iOS 17.6 Beta: When Will Apple Release It?

We’ve been asked about an iOS 17.6 update and when Apple might release the software for the iPhone. We can’t say for sure, only Apple knows its exact plans, but we can help set iPhone owners expectations as iOS 17 problems continue to pile up.

iOS 17 development has started to slow down and we expect it to slow down even more in the weeks ahead as Apple turns its attention toward iOS 18. iOS 18 will debut at WWDC 2024 later on this month.

However, with iOS 18 coming in the fall, we do expect Apple to roll out new versions of iOS 17 and the list of upcoming upgrades should include a new iOS 17.6 update.

Apple has a track record of pushing iOS x.6 updates and we expect the trend to continue in 2024.

iOS 17.6 almost certainly won’t be a substantial upgrade for iPhone, but it should still be an exciting release, particularly for those dealing with iOS issues.

With that out of the way, let’s get to what you came for. When will Apple release the iOS 17.6 beta and more importantly, when will it release an iOS 17.6 update? Here’s what we can tell you.

Last year, Apple pushed the first iOS 16.6 beta to developers on May 19th. The year before that, it seeded iOS 15.6 to developers on May 18th.

And while the version number was different, Apple released the first iOS 14.7 beta for developers on May 20th.

There’s an obvious pattern there and it’s one the company’s deviated from this year for unclear reasons. We’re behind schedule, but our best guess is we’ll see a beta go live in June.

As for the official iOS 17.6 release date, you’ll have to wait much longer for that. Assuming Apple releases a beta, we anticipate an arrival in July after a fairly lengthy stint in beta testing.

Here are the release dates for the last two iOS x.6 updates and iOS 14.7:

• iOS 16.6: July 24th
• iOS 15.6: July 20th
• iOS 14.7: July 19th

Again, Apple could deviate from this pattern, but as of right now, we expect iOS 17.6 to touch down this summer and we may see the release date land in and around one of the above dates.