iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 Release Candidate (RC) updates are now available to download for iPhone and iPad devices.
iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 RC Now Available for Download and Install on All Compatible iPhone and iPad Devices
In case you’re wondering, the Release Candidate build is the potential final version of the software that is released to developers before being seeded to everyone. In this case, that software is iOS 26 and iPadOS 26.
For now, this update is available to download for developers and public beta testers, like I said. This also means anyone can go right ahead and install it.
The new RC update has the following build number: 23A340
If you’re thinking of giving it a go on your iPhone and iPad as well, I’ll walk you through the entire process one step at a time.
Make Sure You Have a Compatible iPhone or iPad
You must have an iPhone or iPad that works with iOS 26 or iPadOS 26. You will find the entire list posted here.
Backup Everything
Once you’ve established that your device is in the list, make sure you backup everything using Finder or iCloud. You’ll find more details on it here.
Sign up for the Public Beta
Public beta, not the developer beta, because it’s easier to sign up to and all you need is your existing Apple Account for it. And of course, I’ve covered in detail how you can sign up for the public beta and install the iOS 26 or iPadOS 26 public beta here.
Once you’ve signed up to the public beta, you can just download the Release Candidate build like any other update from Apple by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
Once the update has been verified by Apple, it will be installed onto your iPhone or iPad. It may take a while since you’re making a huge leap forward in terms of software.
When you install a software update as big as this one, you will notice poor battery life and performance issues in the first couple of days. That’s completely normal, since your iPhone and iPad are indexing the necessary files.
Once that is done and the dust has settled down, your device should feel zippy.
