10 Things to Do Before Installing the iOS 18 Beta

If you decide to install the iOS 18 beta on your iPhone, you’ll want to spend time preparing your device for the move.

The final version of iOS 18 will land in the fall alongside the iPhone 16 series, but you can try an early version of the operating system right now.

Apple’s put iOS 18 into beta testing. Developers, and those enrolled in the Beta Software Program, have access to the software.

Installing iOS 18 early might be tempting, but this is pre-release software and unfinished software always has its fair share of issues. These problems could have a noticeable impact on your day-to-day use.

This is why it’s important to prepare for the installation. It’s especially important if this will be your first time trying iOS beta software on your iPhone.

This pre-installation guide that will take you through all of the steps we normally take before we install iOS beta software on our iPhones.

While some of these steps might seem tedious, particularly for those who have installed iOS beta software in the past, they will help you avoid major headaches today and down the road.

Backup Your iPhone’s Data

Data loss issues are rare, but there’s always a chance something goes wrong during the installation process.

If you store sensitive data on your iPhone, you’ll want to make sure everything is backed up before you move your device to the iOS 18 beta.

You can backup your data via Apple’s iCloud service, on your Mac via Finder, or via iTunes if you’re running an older version of macOS or using a Windows computer.

If you store a ton of data on your iPhone this process could take awhile so you’ll want to remain patient.

Cleanup Your iPhone’s Storage

If you’re running out of space on your iPhone, you might need to do some cleanup in order to install the iOS 18 beta. The iOS 18 beta requires a sizable chunk of space on your iPhone’s internal storage.

If you’re near your device’s storage threshold, go through your device’s files and delete apps and other files you no longer need to make sure you have room for the download.

Read Apple’s Beta Rules & Conditions

If this is your first time trying iOS beta software, make sure you read through Apple’s rules before you download the beta.

If you decide to download the developer beta, head to Apple’s beta website for developers. The site goes over everything you need to know about the developer program.

In order to download the public iOS 18 beta, you’ll need to join the Beta Software Program. And like the developer beta, the public beta program has some rules you’ll need to follow.

Make sure you read Apple’s FAQ on the Beta Software Program.

Get Familiar with iOS 18

We always recommend getting familiar with new software before installing it. This way, you aren’t caught off guard by the changes Apple’s made.

The beta comes with a substantial list of changes and you’ll want to dig through them and decide if the beta is worth the trouble. For many of you, it won’t be.

Keep in mind, some of iOS 18’s features aren’t available on older iPhone models.

Remember, this isn’t the final version of iOS 18 and Apple will add, and possibly subtract, features in the weeks ahead.

Gather Your Login Info

Before you install the iOS 18 beta, make sure you track down all of your login information. This will make the process go a lot faster.

Once you get iOS 18 beta on board your iPhone, there’s a chance the process will have logged out of some of your apps and services.

If you use a ton of apps on your device, and you don’t use a service like 1Password or LastPass, tracking down this information can be extremely annoying.

Dig Into iOS 18 Beta Feedback

Some iPhone users might want to hold off on a download until we’ve received feedback from early adopters.

Older devices typically have the most trouble moving to new software. So if you own an iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max, you might want to hang back for a bit and see how the iOS 18 beta is performing.

If your iPhone is currently running an older version of iOS, and the software is performing well, you’ll really want to dig in.

Once you move to the iOS 18 beta you can’t move your phone back to anything older than iOS 17.6.1 or iOS 17.6. Apple’s closed off the downgrade path to older versions of iOS.

This is why we recommend digging into feedback from people using the beta on your iPhone model. This feedback will help you learn about the software’s benefits and problems.

You can find feedback about iOS 18 beta’s performance on the MacRumors forums, Apple’s forums, and social media sites like YouTube, Reddit and X.

Find Fixes for iOS 18 Beta Problems

The iOS 18 beta is plagued by a variety of problems and that’s why you should bookmark fixes for common problems before you download the software.

We’ve released a list of fixes for the most common iOS beta issues. We’ve put together an in-depth guide to fixing poor iOS performance and a guide that will help you fix bad battery life should you come across it during your time on the beta.

Learn How to Move Back to iOS 17

If you run into annoying problems with the beta, you can always downgrade back to iOS 17. Moving back to official software will likely improve your device’s performance.

Again, you can only downgrade back to iOS 17.6.1 or iOS 17.6. You can’t downgrade to older software because Apple’s closed off the downgrade path to iOS 17.5.1 and below.

If you haven’t already, we recommend getting familiar with the downgrade process before you download the firmware. If you don’t feel comfortable with it, you might want to stay put on iOS 17.

Get Familiar with the Installation Process

If you’re new to using iOS beta software you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the installation process before downloading the beta.

If the process feels intimidating, you might want to hold off on the installation until you feel more confident.

Learn How to Send Bug Reports

If this is your first time trying iOS beta software, learn how to send Apple feedback about the software’s performance. This feedback will help Apple improve the final version of iOS 18.

You’ll want to send feedback via Apple’s Feedback Assistant service. It’s fairly straightforward, but you’ll want to get comfortable with it.

For more on the Feedback app and submitting iOS 18 bugs and issues to Apple, check out Apple’s FAQ.