How to get the iPadOS 15 developer beta on your iPad

You’ll need special access to download the beta – here’s how to get it

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WWDC 2021gave us an intriguing look at the new tablet tools coming toiPadOS 15, including widgets and multi-tasking windows. With the iPadOS public beta not due out until July, the only way to test it today is through theApple Developer Program.

Assuming you have aniPadOS 15–compatible iPad, you can download the beta from theAppleDeveloper site to your iPad. Tablets as old as the 2015 iPad Pro and 2015 iPad Mini 4 are compatible, and most other tablets sold in the last half-decade will also get the new OS.

At the same time, anyone with a compatible iPhone orApple Watchcan also download theiOS 15 beta, thewatchOS 8 betaor the macOS 12 beta. An updated iPhone or MacBook will let you test the new Universal Control feature with your iPad.

Unfortunately, you must have a paid developer account to access any of these betas. Anyone unwilling to shell out a hundred bucks to register as an official app developer will have to remain patient and wait for the public beta – or the official release this fall alongside thenew 10.2-inch iPad.

For those would-be iPad developers or die-hard Apple fans with cash to spare, here’s how to download the iPadOS 15 developer beta.

How to install the iPadOS 15 beta on your phone (developers only)

If you’re not already enrolled in the Apple Developer program, go to theenrollment page(otherwise, skip to the next paragraph) and click ‘Start your enrollment’. Sign in to your Apple ID – you’ll need to have two-factor authentication activated – then input your bio and payment info to sign up.

Once you’re an official developer, go to theApple Developersite on your iPad, log into your Apple ID, and agree to any terms & conditions that appear. Then navigate to theDownloadspage. If you joined the program properly, developer beta downloads should appear for iPadOS 15, iOS 15 and other new software; if not, you’ll only see non-exclusive programs like Xcode 13.

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Tap ‘Download’ next to the iPadOS 15 beta, then go to Settings > General > Software Update. The dev beta download should appear there automatically; once it shows up, tap Install.

Now you can sit back and wait for iPadOS 15 to appear on your tablet! Just be ready for theoperating systemto have potentially serious bugs that Apple still needs to solve.

Michael Hicks began his freelance writing career with TechRadar in 2016, covering emerging tech like VR and self-driving cars. Nowadays, he works as a staff editor for Android Central, but still writes occasional TR reviews, how-tos and explainers on phones, tablets, smart home devices, and other tech.

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