In what looks like a bug with the iOS 17 developer beta rollout, some Apple users are seeing access to the software without having paid developer accounts. While you might be able to install the iOS 17 beta too, don’t expect the glitch to last.
Update 1:19 pm PT: As it happens it’s not a bug, in a generous move, Apple has made the developer betas free for registered developers.
As we’ve previously covered, Apple launched the ability to turn on developer and public betas right within Settings.
But something interesting happened with this new system when Apple released the first iOS 17 beta for developers yesterday… it’s accessible for some users that don’t have a developer account.
After I published a guide on how to install the iOS 17 beta yesterday, 9to5Mac reader Evan shared that it was showing up despite not being a developer. We’ve heard the same from others and I ended up being able to do the same on my wife’s iPhone which uses a separate Apple ID from mine, and is not tied to an Apple Developer account.
The bug may not last for long, but you can check if your iPhone is showing the iOS 17 dev beta in Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates.
But a word of caution, the early beta isn’t meant to install on your main iPhone as there are bugs and performance issues. And those who jump on the beta will either need to commit to sticking it out or have to restore their device to iOS 16 with an iOS 16 backup which can be a hassle.
Check out more details in our full guide on installing the iOS 17 beta. Are you seeing the iOS 17 dev beta show up on your device without a dev account? Share down in the comments!
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