The public beta of iOS 14, iPadOS 14, and tvOS 14 is now available, and macOS Big Sur and watchOS 7 may be released anytime now. But how do you actually prepare your Apple devices for this test update? We help you step by step.
macOS Big Sur and iOS 14 beta preparation: this is how you install them safely
All major software updates from Apple (from macOS Big Sur to watchOS 7) will not be released until the fall, but you can already get started with most of them. Apple has now released the public beta of iOS 14, iPadOS 14 and tvOS 14, allowing supporting devices to use all the new features. All you have to do is prepare yourself, with which we give you a hand in this article.
1. Check if your device supports beta
Don’t make yourself happy with a dead sparrow by looking forward to a beta you can’t install. Older devices are left out every year, so always check in advance whether your iPhone, iPad or Mac supports the update. This year, these are the following Apple devices.
- iOS 14: iPhone 6S (Plus), iPhone 7 (Plus), iPhone SE, iPhone 8 (Plus), iPhone X, iPhone XS (Max), iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro (Max), iPhone SE (2020)
- iPadOS 14: iPad Pro (all versions), iPad 2017, 2018, 2019, iPad mini 5, iPad mini 4, iPad Air 2019, iPad Air 2
- macOS Big Sur: MacBook (2015 and newer), MacBook Air (2013 and newer), MacBook Pro (2013 and newer), Mac mini (2014 and newer), iMac (2014 and newer), iMac Pro, Mac Pro (2013 and newer)
- watchOS 7: Apple Watch Series 3, Apple Watch Series 4, Apple Watch Series 5
2. Be aware of the risks associated with beta
Every year we warn against it: although a beta is a nice foretaste of a major update, it remains an unstable test version. Every year stories emerge about bugs, crashes and apps that do not work or work less well.
So keep that in mind if you decide to install the beta on a device that you need every day, for example for work or study. If you decide to run the beta despite this, we recommend that you always wait a day or two to see if any major errors are discovered.
3. Sign up for a beta account in advance
To install the beta, you will need your Apple ID and the special Apple beta website. By registering for this, you can immediately log in on the device where you put the beta and start installing. You do this as follows:
- Go to the beta website of Apple;
- Log in with your Apple ID and password;
- Click on ‘iOS’;
- Choose the device you want to install the beta on.
4. Make a backup of your device
If you don’t feel like waiting for a backup on the night of the beta, you can do so now. Backing up your device is absolutely necessary – it’s the only way to downgrade from the beta to the mainstream software, and you have something to fall back on if the beta accidentally deletes your data.
How you make a backup depends on the device you are installing the trial version on. In the tips below, we explain step by step how this works.
- This is how you make a backup of your iPhone or iPad
- This is how you back up your Mac
- This is how you back up your Apple Watch
When is the final release of iOS 14, macOS Big Sur, and more?
Although we don’t know an exact date yet, all major updates from Apple always come out in the fall. Typically, iOS 14 will arrive in September, along with the new 2020 iPhones, followed by iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS in the months that follow. We have now extensively tested iOS 14. You can read our findings in the iOS 14 preview. The video below covers the major new features of iOS 14.