iOS 18.3

iOS 18.3 release date, beta, features and compatibility

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Apple’s best testing of iOS 18.3 began less than a week after the release of iOS 18.2. It’s not yet clear when we can expect this release to hit wide release, or what features we can expect in it, but it will definitely be the first major iOS update of 2025.

Apple Intelligence has been the focus of most iOS 18 updates so far, and we’re still waiting for the big Siri overhaul that adds personalized context using data on your phone and dozens of new “app intents” that make enabling Siri to perform actions in apps. These features are generally expected to arrive in iOS 18.4, which most believe will be released in March or April. If true, iOS 18.3 will focus primarily on tweaks and improvements to existing features and will pause the gradual rollout of Apple Intelligence features.

Update January 7: Apple has released the second beta of iOS 18.3 to developers.

iOS 18.3: New features

Robot vacuum support: The Home app gets support for robotic vacuum cleaners (Roomba et al.). The vacuum cleaner must of course support HomeKit or Matter.

Calculator repeating operations: The calculator app once again allows you to repeat actions when you keep pressing the like button.

iOS 18.3: How to install the developer beta

You must be registered as an Apple developer. You don’t need to be in the $99/year developer program to access the developer beta. A free developer account is enough. You can get one through Xcode or the Apple Developer app in iOS. Here’s how to do it via the Apple Developer app:

  1. Download the Apple Developer App from the App Store.
  2. Open the app.
  3. Tap Account.
  4. Sign in with your usual Apple ID.

Registered developers can choose to get the public beta instead by choosing iOS public beta on the Software Update screen. It may take some time after registering as a developer for the option to appear in Software Updates.

iOS 18.3: How to install the public beta

The public beta isn’t out yet, but we expect it to arrive in a few short days. If you want to be among the first to test iOS 18.3, you can sign up for the public beta test. The process for installing a beta has changed in iOS 16.4. This is how the new process works now:

  1. On the Apple Beta page, click Sign Up and sign up with your Apple ID.
  2. Log in to the beta software program.
  3. Click Register your iOS device.
  4. Open Settings app, tap Generalso Software update.
  5. In the Beta Updates section, select iOS Public Beta.

It may take a few moments after registration for the beta option to appear in Software Update.

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