Apple Seeds Eighth Beta of iOS 16 to Developers [Update: Public Beta Available]

Apple today seeded the eighth beta of an upcoming iOS 16 update to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming a week after Apple released the seventh developer beta.

ios 16 lock screen feature2
Registered developers can download the iOS 16 profile from the Apple Developer Center, and once installed, the beta will be available over the air. There is no iPadOS 16 update at this time as Apple has split iPadOS into iPadOS 16.1, which will be released after iOS 16.

iOS 16 introduces a revamped Lock Screen that offers a new level of personalization and customization through widgets, a notification redesign, and adjustable fonts and colors for the time. Multiple Lock Screens are supported, similar to watch faces, and can be associated with Focus modes.

Focus is easier to set up than before and more customizable, with Focus filters available to cut out distracting content within apps. The Messages app now features tools for editing an iMessage, unsending an iMessage, and marking messages as unread, plus it supports SharePlay, much like FaceTime.

The Mail app has improved search and tools that include undo send, schedule send, and follow up so you can get a reminder to check up on an email if you haven't gotten a response. Safari supports Shared Tab Groups and Apple is working to replace passwords with Passkeys, a more biometrically secure way to log in to accounts.

iCloud Photo Library allows users to more easily share photos with family members, and Live Text is supported in video. There's a neat new feature for lifting the subject from a background with a tap, which is part of Visual Lookup.

Dictation has improved, Maps now supports multi-stop routing, Apple Pay Later lets you split up purchase payments, and the Home app has been entirely overhauled with a new look. The fifth beta of iOS 16 added the battery percentage back to the status bar on iPhones that have a notch, plus it introduced new sounds for locating an iPhone via Find My or the Apple Watch.

There are tons of other new features in iOS 16 and iPadOS 16, with a full rundown on everything available in our dedicated roundup.

Related Forum: iOS 16

Popular Stories

iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Coming Next Week With These New Features for Your iPhone

Friday February 14, 2025 6:18 am PST by
The first iOS 18.4 beta for iPhones should be just around the corner, and the update is expected to include many new features and changes. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects the iOS 18.4 beta to be released by next week. Below, we outline what to expect from iOS 18.4 so far. Apple Intelligence for Siri Siri is expected to get several enhancements powered by Apple Intelligence on iOS...
iPhone 17 Roundup Feature 2

iPhone Design to Change 'Significantly' This Year

Monday February 17, 2025 7:09 am PST by
Apple is set to "significantly change" the iPhone's design language later this year, according to a Weibo leaker. In a new post, the user known "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone's design is "starting to change significantly" this year. The "iPhone 17 Air" reportedly features a "horizontal, bar-shaped" design on the rear, likely referring to an elongated camera bump. On the other...
Apple Maps 2024

Apple Maps Might Start Showing Ads

Sunday February 16, 2025 7:22 am PST by
Apple is "exploring" the idea of showing search ads in the Apple Maps app, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Back in 2022, Gurman said software engineering was "already underway" to display ads in the Apple Maps app, but Apple did not move forward with the idea at the time. Today, he said Apple is "giving this notion more thought" again. This time around, he said Apple has yet to...
Tim Cook Apple Park

10+ Announcements Apple Could Have Rolled Into a February Event

Saturday February 15, 2025 8:00 am PST by
Apple appears to have enough upcoming product announcements to justify a full event this month, yet all signs indicate these reveals will be handled through a series of press releases instead. There are a multitude of rumors from reliable sources about specific announcements in the coming weeks, so here's everything that Apple could have feasibly included in a hypothetical February event: ...
apple launch feb 2025 alt

What to Expect From the 'Apple Launch' Next Week

Thursday February 13, 2025 11:48 am PST by
Apple has yet to announce any new devices this year, but that could change starting next week. Apple CEO Tim Cook today said to "get ready" for a "launch" on Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," said Cook, in a social media post. The post includes an #AppleLaunch hashtag, along with a short video featuring an animated Apple logo inside of a circle....
iPhone 17 Pro Render Front Page Tech

iPhone 17 Pro With All-New Camera Bar Design Allegedly Revealed

Thursday February 13, 2025 5:49 pm PST by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro will feature three rear cameras arranged in a familiar triangular layout, but the cameras will be housed in an all-new rectangular camera bar with rounded corners, according to YouTube channel Front Page Tech. iPhone 17 Pro camera design render created by Asher for Front Page Tech In a video uploaded today, Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser said the camera ...
Apple 2025 Thumb 1

Two of Apple's Oldest Products Are Finally Getting Updated This Year

Friday February 14, 2025 6:03 am PST by
Apple released the HomePod mini in November 2020, followed by the AirTag in May 2021, and both still remain first-generation products. Fortunately, rumors suggest that both the HomePod mini and the AirTag will finally be updated at some point this year. Below, we recap rumors about the HomePod mini 2 and AirTag 2. HomePod mini 2 In January 2025, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple is ...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: Apple Teases Its Next Major Product Launch

Friday February 14, 2025 9:38 am PST by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss the imminent Apple product "launch" that is widely expected to be the fourth-generation iPhone SE. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos In a social media post on Thursday, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an upcoming "launch" of some kind scheduled for Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of...

Top Rated Comments

SwiftArtery Avatar
32 months ago
Beta 7: 20A5356a
Beta 8: 20A5358a
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DMG35 Avatar
32 months ago
Last beta was flawless for me. Not sure how much more they can improve it on my end.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Octavius8 Avatar
32 months ago
Let’s talk about “focus mode”. Why not just a simple “do not disturb button”?. Why make a simple thing complex then “easier” after some 2 years?.
Only hardcore users use it. Why the non -user friendly name?. My parents in law and my wife never know that “focus” is a “kind of semi Customizable do not disturb, with a name that does not make easy sense”. Really. Just name it after the intended function!!!: “do not disturb”!!!. Is it so hard?. Why put a “deep” name to a simple thing?.
This is not progress!.
So many clicks to customize a focus mode?, and even then, not really customizable. Not more ways to customize in ios16 than in 15.
And the dial pad still CAN’T edit a mistyped number???!!!
Is this a smart rock or what?. Nobody important uses iPhone as the common people.
Why make it ilegal to have the super nice features available by the “non official channels”???
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
srbNYC Avatar
32 months ago
These comments are almost all speculation and there's a speculation thread and this isn't a speculation thread and I'm very upset.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ct2k7 Avatar
32 months ago
This should be the last, right?

Hope for no more bugs ?

Attachment Image
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AppleFan91 Avatar
32 months ago
Not seeing it just yet but, this looks like next week will be RC and then a week later is the launch!
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)