Apple is wrapping up iOS 26.5 beta testing with the release of the iOS 26.5 Release Candidate. This indicates that the public rollout could happen as soon as next week. iOS 26.5 brings some useful new features along with some notable changes.
Today, Apple also released a few other updates, including iPadOS 26.5 RC, watchOS 26.5 RC, tvOS 26.5 RC, macOS Tahoe 26.5 RC, macOS Sequoia 15.7.7 RC3, macOS Sonoma 14.8.7 RC3, and visionOS 26.5 RC.
The iOS 26.5 RC build comes with build number 23F75. On iPhone 13, the update size is around 8GB, but it may vary depending on the model and the currently installed update.
In terms of changes and new features, the iOS 26.5 RC includes end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging, new Pride Luminance wallpapers, and more. Here’s the official list of changes that come with the update:
- End-to-end encrypted RCS messaging (beta) in Messages is available with supported carriers and will roll out over time.
- Pride Luminance wallpaper that dynamically refracts a spectrum of colors, is available for download
- Suggested Places in Maps displays recommendations based on what’s trending nearby and your recent searches
If you’ve already tried the iOS 26.5 betas, the new wallpapers will be the only new features for you. The rest of the changes may be familiar.
The iOS 26.5 RC is available for registered developers and public beta testers. If you have an iOS 26.5 Beta installed or selected the beta updates option, you can update to the latest RC from Settings > General > Software Update.
If you haven’t opted for beta testing, you can wait for the public release of iOS 26.5 next week. The public release will likely include the same changes and possibly the same build number as the RC.
Explore More:
- watchOS 26.4 release candidate is out for testers!
- Apple pushes iOS 26.3.1(a) background security update to iPhones
- Apple releases new iOS updates for older iPhones
- Apple releases iOS 26.4 Beta 4, likely the final beta
- Apple rolls out iOS 26.3.1 with latest Studio Display support
- Download MacBook Neo Wallpapers [Official Backgrounds]
- Download iPhone 17e Wallpapers (High-Res Backgrounds)
