How to get iOS 9 public beta on your iPhone right now

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iOS 9 public beta is just a few taps away
iOS 9 public beta is just a few taps away
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

If you’ve been itching to get your hands on Apple’s latest public beta for iOS 9, you’re in luck. With new proactive features for Siri, public transit directions in Maps, and a supercharged notes app, not to mention new multitasking and keyboard features for newer iPads, iOS 9 is looking pretty great.

Plus, now that we’re getting closer to the actual Fall release, the iOS 9 beta (release 5) is probably more stable than it was when it first released to the public in July. Of course, all beta software can mess up your iPhone, so don’t apply it unless you’re willing to put up with possible glitches and maybe even a bricked iPhone.

If you’re good with that, though, here’s how to get the iOS 9 beta onto your iPhone (or iPad) right now.

First up, back up your iPhone with iTunes as per this Apple knowledge base article. It’s a good thing to have a local backup on your Mac, even if you use iCloud most of the time. It may take a little bit of time depending on how much stuff you have on your iPhone, but don’t skip this step. Grab a coffee, chill.

Once you’ve safely backed up your iPhone, head over to beta.apple.com/profile using your iPhone (or iPad) and login with your Apple ID. You’ll then be able to Download Profile by hitting the blue button under step two. If you’ve previously installed beta software on a device that’s connected to your Apple ID account, you’ll be asked to choose one of them to install iOS 9 beta on it.

Next, you’ll be taken to an Install Profile screen. It should say iOS 9 beta Software Profile, from Apple, Inc. Make sure there’s a green Verified checkmark there, as well. If so, tap the Install button in the top right of the screen, enter your passcode for your iPhone, and then tap Install, then Install again to confirm. You’ll also have to confirm that a Restart is Required by tapping on the Restart button in the dialog that shows up.

Your iPhone will go dark, and a spinning gear icon will show up, followed by the Apple logo. Once it’s restarted, head into your Settings app with a tap, then tap General, then Software Update. You should see iOS 9 Public Beta 3. Tap Install Now and enter your passcode yet again. Tap Agree to accept the Terms and Conditions, then Agree one more time. Apple really wants to make sure you’re on board.

If you get an “unable to install iOS 9 public beta” error at first like I did, go ahead and hit the Home button, then try going to Software Update in your Settings app again. It worked for me the second time.

Let your iPhone do its thing, restarting and installing, and you’ll be running iOS 9 public beta soon after you enter in your iPhone’s passcode, your Apple ID password (again) for iCloud, and decide to share your App Analytics with app developers or not (I chose to share).

Here’s hoping you enjoy the new iOS 9 beta.

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