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

Adventurous early adopters, your moment has arrived: the first public betas of Apple's 2027 software updates are here. Previews of iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27 Golden Gate and watchOS 27 are now available to be installed directly on your device. 

The headliner of iOS 27 is the long-awaited Siri AI. The new version transforms from a basic voice-command system into a modern AI assistant. It can hold natural conversations, understand follow-ups, answer questions about the content on the screen and perform multi-step actions inside apps. On recent Apple devices, you can even customize the expressiveness of the assistant's voice. There's also a dedicated Siri app that stores your history.

Siri AI is available in the public beta for all Apple Intelligence-capable devices. In the early developer betas, there's been a waitlist to access the new assistant. So, some patience may be required. The new Siri only works in English for now, and it won't initially be available in the EU.

Not all Apple Intelligence features are Siri-related. Photos now has more robust editing tools, including Spatial Reframing, which adjusts composition after the photo is taken. The Extend feature outcrops images past their original boundaries. There's also an improved Clean Up tool that's better 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 is promising big performance improvements across the board. The company says apps launch up to 30 percent faster, newly captured pictures appear in the Photos app up to 70 percent faster, and AirDrop transfers can be up to 80 percent faster. (Although I can't vouch for specific numbers, my devices felt noticeably zippier on the 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 webpages for price changes or restocks. The Passwords app can detect weak passwords and automatically update them. 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 has readability improvements, and there's 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 be coming to the wrist, where it could be handy for answering questions mid-workout or while you're otherwise on the move. watchOS 27 adds a new Dynamic App Grid that surfaces apps you're most likely to need. The Apple Watch gets a new single-tap gesture that lets you select a widget in the Smart Stack to see more info. (You can still double-tap to scroll.) Menstrual tracking adds menopause and perimenopause support. And Workout Buddy gets some upgrades: new workout data insights, the ability to work without a nearby iPhone, and Spanish-language support.

Apple is positioning Siri AI as a productivity tool in macOS 27 Golden Gate. Like with other devices, you can summon the assistant directly from Spotlight, use it to analyze what's on your screen or rely on it for writing help. There are also a few 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 the aforementioned iOS 27 features, but there isn't much that's unique to the tablet this year. Visual Intelligence, which can analyze anything on your display via screenshots, works with the Apple Pencil: just circle what you want to learn about. And external hard drive support gets a boost: Apple says file transfers between iPad and an SSD are now up to five times faster and "just 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 pop up. (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 for at least the second or third public beta.

If you've never installed pre-release software before, you'll need to enroll in the Apple Beta Software Program first. Once you're in, you can download the beta software by navigating to Settings > General > Software Update. Under the Beta Updates section, choose the "27" public beta for your device.