Apple releases second developer beta for iOS 17 and iPadOS 17

New betas for iOS and iPadOS

Apple has moved on to the second round of developer betas for its fall release of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17.

Developers who are part of the beta program can obtain the most recent builds by either accessing the Apple Developer Center or updating their devices that are already running the beta versions. Members of the public can also access the developer beta using a free tier of the program, however it is generally advised to wait for proper public versions to be offered via the Apple Beta Software Program.

The first developer beta for iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 landed on June 5, following the WWDC keynote.

The second betas bear the build number 21A5268h, replacing the first build, number 21A5248v.

Among the changes in iO 17 are Contact Posters, updates to AirDrop, a catch-up arrow and extra features in Messages, a journaling app, Stand By, and more. For iPadOS 17, the changes include a customizable lock screen, the Health app, Live Activities, and many features carried over from iOS.

AppleInsider and Apple strongly suggest users don't install beta operating systems or other beta software on "mission-critical" or primary devices, as there is the small chance of issues that could result in the loss of data. Testers should instead use secondary or non-essential hardware and ensure they have sufficient backups of their critical data at all times.

Find any changes in the new betas? Reach out to us on Twitter at @AppleInsider or @Andrew_OSU, or send Andrew an email at [email protected].