Following a distribution hiccup, Apple is now rolling out macOS Tahoe 26 public beta 2.Here’s how to install it, and what to expect.First things first: you install the beta? You probably know the drill: Betas can be unpredictably buggy.
Even if something works on one release, it is not guaranteed to work on the next.Just this week, developer beta 5 broke compatibility with the timer app I use on the menu bar, while it had been working just fine in previous betas.I’ve also been facing some on-and-off problems with Finder freezing for a couple of seconds after switching between spaces.
Of course, your mileage may vary.But if you decide to install the beta, strongly consider Apple’s advice to “install it on a secondary system or device, or on a secondary partition on your Mac”.Otherwise, make sure you back up your Mac before making the jump.
How to install macOS Tahoe 26 public beta 2 To install, the first thing you have to do is enroll in Apple’s public beta program at https://beta.apple.com/.Once you’re done, here’s the step-by-step: Open System Settings Go to General ⇾ Software Update Click the ‘i’ icon next to Beta Updates From the dropdown menu in the top-right, select the macOS Tahoe 26 Public Beta Hit ‘Done’ What to expect from macOS Tahoe 26 public beta 2 If history is any indication, today’s public beta is the same build as yesterday’s developer beta 5.That means you’ll get a few new system icons, including the new Macintosh HD, which dropped the illustration of a classic spinning hard disk drive in favor of a more modern SSD.
Aside from that, Apple seems to have taken this release to work on under-the-hood improvements and bug fixes, rather than bring more user-facing changes, like it did on iOS 26 developer beta 5.Still, if you’re on an older macOS version and decide to install macOS Tahore 26 public beta 2, you’ll get the new Liquid Glass look, desktop widgets, a more customizable control center, iPhone Live Activities on the menu bar thanks to Continuity, a new and more powerful Spotlight, and much more.For a recap of 9to5Mac’s public beta previews, check out these stories: HomePod 26 public beta launches with these new features iOS 26 public beta now available with new design and more iPadOS 26 public beta is here, and full of powerful new features macOS Tahoe 26 public beta now available, here’s everything new, install guide watchOS 26 public beta brings smarter workouts and app upgrades tvOS 26 public beta is now available, here’s all the new features for Apple TV Are you running the public beta? What has your experience been like? Let us know in the comments.
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