IOS 26.1 Beta 2 Update Rolls Out For iPhone Users: What’s New, Eligible Models And More

iOS 26.1 beta 2 for developers has rolled out this week, giving more refinements and improvements for iPhone users that will be available with the public beta version soon. Apple also seems to have reverted some of the earlier changes to its default state which could be linked to the feedback from the developers and the beta testers.

The Liquid Glass design continues to split opinions and it does give you a feeling that Apple is not sure how transparent the interface needs to be so that it aligns with the buttons and the icons.

iOS 26.1 Beta 2 Update: What iPhone Users Get

There are some design tweaks and functional changes that you will notice. One of them is the new way to stop the alarm and timers by sliding across the screen, something you have done for calls earlier. This is not exactly a useful change, in fact makes the sliding to turn off alarm even more annoying. So we’re hoping the iOS 26.2 public beta version doesn’t get it or even the full release.

Besides this, iOS 26.1 beta 2 is making it easy to control the external mic that you can now directly access from the Control Centre. You can also make sure the recorded audio files are stored locally in the right folder with the connected mics.

There are some UI changes spotted by MacRumors, which claims app folder titles as well as settings headers have now shifted slightly to the left and the interface is also getting minor changes for refinements.

The new beta version does not address some of the issues faced by iPhone 17 users which has been fixed using the new iOS 26.0.1 update for these users. There are no security bug fixes packed inside the update which suggests Apple could be still working on them behind the scenes.

iOS 26.1 Developer Beta 2: iPhones Supported And How To Install

iOS 26 version is compatible with iPhone 11 and later models, as well as the iPhone SE 2nd gen and later models. You get the iOS 26 update out of the box with the new iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air while the Apple AI support is available if you have the iPhone 15 Pro or later models.

• Open Settings on your iPhoneGo to General – Software update
• Check for the new iOS 26.1 beta 2 update
• Install it using the passcode and reboot the iPhone
• iOS 26.1 beta 2 update will be running on the device

We expect the iOS 26.1 public version to be available in the next few weeks via an over-the-air update from the company.