iOS 26 Beta 3 Refines Design and Boosts Performance

Apple released iOS 26 Beta 3 to developers on July 7, 2025, bringing notable refinements to the iPhone's next operating system ahead of its September launch. This update focuses on polishing the Liquid Glass design introduced at WWDC 2025 while addressing performance issues from earlier betas.

The most visible changes include reduced transparency in navigation bars across Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, improving text legibility while maintaining the distinctive Liquid Glass aesthetic. Notifications now feature darker backgrounds for better contrast, responding directly to developer feedback about readability concerns.

Beta 3 introduces four new wallpaper color styles—Shadow, Sky, Halo, and Dusk—offering more personalization options that particularly enhance Dark Mode. Maps gains fog advisories for offline navigation and improved commute alerts, while iPadOS 26 adds a cursor-shaking feature that temporarily enlarges the pointer when moved rapidly.

Developers report significant performance improvements, with smoother animations and reduced stuttering across compatible devices.

The update (build 23A5287g) is available to developers through the Settings app on devices running previous iOS 26 betas. Compatible devices include iPhone 11 and newer models with at least an A13 Bionic chip. A public beta is expected around July 14, though Apple continues to caution that beta software may contain bugs and isn't recommended for primary devices.