Apple's dropped the fifth test version of iOS 26, and it's got some neat little tweaks throughout the system. The official notes don't say much besides a look at what's coming, but digging in shows some cool stuff.
One thing that stands out is that the low battery alert now pops up right in the Dynamic Island. So, you can turn on Low Power Mode with a quick tap. Apple already tells you when your battery's getting low, but putting the alert in Dynamic Island makes it way easier to see and use.
The lock screen also gets a visual refresh. When entering your passcode, you’ll now see the numbers pop into place with a smooth new animation. Control Centre has been tweaked too — scrolling between pages now includes a soft bounce effect for a more fluid experience.
Digging into the Camera app, there's now a toggle for Classic Mode, allowing users to reverse the scroll direction — something longtime iOS users may appreciate. A long press on the Wi-Fi toggle in Control Centre now shows whether a network is public or private, with a lock icon for password-protected ones.
Other changes include:
- Wider Home Screen dock
- Updated AirDrop icon in the share menu
- A new Select button in the Mail app
- Refreshed splash screens in Apple Music, Notes, and Freeform showing off new features
- A redesigned Fitness+ icon
And lastly, Siri is getting a bit smarter. According to MacRumors, it may now detect upcoming international travel and offer relevant suggestions for managing your cellular connection.
While iOS 26 Beta 5 doesn’t bring major overhauls, it’s clear Apple is polishing the experience ahead of the public release.