Public betas for iOS 27, macOS 27, and other Apple platforms are now available

Headlining iOS 27 is the highly anticipated Siri AI. The new version moves from a basic voice control system to a modern AI assistant. It can hold natural conversations, understand follow-ups, answer questions about on-screen content, and perform multi-step actions in apps. On recent Apple devices, you can even personalize the expressiveness of the assistant’s voice. There is also a dedicated Siri app that stores your history.

Siri AI is available in public beta for all Apple Intelligence-enabled devices. In early developer betas, there was a waiting list to access the new assistant. So you may need a little patience. The new Siri currently only works in English and will not be available in the EU at first.

Not all Apple Intelligence features are linked to Siri. Photos now has more robust editing tools, including Spatial Crop, which adjusts the composition after the photo is taken. The Extend feature flushes images beyond their original boundaries. There is also an improved cleaning tool that is more effective at removing unwanted objects. And Image Playground can now generate higher quality images, including photorealistic styles.

Even if you don’t care about AI, here’s an iOS 27 update that might interest you: Apple promises big performance improvements across the board. The company claims that apps launch up to 30% faster, newly captured images appear in the Photos app up to 70% faster, and AirDrop transfers can be up to 80% faster. (While I can’t guarantee precise numbers, my devices seemed noticeably zippier on early iOS 27 developer betas.)

Elsewhere, Safari can declutter your workflow by automatically organizing your tabs into groups. It also has a new Notify Me feature that monitors web pages for price changes or restocks. The Passwords app can detect weak passwords and update them automatically. And in the Shortcuts app, you can create new automations by describing what you want in natural language.

iOS 27 (and its brethren) also addresses criticism of last year’s big design overhaul: Liquid Glass. The new version features readability improvements and a slider to customize the effect.

Once you’re on the iOS 27 beta, you can install a public beta for AirPods. The new software adds a custom equalizer, an adaptive audio slider, and a new settings menu.

Siri AI will also come to the wrist, where it could be handy for answering questions during a workout or when you’re on the go. watchOS 27 adds a new dynamic App Grid that showcases the apps you’re most likely to need. Apple Watch gets a new one-tap gesture that lets you select a widget in the Smart Stack to see more information. (You can always double-tap to scroll.) Menstrual tracking adds support for menopause and perimenopause. And Workout Buddy gets a few upgrades: new workout data insights, the ability to work without an iPhone nearby, and Spanish language support.

Apple is positioning Siri AI as a productivity tool in macOS 27 Golden Gate. As with other devices, you can call up the assistant directly from Spotlight, use it to analyze what’s on your screen, or rely on it to write help. There are also some Mac-specific Liquid Glass and other design improvements, including uniform toolbars, edge-to-edge sidebars, and more refined window shapes and menu bar icons.

What about iPad owners? iPadOS 27 includes all of the aforementioned iOS 27 features, but there’s not much unique to the tablet this year. Visual intelligence, which can analyze everything that appears on your screen via screenshots, works with Apple Pencil: simply circle what you want to know more about. And support for external hard drives is boosted: Apple says file transfers between the iPad and an SSD are now up to five times faster and “as fast as Finder on Mac,” according to the company.

Keep in mind that these are early versions of the software. Bugs, battery drain, and other issues will likely appear. (Apple hopes you’ll use the Feedback app to help it optimize the software before the final release.) If you want a safer balance between cutting-edge features and stability, it couldn’t hurt to wait at least for the second or third public beta.

If you have never installed pre-release software before, you will need to enroll in the Apple Beta software program first. Once logged in, you can download the beta software by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Under the Beta updates section, choose public beta “27” for your device.