence arrives, but only in Developer Beta for now
Why you might not want to download iOS 18.2 developer beta
Just because you can download the iOS 18.2 developer beta for free doesn’t mean you should or should.
Early developer betas, like this one, are intended for developers to test their apps on future versions of iOS. It’s also a way for developers to identify and report bugs, which helps Apple improve software before it’s released to the general public. This is one main reason why you might not want to download the iOS 18.2 developer beta on your phone: bugs.
A software bug, or some other bug, can make your phone unstable. You may not be able to use some of your favorite apps, and even if you can, you may experience apps that suddenly crash. The performance of your entire phone may be affected; developer beta may cause your phone to lag or cause your battery to drain faster than usual or even overheat.
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I’ve been downloading developer betas on my personal iPhone for the past decade and haven’t faced any major issues. Mostly it’s just annoying when an app crashes or my battery dies quickly, but I’ve always managed.
If you have a spare iPhone, you should definitely use it for the iOS 18.2 developer beta because you won’t need it every day, so you won’t feel the full effects of any bugs or other issues. If you don’t have one, hopefully running iOS 18.2 developer beta on primary is fine.
In case you still want iOS 18 but don’t want to deal with the developer beta, there’s always the more stable public beta for iOS 18, which is now live. Unfortunately, there is no public beta of iOS 18.2 yet, only iOS 18.1, which does not have all the AI features.
What you need to know before downloading iOS 18.2 developer beta
Before you start downloading the iOS 18.2 developer beta, there are a few things you should know:
- You need a supported phone. iOS 18.2 will only work on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, as well as the iPhone 16 series. iOS 18 works on iPhone XS and later.
- Update your phone. It is best to update to the latest general release before updating to a developer beta. The latest version of iOS is currently 18.0.1.
- Also, back up your iPhone. For this, you can’t just make a regular backup. You will need to archive a backup on your computer, which is a backup that cannot be overwritten or deleted automatically. On your Mac, connect your iPhone, open a Finder window, select your iPhone, click Book Nowgo to Manage backupsright-click the backup you just created, and then click Archive. The process is similar on Windows, but you’ll use the iTunes app instead.
In case you ever want to roll back to iOS 18, here’s our step-by-step guide.
If your iPhone doesn’t back up automatically, you can do it manually through your settings.
Now, you are ready to sign up for the Apple Developer program.
How to sign up for the Apple Developer Program for free
There is now a free tier of the Apple Developer program, which allows you to download any developer beta without paying. Using the Apple ID that’s associated with the device you want to update to iOS 18.2, do the following:
1. Go to the Apple Developer website, press the three-dot menu in the upper left, then tap ACCOUNT in the pop-up menu.
2. Sign in with your Apple ID.
3. Finally, read the Apple Developer Agreement, check all the boxes and hit hit submit.
You won’t have full access to the development tools that membership in the paid Apple Developer program offers, but you will have access to the iOS 18.2 developer beta. If you are a developer, you should consider signing up for the paid version.
You can then scroll down to Software Downloads to see everything you can install, including the iOS 18.2 developer beta.
Install iOS 18.2 over-the-air developer beta on your iPhone
You can download the iOS 18.2 developer beta manually, but the easiest way to do it is with an over-the-air update — just like you would download and install your regular iOS update. After signing up for the Apple Developer program, you should see the option to download the iOS 18.2 developer beta in your settings.
To download the iOS 18.2 over-the-air developer beta, here’s what you need to do:
1. On your iPhone, go to SETTINGS > general > Software update.
2. Next, go to Beta Updates and tap on iOS 18 Developer Beta option.
3. Finally, go back and tap on Download and install under the new “iOS 18.2 Developer Beta” option that appears.
If you don’t see the iOS 18.2 beta option, you’ll have to wait a bit.
Enter your passcode, accept the terms and conditions, and then just wait for the update to install on your iPhone. Depending on your internet connection, the whole process should take about 10 or 15 minutes.
After your phone reboots, you should be running the iOS 18.2 developer beta.
You can also download the iOS 18.2 developer beta with your Mac
The problem with an over-the-air update is that it requires a certain amount of storage, so if your storage space is almost full, you won’t be able to use the option in the previous section. Fortunately, you can use your computer to update to the iOS 18.2 developer beta.
1. On your Mac, go to this Apple Developer Program download page, find “iOS 18.2 beta,” click Download Restore images and download the iOS beta software rollback image for your iPhone model.
2. Connect your phone to your computer and enter your device passcode or tap Trust this computer.
3. Open a Finder window, then click your device in the sidebar below locale.
4. Finally, hold down the Option key, click Check for Update and select the iOS 18.2 beta software rollback image you just downloaded from the Apple Developer website.
If you’re out of storage on your iPhone, this is the way to get iOS 18.
The iOS 18.2 developer beta software will begin to install on your iPhone. Wait a few minutes and when your phone reboots, you should have access to iOS 18.2.
How to sign up for Apple Intelligence features
After you download the iOS 18.2 developer beta, you should join the waiting list for Apple Intelligence if you haven’t already. Go to SETTINGS > Apple Intelligence & Siri and tap Join the Apple Intelligence waiting list > Join the waiting list. It took a few hours for Apple Intelligence to arrive on my phone, but some people have reported that the AI features will work a few minutes after the waitlist.
Once the feature is active, you can return here to disable it
Once Apple Intelligence is available to you, you’ll get a notification and can go through a quick tutorial of some of the features that are already available, including Writing Tools and Siri with AI. You can go to the Apple Intelligence & Siri page to turn off the setting if you no longer want to use it.
For more, see how you’ll soon be able to use your iPhone on your Mac.