tvOS 26 Beta 1

What tvOS 26 Beta 1 Is

tvOS 26 Beta 1 is build 23L5729e, released on May 26, 2026. It is a pre-release build available through the developer and public beta channels, and it supersedes every earlier tvOS 26 beta.

This is the first build of the tvOS 26 cycle we have on record, which makes it the baseline every later build is measured against.

Beta 1 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 tvOS 26 Beta 1

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 → System → Software Updates → Beta Updates on the Apple TV and select the tvOS 26 channel. The build appears in Software Update like any ordinary update.

If you are already on an earlier tvOS 26 beta, this arrives as a normal update and no re-enrolment is needed. Our full tvOS 26 install guide covers the process step by step, and our device pages tell you whether your exact model qualifies.

Should You Install It?

That depends on where this build sits in the cycle and what the device is for. Early builds break third-party apps — banking and workplace apps first — and cost you a week of heavy background indexing. Later builds are progressively calmer.

Whatever you decide, make an archived backup on a computer first. A backup made on tvOS 26 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 Beta 1

RC followed on July 20, 2026 as build 23L772. If you are reading this on Beta 1, that newer build is already waiting in Software Update.

Our build history tracks every tvOS 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