Apple has made its OS developer beta builds free to download. You can now enroll in the Apple Developer Program for free.
This will allow you to download the latest iOS, iPadOS, or macOS beta for free. Previously, Apple made the download available for developers who paid the yearly $99 subscription fees.
Download developer OS builds from Apple for free
Apple updated its Developer Program page following the release of the iOS 17, iPadOS 17 and macOS Sonoma developer betas to reflect this change. It now allows users who sign in with their Apple ID to download beta OS builds for free.
Apple has officially made the developer betas available for free.
You only need to sign in with any Apple ID here https://t.co/YEQr1kg3Do
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— iSoftware Updates (@iSWUpdates) June 6, 2023
This tweak comes as Apple has changed how its developer and public beta program works. Instead of installing a profile, you must sign in with your registered Apple developer account on your device to download the latest beta. Apple made this shift with the release of iOS 16.4 earlier this year.
This change also explains why many non-paying iPhone users saw the iOS 17 update available for download on their phones. It was initially believed to be an error on Apple’s part, but that’s not the case.
Pay for an Apple Developer Account to distribute apps
You’ll still need to pay $99 to Apple for a year to distribute apps on the App Store. This will also give you full access to the advanced development tools.
Apple’s remodeling of its beta program will make it easier to install developer betas on your device. If you want to install iPadOS 17 on your iPad, you won’t have to spend any money to do so. However, we recommend not installing the latest developer betas from Apple on your primary devices as they are unstable. Ideally, wait until the public beta program launches next month, as that build will be much more stable.
