Testing with developer and public beta versions went smoothly for even the oldest supported models. But there are safety measures if upgrading to the beta or release version goes awry. Apple says the upcoming iOS 26,

To try out iOS 26's public beta yourself, signing up and installing it is simple -- just follow these steps: 1. Go to https://beta.apple.com/ and sign up for the beta with your Apple ID. 2. Then on your iPhone, go to Settings. 3. Select General in the list of options. 5. Under Beta Updates, choose iOS 26 Public Beta.

Apple's latest version of its mobile operating system for iPhones will officially release later this year, but adventurous early adopters can try it out right now -- the public beta of iOS 26 was released on Thursday,