Apple’s iOS 18.5 beta arrived Wednesday, bringing minor tweaks, notably to the Mail app, as Apple shifts focus towards the upcoming iOS 19 announcement at WWDC on June 9.
While the bulk of iOS 18’s promised features are already live, Apple continues to release incremental updates to the current iOS version, leaving room for potential feature additions before the next major iteration.
The iOS 18.5 beta includes the ability to toggle the display of Contact Photos on or off, along with a quick way to disable Mail categorization.
Following the iOS 18.2 update, which automatically sorted emails into Primary, Transactions, Updates, and Promotions categories, users can now revert to the previous interface. This can be done by tapping the three-dot icon in the upper right corner and turning off Group by Sender, or by selecting List View instead of Categories.
AppleCare, Apple’s warranty and support program, gains increased visibility in this update. A banner at the top of the AppleCare and Warranty page (accessed from General settings) now offers an option to learn more about coverage.
For AppleCare subscribers, a dedicated AppleCare section has been added to Device Info within the Apple Account settings, allowing users to manage their plan directly.
To install the iOS 18.5 developer beta, enroll in the Beta Software Program, which enables the update to be installed via the Software Update page.
Before installing, Apple recommends backing up devices due to the potential for bugs in beta software.
