Two weeks after the initial beta phase, Apple has released the second beta versions of macOS 26.1, iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, tvOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1. The primary focus of this update is fine-tuning, with more substantial changes and feature enhancements scheduled to arrive in the following year, including a major overhaul of Siri. Apple is also working on several new features, such as improved smartwatch pairing and MCP integration, which will allow any app to be controlled via AI-powered chat interfaces.

macOS 26.1, iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, tvOS 26.1, and visionOS 26 Beta 2 released

Two weeks after the initial beta phase of Apple's latest operating systems, the second beta releases are now available for macOS 26.1, iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, tvOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1. As part of their ongoing testing process, Apple is seeking feedback from users to further refine these updates.

The general public can expect the latest versions to be available by the second half of November at the earliest. This turns out to be important for many users, who may finally have the opportunity to upgrade to the major release. The primary focus of this update appears to be fine-tuning, with more substantial changes and feature enhancements scheduled to arrive in the following year.

The first beta versions revealed several intriguing discoveries, including bug fixes related to Liquid Glass and improved display consistency across various apps. Notably, Apple is also working on "Background Security Improvements," which aim to build upon the previously introduced "Rapid Security Updates" mechanism.

Furthermore, it appears that Apple is preparing to enhance the pairing of third-party smartwatches, a feature that has been restricted in the past due to security concerns. Additionally, the company is laying the groundwork for integrating MCP (Multi-Command Protocol) capabilities into its operating systems. This feature will enable any app to be controlled via AI-powered chat interfaces.

The current beta versions are listed below:

Currently, the developer area offers macOS 26.1 Beta 2, iOS 26.1 Beta 2, iPadOS 26.1 Beta 2, watchOS 26.1 Beta 2, tvOS 26.1 Beta 2, and visionOS 26.1 Beta 2. A public beta is expected to follow at some point. The release details for these beta versions include:

macOS 26.2 Beta 2 features a system build number of 25B5057f and was released on October 6, 2025. iOS 26.1 Beta 2 has the same system build number of 23B5059e as iPadOS 26.1 Beta 2, which was also released on October 6, 2025. watchOS 26.1 Beta 2 boasts a unique system build number of 23S5017d, while tvOS 26.1 Beta 2 has the system build number 23J5558e and visionOS 26.1 Beta 2 features 23N5028e.

Please note that these release dates and system build numbers may change as Apple continues to refine its operating systems.