iOS 18.3 release candidate is out now, wide release expected next week

Apple beta test of iOS 18.3 began less than a week after the release of iOS 18.2. It’s not yet clear when we can expect this release to into wide release or what features to expect in it, but it will surely be the first major iOS update of 2025.

Apple Intelligence has been the focus of most iOS 18 updates so far, and we’re still waiting on the big Siri overhaul that adds personal context using the data on your phone and scores of new “app intents” that allow Siri to perform actions in apps. Those features are generally expected to come in iOS 18.4, which most believe will be released in March or April. If true, then iOS 18.3 would focus mainly on tweaks and improvements to existing features and will pause the gradual rollout of Apple Intelligence features.

Update January 21: Apple has released the iOS 18.3 release candidate to beta testers. The wide release will probably follow next week.

iOS 18.3: New features

Robot Vacuum support: The Home app gains support for robot vacuums (Roomba et al.). The vacuum has to support HomeKit or Matter, of course.

Calculator repeating operations: The calculator app once again allows for repeating operations when you keep pressing the equals button.

Notification Summaries: After complaints about Apple Intelligence notification summaries’ accuracy, Apple is making several changes to make it more obvious when summaries are being used and turning off summaries for News & Entertainment apps. Read more about it here.

iOS 18.3: Release Notes

These are Apple’s official release notes for iOS 18.3.

Visual intelligence with Camera Control (All iPhone 16 models)

• Add an event to Calendar from a poster or flyer
• Easily identify plants and animals

Notification summaries (All iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max)

• Easily manage settings for notification summaries from the Lock Screen
• Updated style for summarized notifications better distinguishes them from other notifications by using italicized text as well as the glyph
• Notification summaries for News & Entertainment apps are temporarily unavailable, and users who opt-in will see them again when the feature becomes available

This update includes the following enhancements and bug fixes:

• Calculator repeats the last mathematical operation when you tap the equals sign again
• Fixes an issue where the keyboard might disappear when initiating a typed Siri request
• Resolves an issue where audio playback continues until the song ends even after closing Apple Music

iOS 18.3: How to install the developer beta

You’ll need to be registered as an Apple developer. You don’t need to be in the $99 per year developer program to access the developer beta. A free developer account will do. You can get one via Xcode or the Apple Developer app in iOS. Here’s how to do it via the Apple Developer app:

1. Download the Apple Developer App from the App Store.
2. Open the app.
3. Tap on Account.
4. Sign in using your usual Apple ID.

Registered developers can choose to get the Public Beta instead by selecting iOS Public Beta in the Software Update screen. It may take a little time after registering as a developer for the option to appear in Software Updates.

iOS 18.3: How to install the public beta

The public beta isn’t out yet, but we expect it will arrive in a few short days. If you want to be among the first to test iOS 18.3, you can sign up for the public beta test. The process for installing a beta has changed in iOS 16.4. Here’s how the new process works now:

1. Click Sign Up on the Apple Beta page and register with your Apple ID.
2. Log in to the Beta Software Program.
3. Click Enroll your iOS device.
4. Open the Settings app, tap General, then Software Update.
5. In the Beta Updates section, select the iOS Public Beta.

It may take a few moments after registering for the beta option to appear in Software Update.