Apple’s iOS updates are seeded to developers, often in beta form, before they’re released to most people. This can appear to be an impenetrable barrier for some, but very little is preventing you from upgrading early. Here’s tips on how to do it.

Acquiring an iOS Beta

The Proper Method: Be a ” Developer”

Whether you’re actually a developer or not, Apple enables you to pay to be a registered developer for $99. You don’t need to make (or maybe place confidence in making) a single iOS application. All you’re required to do is pay the $99 entrance fee. This gets you access to iOS betas for a year and you may download install them as you please.

$99 isn’t exactly very much to have future access to iOS betas unless you’re an iOS fanatic. While you’d still like official access to the beta, however, what we’d recommend doing is rounding up several friends who would also like early access and splitting the price. Whenever you can find four people, that’s just $20 each. Because Apple allows you to add up to 100 device UDID (the unique device identifier in your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch) you could easily share a developer membership with others to save lots of some money. With lots of people, you may get your updates for only a few dollars per year.

If you have to register as a developer, you could try this at the Apple Developer Connection .

The Improper Method: Circumvent the System

It’s not hard to locate iOS betas online by simple searching Google for a torrent file. That said, though you’ll be getting the iOS update free of charge in a while within the month, Apple doesn’t permit the free downloading of iOS betas. By downloading iOS without Apple’s consent, well, you know you’re breaking the foundations.

If you’re not a registered developer and you’ve somehow obtained a replica of an iOS beta, you are able to still have some issues. Apple requires that device UDIDs are registered on a developer account to activate the iOS beta. Which means in case you install an iOS beta without registering your UDID one could come to be with an unusable device. This is often especially problematic because when you upgrade, there’s no going back. Well, technically there is however takes some effort. When you decide to take the chance, be sure to DO NOT restore your iOS device using the beta image. That might just about make sure that your iOS device will likely be locked down. Instead, use the upgrade method (detailed below). If it succeeds, however, it’s unlikely the device will must register with Apple. If it doesn’t succeed, don’t restore using the update but attempt to restore using the last available stable release of iOS (as in not a beta, and doubtless what was in your device beforehand). Again, once you attempt to restore your device with an iOS beta it can refuse to boot until that is registered with an Apple developer account. You want to use the ” Check for Upgrade” route instead.

But what if I screw up?

As mentioned above, deciding to buy a developer account with friends is a simple approach to get a better price on getting these early upgrades. But what if nobody likes you (or just doesn’t wish to pay money for betas like you do)? a handy guide a rough search will generally occur several ambitious those who have paid for developer accounts and wish to make some money. Generally for around $5, they’ll add your UDID to their developer account so you could easily update without worry. When you happen to make a screw up the update and lock down your device or just want piece of mind, this can be a good alternative to paying the $99 required by Apple. Obviously, here is still breaking the principles.

Installing an iOS Beta

Installing an iOS beta is so easy. Connect your device in your computer and open iTunes (if it doesn’t open automatically). Choose your device from the iTunes sidebar and you’ll see a bit called Version. There are two options in that section: Check for Update and Restore.

Restoring will wipe everything off of your iOS device, so you need to avoid that whenever possible. Instead, hold down the option key in the event you’re on a Mac or shift once you’re on a Windows PC and click the Check for Update button. You can be prompted to settle on an IPSW (iPhone Software) file. Choose the beta you downloaded in your device and click Choose. From there, iTunes will take over and upload the IPSW in your device. The upgrade will start, and if it works you’ll have the beta up and running right away*.

* It is not true at all-iTunes takes forever to update. You might want to go make yourself a sandwich if you wait.

You could contact Adam Dachis, the author of this post, at adachis@lifehacker.com. You may also follow him on Twitter and Facebook .

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This post is tagged: apple developer connection, developer account, free downloading, impenetrable barrier, place confidence