What's New in iPadOS 27.2 RC

What's New in iPadOS 27.2 RC

This release includes updates primarily for developers, with changes related to app tracking and testing features. Users will notice changes once developers implement the new features in their apps.

1. New tracking prompt for EU users

   Users in France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Romania will see a different prompt for app tracking permissions, which can be shown again each year.

   AppTrackingTransparency () now supports an alternative expanded prompt and re-prompting on a yearly basis for EU users. The alternative prompt is required for users in France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Romania.

   Apple's own words, from the App Tracking Transparency section of the notes

2. Layout margins updated for views

   The default layout margins for views in apps are now set to zero, which may affect how content is displayed in future app updates.

   On iOS 27.1 and later, the default layout margins for a UIView are zero. A view controller continues to provide its view with systemMinimumLayoutMargins, which vary depending on the presentation context. To inherit these margins in a subview of the view controller’s view, set its preservesSuperviewLayoutMargins property to true.

   Apple's own words, from the UIKit section of the notes

3. Renamed tracking authorization APIs

   Some technical changes have been made to the way apps request tracking permissions, which will be reflected in future app updates.

   Fixed: The new requestTrackingAuthorization(usingExpandedInterface:additionalInformationAction:completionHandler:) API is renamed to requestTrackingAuthorization(preferExpandedInterface:...).

   Apple's own words, from the App Tracking Transparency section of the notes

4. More changes to tracking APIs

   Another technical adjustment has been made to the tracking authorization request method, which developers will need to adopt in their apps.

   Fixed: The new requestTrackingAuthorizationPreferExpandedInterface:… API is renamed to requestTrackingAuthorizationPreferringExpandedInterface:…

   Apple's own words, from the App Tracking Transparency section of the notes

5. StoreKit testing fixes

   Several issues related to testing in the StoreKit environment have been resolved, which may improve the experience for developers testing their apps.

   Fixed: Intro offer eligibility does not reset immediately after calling SKTestSession.clearTransactions().

   Apple's own words, from the StoreKit Testing in Xcode section of the notes

Summarised by us from iOS & iPadOS 27.2 RC Release Notes on October 19, 2026. Each point cites the area of Apple's notes it came from, and nothing is included that Apple did not publish.

That is our plain-English reading of Apple's release notes for this build, which cover 8 areas of the system — 2 new features, 5 resolved issues, 7 known issues. Every point above traces back to an item Apple published; we translate the notes, we do not add to them. Apple's own wording, in full and unedited, follows below.

Those notes are written for developers, so they describe frameworks, APIs and fixed bugs rather than consumer features. That makes them the most precise record of what actually changed in this build — and the reason a fix you noticed may be listed under the framework responsible rather than under the app you saw it in.

Source: iOS & iPadOS 27.2 RC Release Notes, Apple Developer Documentation. Captured when this build was current — Apple replaces that page with each new beta.

What iPadOS 27.2 RC Is

iPadOS 27.2 RC is build 24B115, released on October 19, 2026. A release candidate is the build Apple intends to ship. Unless something serious surfaces in the days that follow, this is the software that becomes the public release — see our explainer on what that means.

It arrived 6 days after Beta 4 (24B5110a, October 13, 2026), against an average gap of about 9 days across this cycle. The build number has lost its beta suffix, which is the surest sign Apple considers the software finished.

RC Build Numbers Across Every Platform

Apple ships each beta wave across its platforms on the same day, usually with different build numbers per operating system. Here is every build we recorded in this wave, taken from Apple's own release feed rather than reposted from elsewhere.

Matching build numbers between two platforms — as iOS and iPadOS almost always have — mean they are built from the same source, which is why their betas behave identically.

How to Install iPadOS 27.2 RC

There is no profile to download. Enrol your Apple Account free at beta.apple.com for the public beta or developer.apple.com for the developer channel, then open Settings → General → Software Update → Beta Updates and select the iPadOS 27.2 channel. The build appears in Software Update like any ordinary update.

If you are already on an earlier iPadOS 27.2 beta, this arrives as a normal update and no re-enrolment is needed. Our full iPadOS 27.2 install guide covers the process step by step, and our device pages tell you whether your exact model qualifies.

Should You Install It?

Yes, if you were ever going to. A release candidate is the lowest-risk point in the whole cycle: apps have caught up, the feature set is final, and in most cycles the RC and the public release are the same build with a different label.

Whatever you decide, make an archived backup on a computer first. A backup made on iPadOS 27.2 cannot be restored onto the previous release, so it is the only route back with your data intact — our backup guide explains the difference, and our honest assessment covers running a beta on the phone you depend on.

What Comes After RC

The public release is what comes next. In recent years Apple has shipped the finished iPadOS 27.2 about a week after the RC, often with the same build number, and this page records the date the moment it happens. If a serious problem surfaces first, a second RC arrives instead.

Our build history tracks every iPadOS build with its date and the gap before it, which is the clearest picture of how a cycle is progressing. The beta calendar guide explains the shape of the year.

Frequently Asked Questions