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iOS 26 Developer Beta 5: New Features and Enhancements

Apple’s iOS 26 Developer Beta 5, released on August 5, 2025, brings a refined set of features and improvements to the iPhone 16 Pro Max and other compatible devices (iPhone 11 and later). This update, with build number 23A5308G and a size of approximately 11.39 GB, focuses on polishing the Liquid Glass design, enhancing animations, and introducing subtle but impactful changes across the system. Below, we explore all the new features, including those from the original transcript and additional updates identified through recent sources.

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Build Number and Update Size

• Build Number: 23A5308G

• Update Size: ~11.39 GB on iPhone 16 Pro Max

New Features and Changes

Lock Screen and Unlocking

• Unlocking Keypad Animation: When Face ID fails or after a restart, the keypad expands with a bouncy animation, where numbers populate dynamically.

• Locking Animation: Home screen icons move toward the user before transitioning to the always-on display when locking the phone.

• Customize Page Updates:

  • The clock’s language overlay card is smaller and now supports scrolling, improving usability.

  • The widget picker’s dismissal animation is bouncier, aligning with the Liquid Glass aesthetic.

• Now Playing Indicators: Smoother transitions for music playback indicators on the Lock Screen enhance visual fluidity.

Smart Plug Mini

Home Screen

• Thicker Dock: The dock is slightly thicker compared to Beta 4, as seen in screenshots.

• Customization Highlight: A white circle now highlights the selected color option when customizing the home screen with tinted settings.

• Dynamic Wallpapers: A new option allows wallpapers to change colors throughout the day, adding a dynamic visual effect.

Spotlight Search

• New Overlay: Tapping an empty search bar reveals an overlay with options for writing tools or camera-based text scanning via autofill.

• Glowing Animation: Dragging or tapping the search bar triggers a glowing animation that matches the wallpaper’s colors.

Control Center

• Stretch and Bounce Animation: Pulling down the Control Center stretches controls, with a bouncy effect when scrolling between pages.

• Wi-Fi Toggle Update: A lock icon now appears on password-protected Wi-Fi networks when expanding the toggle, improving security clarity.

• Local Capture: Features a new glyph icon and an updated overlay with an audio-only recording option, saving call audio and video to downloads.

App-Specific Changes

Camera

• Bouncy Animations: Menus expand and collapse with fluid, bouncy animations, a recurring theme in Beta 5.

• Video Settings:

  • The “Format” option is renamed “ProRes” with choices of Log, HDR, and a third option (replacing HEVC, ProRes Log, and ProRes HDR).

  • The top-right corner displays the format and remaining recording time based on storage.

• Classic Mode Switching: A new setting reverses the camera mode scrolling direction, mimicking older iOS behavior for user preference.

• Splash Screen: A new splash screen highlights the app’s redesigned interface and swipe-based navigation.

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Apple Photos

• Liquid Animations: Bottom controls animate with a liquid-like effect when dismissing a photo.

• Date Container: The date is now in a container for improved visibility.

• Delete Overlay: The delete button’s overlay is narrower and taller.

• Search Tabs: Redesigned photos and collections tabs in search offer a cleaner, more visually appealing layout.

Visual Intelligence

• Animated Glyph Icon: The “highlight to search” icon is now animated.

• Oval Visual Matches Card: The card uses an oval design with a light color, replacing the darker rounded rectangle.

• Non-Functional Icon: A new icon resembling Apple’s writing tools appears but cancels searches when tapped.

• Add to Calendar: Highlighting a date shows a smaller, light-colored overlay with a reformatted date design.

Apple Messages

• Change Name and Photo Access: Swiping down no longer reveals this option; it’s now accessible only via the Edit button.

• Live Translation: Integrated into Messages for real-time text and audio translation, running on-device for privacy.

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Safari

• Tab Groups Switcher: Shrinks to two options after a few seconds on the old tabs page but reverts to three when switching groups.

• Toolbar Redesign: Offers customizable options for a tailored browsing experience.

Apple Music

• Tab Bar Behavior: The tab bar disappears when scrolling down and remains hidden when scrolling up, only reappearing when fully scrolled to the top.

• AutoMix and Pinning: AutoMix enhances playlist transitions, and users can pin favorite songs, albums, artists, or playlists to the Library tab.

Mail

• Select Button Visibility: The Select button is now always visible at the top, eliminating the need to tap the “…” button first.

Fitness

• Fitness+ Icon Update: The Fitness app sports a new icon for Fitness+, aligning with iOS 26’s visual style.

Additional Features

• Low Battery Pop-Up: A Dynamic Island pop-up appears when the battery falls below 20%, with a distinct design in low power mode.

• AirDrop Icon: A redesigned icon in the share sheet aligns with iOS 26’s visual language, though it is unchanged in Settings.

• Game Mode Notification: Features a new design for improved visibility.

• Adaptive Temperature Integration: Works with HomeKit and Apple Maps to adjust home thermostat settings based on location, e.g., preheating when returning home.

• Public Wi-Fi Login Sync: Devices linked to the same Apple ID sync login credentials for public Wi-Fi networks, simplifying connectivity.

• Apple Games App: A new app serves as a central hub for App Store games, leaderboards, and Apple Arcade, enhancing the gaming experience.

• Splash Screens: New splash screens in multiple apps (e.g., Camera, Fitness) highlight recent features upon first launch after updating.

• Notification Summaries: Restored with a warning about potential inaccuracies, particularly for news headlines, to address earlier concerns.

Performance and Thermals

iOS 26 Developer Beta 5 is smoother and more responsive than previous betas, with minor UI issues and reduced device heating. However, battery consumption remains slightly higher than expected, though improved from earlier builds.

Conclusion

iOS 26 Developer Beta 5 refines the Liquid Glass design with fluid animations, enhanced app functionality, and practical features like adaptive temperature control and live translation. As Apple nears the expected September 2025 release, this beta focuses on polishing the user experience. If you’ve spotted additional features, share them in the comments! For more details on joining the beta, visit beta.apple.com.

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