The whole process happens in Settings
Enrol your Apple Account once in a browser at beta.apple.com for the public beta, or developer.apple.com for the developer channel — both are free. Then, on the iPhone, open Settings → General → Software Update → Beta Updates and pick the channel you enrolled.
The beta then appears on the Software Update screen exactly like an ordinary update. Tap Download and Install. That is the entire process; there is nothing to download to a computer and nothing to sideload.
What you need before you start
A Wi-Fi connection, roughly 15 GB of free space and a charger. The free-space requirement is the one that catches people out, because it is substantially more than the download size — the installer needs room to unpack the new system alongside the current one.
You also need a backup, and this is the part that has nothing to do with computers being optional. An iCloud backup made on the beta cannot be restored onto the older release, so the only route back with your data is an archived encrypted backup made on a computer beforehand — which is the one step where a computer genuinely helps.
Why there is no profile to download
Until 2023, beta enrolment meant downloading a .mobileconfig configuration profile and installing it on the device. Apple removed that mechanism in iOS 16.4 and replaced it with Apple Account enrolment, which is why any guide telling you to download a beta profile file is describing a version of iOS that no longer exists.
The change also closed off the fake-profile industry that grew up around it. There is no file to obtain from anywhere, so there is nothing for a third-party site to offer you. Our version-by-version history covers which releases used which system.
When a computer is still worth using
If your iPhone is short on storage, updating through Finder on a Mac or Apple Devices on Windows does the unpacking on the computer, which dramatically reduces the free space the phone needs. It is the most reliable route on a 64 GB device.
A computer is also required for the way back. Restoring to the previous iOS version means putting the phone into recovery mode and restoring a signed IPSW through Finder — see our IPSW guide. There is no on-device downgrade.
Switching channels or stopping
The same Beta Updates screen lets you move between the developer and public channels, or turn betas off entirely. Turning them off does not remove the beta you are running — it simply stops new ones arriving, and the finished public release will eventually overtake your build.
Our channel-switching guide covers the details, and the exit guide covers leaving properly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I install an iOS beta without a Mac or PC?
Yes. Since 2023 the entire process runs on the device: enrol your Apple Account in a browser, then choose the channel in Settings → General → Software Update → Beta Updates.
Do I need to download a beta profile file?
No. Apple removed configuration profiles from the beta process in 2023. Any site offering a beta profile download is offering something that cannot work.
How much free space does the iOS beta need?
Around 15 GB, which is roughly twice the download size, because the installer unpacks the new system alongside the current one.
Do I need a computer to downgrade later?
Yes. Restoring to the previous iOS version requires recovery mode and a signed IPSW through Finder or Apple Devices. There is no on-device downgrade.