9 Things to Do Before the Public iOS 11 Beta

Unless we experience a delay, we may see a public iOS 11 beta roll out for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch next week. With a release on the horizon, we want to help first-timers prepare for the public iOS 11 beta release date.

In early June, Apple released an iOS 11 beta for developers. The pre-release version of iOS 11 is exciting, but also extremely annoying.

Apple has promised a public beta of iOS 11 before the end of June, and we expect the public beta to be a little more stable than the current version.

The company hasn’t confirmed a specific release date, but June 26 and June 27 are two dates that will be circled on the calendar. Apple usually releases new iOS software on Monday mornings, but we can see it match the 22-day gap the company put between iOS 10 beta releases last year.

Thanks to Apple Beta Software Program, anyone can try the iOS software early for free. Given what’s in the iOS 11 beta, we expect the public iOS 11 beta to attract a lot of first-time beta testers.

If you plan to try iOS 11 early, you should start preparing now. This is especially important if the iOS 11 beta will be your first trip to the world of early iOS software.

read the rules

Before the public iOS 11 beta arrives, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with Apple’s rules and regulations.

If you don’t want to pay for a developer account, you’ll want to look into the free Beta Software Program. And sometime this week, you’re going to want to read Apple’s official FAQ for the Beta Software Program and make sure you understand what you’re getting yourself into.

If you choose to sign up for the developer version of iOS 11 beta, Take a look at Apple’s beta website for developers.

How to Sign Up for iOS 11 Beta

If you are determined to try the iOS 11 update before the release date, you should skip the registration process.

If you want to go the developer route, you can pay your $99 entry fee right away and get started.

If you don’t want to pay for access to iOS 11, you can use a valid Apple ID and sign up at: Apple’s Beta Software Program at the moment.

Skipping the registration process will ensure you’re ready to go once Apple releases the iOS 11 beta to the general public for testing.

If you don’t know where to start, take a look at our guide.

Learn How To Download iOS 11 Beta

If this is your first rodeo, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the setup process before the public iOS 11 beta arrives for your device.

We’ve prepared a step-by-step guide to guide you through the iOS beta download and installation process. If you are uncomfortable with this process, it may be a good idea to delay.

Prepare for iOS 11 Beta Issues

Testing iOS software months before release may sound like a dream, but it can quickly turn into a nightmare.

The primary purpose of the iOS 11 beta will be to stress-test unfinished software for bugs before its general release date. And if you can’t deal with major issues (battery dead, apps not working, etc.), you’ll want to avoid the iOS 11 beta.

Early versions of iOS 11 beta are extremely buggy. Testers run into all sorts of problems. Problems will arise as we wait for beta 2 and the public beta to be a bit more stable.

Check out our list of fixes for common iOS 11 beta issues to get ready. Here we outline possible fixes for battery drain, app issues, setup issues, AirPod issues, and more.

We’ve also prepared a guide to iOS 11 beta issues that will help you fix issues and provide you with some helpful resources if you decide to continue with the beta.

Get Familiar with Downgrade Process

If you get tired of testing iOS 11 beta, you can always upgrade to the latest version of iOS 10.

If you’re not familiar with the downgrade process, this might be a great time to familiarize yourself with the steps you need to take to exit pre-release software.

Our downgrade guide will walk you through the most important things to know before the iOS 11 beta release.

If you don’t feel comfortable with these steps, you may want to avoid the iOS 11 beta.

Find Another Device If Needed

If you only have one iOS device and really want to test iOS 11, we recommend finding another “test device” before Apple releases the public beta.

In the FAQ for the Public Beta Software Program, Apple makes two suggestions:

1. Only install on non-production devices that are not business critical.
2. We strongly recommend that you install it on a secondary system or device on your Mac, or on a secondary partition.

Installing early software like iOS 11 beta on your primary device has the potential to drive you crazy and can also affect your work or school assignments.

If you really want to test iOS 11, you’re going to want to dig into, borrow or buy an old iOS device. That way, if you run into a performance issue or an issue with one of your apps or services, your productivity won’t be affected.

Start Backing Up Your Data

If you don’t regularly back up data stored on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, now would be a good time to start.

Installing a piece of beta software on your device can be unpredictable, so you’ll want to make sure all your important data is safe before you move on.

If you don’t know where to start, let us take you to the backup process via iTunes. If you don’t want to back up via iTunes, you can also back up via Apple’s iCloud service.

Backing up your device’s data is extremely important, and you’ll want to do this regularly throughout the year.

Clean Your Device

We expect the public iOS 11 beta to be a pretty big update. It could be much larger if Apple includes new features and fixes in its second beta, but it will likely be 1GB.

If you’re running out of space on your device’s hard drive and you’re planning to test iOS 11, now is a good time to do some spring cleaning.

Go to Settings > General > Storage & iCloud Usage and start deleting apps and other files you no longer need or use. If you need additional help, check out our guide to freeing up space on an iPhone or iPad.

Freeing up a few GB of space will ensure that your device is ready for the iOS 11 beta download.

Know Your Limitations

You should also learn about the limitations that usually come with early iOS software. There are a few items to keep in mind as we move towards the release.

If you need to downgrade from the iOS 11 beta, you cannot downgrade to older versions of iOS. Apple does not log out in older iOS 10 updates, iOS 9 or iOS 8. After downloading the beta, you’re stuck with newer versions of iOS 10.

There probably won’t be a public iOS 11 beta jailbreak on the first day. If you download the iOS 11 beta and there is no jailbreak available, you will lose your jailbreak.

If you want to test the watchOS 4 beta for Apple Watch, you need to download the iOS 11 beta on a device. Remember, you can’t downgrade the Apple Watch from the watchOS 4 beta, so you’ll want to be absolutely sure before you dive in.