Apple on Monday released the eighth developer betas of macOS 27, iOS 27, iPadOS 27, tvOS 27, and watchOS 27, continuing the final stretch of testing before the software is expected to ship to the public in September.
The new builds arrive one week after the seventh developer betas, which went out on August 24. At this point in the cycle, Apple is typically focused on bug fixes, performance, and stability rather than large new user-facing features. Release candidates are widely expected after Apple’s September hardware event.
Build numbers
• iOS 27 beta 8: 24A5430a (replacing 24A5424a)
• iPadOS 27 beta 8: 24A5430a (replacing 24A5424a)
• macOS 27 beta 8: 26A5425a (replacing 26A5421a)
• watchOS 27 beta 8: 24R5360a (replacing 24R5358a)
Apple also issued matching eighth betas for tvOS 27 and visionOS 27.
macOS 27 continues under the Golden Gate name. It is the first macOS release limited to Apple silicon Macs.
How to install
Registered developers can install the updates over the air:
• iPhone and iPad: Settings → General → Software Update → Beta Updates, then choose the iOS 27 or iPadOS 27 Developer Beta.
• Mac: System Settings → General → Software Update.
• Apple Watch: Use the Watch app on a paired iPhone. The watch should be on the charger, on Wi-Fi, and at least 50 percent charged.
Full restore images are also available from the Apple Developer site. Public beta testers usually receive corresponding public builds shortly after the developer drop.
What these releases are building toward
The “27” operating systems were first shown at WWDC 2026 on June 8, with developer beta 1 following the same day. Public betas began in mid-July. The official fall releases are expected alongside new iPhones and other hardware.
Headline features across the platforms include:
Siri AI. Apple’s rebuilt assistant is the centerpiece. It is designed as a more conversational chatbot with general world knowledge, personal context from apps such as Messages and Mail, and on-screen awareness. iOS 27 also adds a standalone Siri app for conversation history, systemwide Write with Siri, and Visual Intelligence relocated into the Camera app with a Siri mode. On Apple Watch, Siri AI requires a paired iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence (iPhone 15 Pro and later).
Apple Intelligence elsewhere. New AI features land in Photos, Safari, Shortcuts, Wallet, and Passwords. On the Mac, Spotlight and Shortcuts pick up deeper Siri AI integration, including natural-language shortcut creation.
Liquid Glass refinements. After last year’s more aggressive glass look, Apple has improved legibility and added a transparency slider so users can dial the effect from glassy to more opaque. macOS 27 also revisits window chrome, including traffic-light controls and more consistent corner radii.
Performance. Apple has emphasized faster app launches, quicker keyboard appearance, snappier AirDrop, better Wi-Fi/cellular handoff, and improvements that are noticeable even on older supported iPhones. watchOS 27 includes battery optimizations, an updated Find My experience with Precision Finding, Workout Buddy improvements that work without a nearby iPhone, and a Dynamic app grid with Siri suggestions.
Some capabilities remain limited by region or regulation. Earlier in the cycle, Siri AI features were reported as blocked for EU developers under Digital Markets Act rules, and certain Apple Intelligence features have been unavailable in China while Apple works through local requirements.
What to expect next
Ninth-week betas this late in the summer are often the last regular developer drops before release candidates. Those RCs frequently appear after Apple’s September event, when the company also tends to reveal any remaining watch faces, health features, or hardware-tied software that was held back from earlier betas.
The finished versions of iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27 Golden Gate, watchOS 27, tvOS 27, and visionOS 27 are still expected for the public this fall.
MacDailyNews Note: As always, beta software can be unstable. A backup is strongly recommended before installing.
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