Apple’s finally put iOS 17.6 into beta testing. And while some iPhone users might want to install the software, most iPhone users should avoid it.
The company hasn’t confirmed a release date for the upgrade, but iPhone owners should expect the software to touch down next month. Apple has a history of pushing iOS x.6 updates in July.
If you’re experiencing issues on iOS 17.5.1, or you’re just interested in trying new iOS software before it’s released to the public, downloading the beta might be tempting.
If you’re thinking about a move to the iOS 17.6 beta, allow us to take you through the best reasons to try it and the best reasons to skip it and stay put on iOS 17.5.1 or whatever version of iOS your iPhone is currently running.
Help Apple Improve iOS 17.6
If you’re tired of dealing with software issues on your iPhone and/or you’re tired of hearing friends and family complain about problems impacting their iPhones, you might want to give the beta a try.
If you download the beta you can report issues and help Apple weed out bugs and performance problems. This will help the company improve the final product.
Install If You Work in IT
This almost goes without saying, but if you work in the IT industry, you should probably install the iOS 17.6 beta in order to test crucial apps and/or services.
If you’re an IT professional who supports end users at your company, you should install the beta and use it throughout the beta process.
Testing the iOS 17.6 beta will help you prepare for support calls and trouble tickets from co-workers and clients who upgrade their iPhones to the software.
Don’t Install on a Primary Device
If you only have one iPhone in your possession, you should probably stay put on stable iOS 17 software.
The beta is unfinished software and you may run into bugs, performance issues, and app compatibility problems while using it.
The apps you use the most might crash or freeze which obviously isn’t ideal if you like to play games, watch shows, or get work done on your iPhone.
In its iOS Beta FAQ Apple “strongly” recommends installing iOS beta software on secondary devices.
If you’ve got a secondary iPhone laying around, use that instead. If you don’t, skip the beta.
Don’t Install If You Can’t Stand Bugs
Again, you may run into bugs and performance issues while using the beta. And while Apple will improve the software in future beta releases, these updates might have problems of their own.
You might be able to fix some of the beta’s issues on your own, but others may require a fix from Apple in a future release.
If you run into trouble on the beta, you can downgrade back to stable software, but only to iOS 17.5.1. The downgrade path to other versions of iOS is closed.
So if you’re having a good experience on iOS 17.5 or an older version of iOS 17, keep that in mind. Once you move up to iOS 17.6 beta, you won’t be able to go back.
