Apple releases the final public beta of iOS 18.1 with Apple Intelligence. How to download it

Apple has released iOS 18.1 RC to beta testers and developers ahead of the general public release of iOS 18.1 next week. The release will bring Apple Intelligence capabilities to the masses, not just early adopters. However, you can download it beforehand.

This iOS 18.1 public beta brings many AI features, including a revamped and smarter Siri, writing tools to help you proofread and edit your writing, prioritized email notifications, text message summaries, smart replies, and more.

Read more: What is Apple Intelligence? Everything you should know about iPhone 16’s AI features

It’s pretty easy to download and install iOS 18.1. All you have to do is sign up for Apple’s Beta Software Program website and you can become a beta tester from the comfort of your couch.

You probably know that the iOS 18.1 beta has been available to developers since July. Not everyone wants to run the developer beta as it is intended for developers and is usually less stable than a public beta. Ultimately, both beta versions are not as stable as the general public version of iOS 18.1.

iOS 18, available to everyone, brings several new key features and revisions to iPhone, including a completely redesigned photo album, satellite text messaging, a dedicated app for passwords, better customization of your home screen, a revamped Control Center, and much more support for RCS messages. iOS 18.1, a minor point update, brings Apple Intelligence, a revamped Siri, Genmoji and more.

Here’s everything you need to know about downloading the iOS 18.1 public beta on your iPhone.

Checkout: How to download the iOS 18.1 Developer Beta on your iPhone

First, does your iPhone even support iOS 18.1?

You can download iOS 18.1 on any iPhone that supports iOS 18 (full list below), but unfortunately Apple Intelligence is exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the entire iPhone 16 series. However, you can still get your hands on other non-AI features.

Here is the complete list of iPhones that support iOS 18.1

Next, a warning…

A public beta is typically more stable than a developer beta, but it is still a beta, which means you may encounter bugs and other critical issues that could negatively impact your phone. If you have a spare iPhone in your drawer somewhere, you can use it to run any iOS 18.1 beta, whether it’s the developer version or the public version.

In my personal experience, it’s usually fine to run a public beta on your main phone. You might run into a bug here and there, maybe a feature in a third-party app doesn’t work exactly as intended because it’s not yet optimized for any iOS beta software. It’s never crippling, just maybe a little annoying, and if you don’t mind that, running the iOS 18.1 public beta on the iPhone you use every day shouldn’t be a big deal.

Additionally, before you consider updating to iOS 18.1, first update to the latest iOS 18 version (currently 18.0) and then back up your device. Go to Settings > Your name > iCloud > iCloud backup and hit Back up Now. You should check out our story on archiving a backup on your computer if you want to go back to iOS 18.

Here’s how to download the iOS 18.1 public beta on your iPhone

After securing your phone, you can download the iOS 18.1 public beta. Here’s what you need to do:

1. On your iPhone, go to the Apple Beta Software Program website and sign in (if you’re already a member) or sign up for the program. Of course you need an Apple ID. If this is your first time logging in, follow the instructions.

2. Next, tap the iOS tab and you should see more information about the iOS 18.1 public beta.

3. Under “Getting Started,” click the blue one Register your iOS device Link.

4. Now go to it Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates and select the iOS 18.1 public beta to install.

5. Finally, go to Settings > General > Software Update and install the iOS 18.1 public beta.

Once your phone restarts, you should be running the iOS 18.1 public beta.