5 Things to Know About the iOS 16.6 Update

Apple’s confirmed a new iOS 16.6 update for iPhone and the software is currently in beta testing ahead of an official release later this year.

iOS 16.6 is a milestone upgrade which means it should bring more than just bug fixes and security patches to iPhone users. It should deliver some new features as well.

Apple hasn’t confirmed the iOS 16.6 release date yet and it will likely stay in beta for the foreseeable future. If you don’t want to wait for the stable release, you can try an early version of the software on your iPhone right now.

With all of that in mind, we want to walk you through everything there is to know, right now, about the next major iOS 16 update for iPhone.

In this guide we’ll take you through the iOS 16.6 update’s known changes, what you can expect from the iOS 16.6 release date and release time, information about the iOS 16.6 beta, and more.

iOS 16.6 Beta

If you want to start using iOS 16.6 on your iPhone right now, you can.

Apple’s pushed the iOS 16.6 beta to developers which means those enrolled in the company’s developer program can download a pre-release version of the firmware right now.

The company’s also pushed the iOS 16.6 beta to those enrolled in the Beta Software Program. A developer account requires an annual fee while the Beta Software Program is free to anyone with a compatible device and working Apple ID.

Before you download the iOS 16.6 beta, note that Apple’s pre-release software is always plagued with bugs and performance issues.

These issues could impact the performance of your core apps, your iPhone’s battery life, and its overall speed which can make it tricky to use as a daily driver.

You should be able to fix some problems on your own, but some bugs and performance issues will probably require a fix from Apple down the road.

If you can’t stand the iOS 16.6 beta’s performance on your iPhone, you can downgrade back to iOS 16.5.1 or iOS 16.5. The downgrade path to other iOS firmware is closed.

Apple is currently on iOS 16.6 beta 3.

iOS 16.6 Release Date

Apple hasn’t confirmed the iOS 16.6 release date.

As of right now we expect iOS 16.6 to hit iPhones sometime in July ahead of iOS 17’s arrival in the fall. iOS 17 should arrive in September which means iOS 16.6 will almost certainly be the last major update for the iOS 16 operating system.

For more about the iOS 16.6 release date, check out our guide.

iOS 16.6 Release Time

We don’t have an official iOS 16.6 release date yet, but we know exactly when Apple will roll the software out on the date it chooses.

The official version of iOS 16.6 will most likely arrive in and around 10AM Pacific. It sometimes takes a few minutes for iOS updates to show up so there’s no need to worry if you don’t see new software right away.

Apple will also release iOS 16.6 beta updates for developers, and those enrolled in the Beta Software Program, around 10AM Pacific as well. The company typically releases new betas every 1-2 weeks.

Keep this timeline in mind if you plan to install new iOS 16.6 betas, or the official version of iOS 16.6, right away.

iOS 16.6 Features

Apple’s milestone updates (x.x) almost always bring new features, enhancements, security patches, and bug fixes to iPhone users and that’s what you should get from iOS 16.6.

Developers are digging through the iOS 16.6 beta right now and they’ve found one potential change on board: iMessage Contact Key Verification.

Apple could add to, or subtract, features from the iOS 16.6 beta as testing progresses and we’ll let you know if there are differences between the beta and the final release.

iOS 16.6 Jailbreak

If you still jailbreak, make sure you avoid the iOS 16.6 beta.

Developers have released a new jailbreak that works with iOS 15.0-iOS 16.2. Unfortunately, the jailbreak doesn’t work with iOS 16.6 and it’s only compatible with the iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus.

We’ll let you know if that changes.

Install iOS 16.5.1 for Better Security

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If security is important to you, think about installing Apple's iOS 16.5.1 update on your iPhone right away. iOS 16.5.1 brings two security patches to iPhone users and they're important if you want to keep your iPhone protected from harm. If you want to learn more, head on over to Apple's website. As for older software, iOS 16.5 brought a ton of security patches to the iPhone. You can find out more about them over on Apple's security site. iOS 16.4.1 included two security upgrades . You can learn more about the pair right here. The company's iOS Security Response 16.4.1 (a) update also included security updates, but Apple hasn't revealed them yet and it's unclear if it will. Apple's iOS 16.4 update had a substantial number of patches on board. You can read about them in detail over on Apple's security site. The iOS 16.3.1 update had three security patches on board including one for an actively exploited vulnerability. For more on the security contents of iOS 16.3.1, check out Apple's security page.  iOS 16.3 brought 10+ new security patches with it and you can learn more about all of those right here.  In addition, the software came with support for physical security keys for Apple ID. These will beef up your account security by requiring a physical security key as part of the two factor authentication sign in process. Learn more about the change right here. If you skipped iOS 16.2, you'll get its changes with iOS 16.5.1. iOS 16.2 brought a ton of important security patches with it and you can dig into the details on Apple's security site.  The update also brought end-to-end encryption to iCloud, iMessage, iPhone backups, Notes, Photos, and more. If you want to learn more about it, head over to Apple's guide.  If you decided to missed iOS 16.1.2, you'll get its solitary security patch with your upgrade. Learn more about it right here. If you skipped iOS 16.1.1, you'll get its security patches when you upgrade. You can learn more about them right here. If you missed the iOS 16.1 update, it brought 19 security patches to the iPhone and you can learn about the particulars of those over on Apple's website. If you failed to download iOS 16.0.3, it had one security patch on board, a fix for a potential exploit within the Mail app. For more about the fix, check out Apple's security site. If you're still running iOS 15 your iPhone, you'll get a bunch of other patches when you upgrade. iOS 16.0 brought a ton of security patches to the iPhone. If you're interested in the exact nature of these improvements, you can read about them over on Apple's security website. In addition to those patches, iOS 16 brings some additional enhancements to privacy and security including Safety Check which, according to Apple, will help "people in domestic or intimate partner violence situations review and reset the access they’ve granted others."  The feature also resets system privacy permissions for apps and restricts Messages and FaceTime to the device on hand. Apple's also made some improvements to Passkeys in Safari. iOS 16 brings a brand new sign-in method that's end-to-end encrypted and safe from phishing and data leaks.

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