Here’s Everything New in iOS 26.2 Beta 1

iOS 26.1 just rolled out, but Apple has already moved on to testing iOS 26.2. The developer beta of iOS 26.2 introduces fresh ways to customize, enhanced health tracking, and tweaks to several apps. Let’s dive into what’s new with iOS 26.2 beta 1.

Lock Screen Customization

A new Liquid Glass slider lets you fine-tune the clock’s frosted or clear appearance on the lock screen. You can adjust the clock’s transparency or switch to a fully opaque look.

Updated Sleep Score

iOS 26.2, alongside watchOS 26.2, revamps the Sleep Score system to more accurately mirror users’ post-sleep feelings:

• Very Low: 0–40
• Low: 41–60
• OK: 61–80
• High: 81–95
• Very High: 96–100

Password Management

A new “Excluded Websites” option in the Passwords app lets users manage sites where saved credentials are disabled.

AirPods Live Translation Arrives in the EU

Following iOS 26.1’s language expansion, Live Translation for AirPods has finally landed in the European Union in iOS 26.2. The rollout was stalled to comply with EU Digital Markets Act regulations. This feature, supported on AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods 4 with ANC, now includes multiple languages like English, French, German, and Spanish.

Freeform Gets Tables

The Freeform app now supports Tables, making collaborative boards more structured and versatile.

Reminders with Alarms

The Reminder app has new “Urgent” toggle that adds an alarm when a reminder is due. When the reminder alarm goes off, you’ll see snooze options, countdowns, and distinct blue alerts right on the Lock Screen.

Podcasts Improvements

Podcasts now include auto-generated chapters, cross-podcast mentions, and quick access to links mentioned in transcripts.

AirDrop Expansion (Upcoming)

Although the feature isn’t live in this update, references in iOS 26.2 hint at an upcoming AirDrop PIN-sharing feature that could extend AirDrop access for non-contacts up to 30 days, up from the current 10-minute limit.

Weather and News Enhancements

The Weather app now includes relative time alerts like “next Tuesday.” Meanwhile, Apple News introduces redesigned navigation with quick-access category buttons and a dedicated Following tab.

Flash for Alerts

The Flash for Alerts option in Accessibility now lets the screen flash when notifications arrive. Previously, this setting used only the rear LED on the iPhone. You can choose to use only the screen flash or both the screen and LED flashes together.

Safety Alerts

Enhanced Safety Alerts now allow users to handle earthquake and threat notifications with better reliability.

Availability and Compatibility

The iOS 26.2 developer beta is open for registered developers, with the public beta anticipated later this week. A stable release is expected to drop between December 9 and December 16. Compatibility extends to all iPhones that support iOS 26.

Do these new features pique your interest? We’d love to hear your take in the comments below.