Here’s How Long the iOS 18 Beta Takes to Install

Apple’s iOS 18 beta requires a large download and it could take quite a bit of time to install it on your iPhone.

The iOS 18 beta is available right now for iPhone users enrolled in the company’s developer program. Apple will also release a public iOS 18 beta this summer.

iOS 18 is packed with changes which makes the beta tempting. If you do decide to install the iOS 18 beta on your iPhone, be prepared to spend time downloading, installing, and testing the software for issues.

If you haven’t signed up for the developer program or the Beta Software Program yet, you’ll need to spend some time doing that as well.

We can’t tell you exactly how long the iOS 18 beta installation process will take because mileage will vary from person-to-person and device-to-device.

The timing also depends on your familiarity with the beta process and your iPhone’s current version of iOS.

That being said, we can help you approximate how much time you’ll need to spend downloading and installing the iOS 18 beta on your iPhone.

If you’ve prepared, you might be able to complete the installation in 30 minutes or less. If you’re starting from scratch, it could take an hour or more.

Pre-Installation

Before you install the iOS 18 beta, you’ll want to spend some time preparing yourself, and your device, for the installation.

If you’ve installed iOS beta software before, this probably won’t take a ton of time. If this will be your first time using iOS beta software on your iPhone, slow down and take your time.

We’ve put together a pre-installation guide that will take you through the steps we take before we install iOS beta software on our iPhones.

You’ll want to backup all of your data before you move your phone to the beta. Data loss issues are rare, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

You’ll also want to dig into feedback from iOS 18 beta testers, find fixes for potential problems, and get familiar with the downgrade process.

Some of you will get this done in 30 minutes or so. Others will need an hour or more. Bottom line, don’t start the installation until you feel ready.

iOS 18 Beta Download

If you’re moving your iPhone from the latest version of iOS 17 to the iOS 18 beta, your download will be almost 7 GB’s.

If your iPhone is running the latest version of iOS 17 and your device is connected to a high-speed Wi-Fi network, your download should finish up in just a few minutes.

You can find the iOS 18 beta download waiting for you in the “Software Update” section of your Settings app.

iOS 18 Beta Installation

You should be able to get iOS 18 beta up and running on your device in about 10-15 minutes.

After the download finishes up, you’ll want to tap install and the software will automatically start installing on your iPhone, provided you’ve cleared out enough space for the files.

Your iPhone might reboot once or twice during the installation process. This is perfectly normal and shouldn’t have any impact on your installation or the beta’s performance.

Post-Installation

After you get the beta up and running on your iPhone, you might need to spend some time logging back into your apps and services.

You’ll also want to check on all of your important files and make sure everything is where it’s supposed to be. We also recommend using your core applications to ensure they’re working properly.

Apps, particularly third-party applications, sometimes run poorly on iOS beta software so you’ll want to ensure that your most important services are stable. If they aren’t, you might need to downgrade back to iOS 17.

You’ll also want keep an eye on your device’s performance. Battery life and connectivity (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc) sometimes act up on beta software.