Apple's iOS 26.2 Beta 3 Rolled Out With AirDrop Upgrades, Liquid Glass Tweaks and More

Apple has released the third iOS 26.2 developer beta, offering another round of interface polish, functional upgrades, and subtle design adjustments as the company moves steadily toward the update's public rollout, which could arrive in December. This latest version builds on Apple's pattern of frequent, incremental refinements, delivering improvements across AirDrop, Measure, Reminders, and several system behaviours, while also expanding regional capabilities and adding new development hooks. Arriving just days after beta 2, it further advances Apple's effort to fine-tune the Liquid Glass interface introduced with iOS 26.

iOS 26.2 Beta 3 Update: Full List of New Features and Hidden Changes

The headline feature in beta 3 is a temporary AirDrop code system, spotted by MacRumors. This addition is said to allow iPhone users to share files with someone outside their contacts without switching AirDrop to the Everyone setting. After generating a one-time code, both devices stay visible to one another for 30 days, and access can be reviewed or removed through Settings > General > AirDrop > Manage Known AirDrop Contacts. It offers a more controlled option between Contacts Only and Everyone for 10 Minutes.

Apple has also reworked the Sleep Score ratings in this update. The highest label has been changed from Excellent to Very High, and all scoring categories have been adjusted to address concerns that earlier results were too generous.

Apple Podcasts now uses AI to automatically create chapters, surface mentioned shows, and organise related material, while Apple News gains a cleaner layout with quicker shortcuts to popular sections.

A new Liquid Glass Lock Screen slider gives users finer control over clock opacity, and the Measure app adopts updated Liquid Glass-styled numerals. CarPlay now includes an option to hide pinned conversations in the Messages app. Meanwhile, users can now set urgent tasks in the Reminders app to trigger alarms and timers that break through Focus modes when needed.

For health features, Apple has enabled Hypertension Notification access for third-party apps, which allows medical apps to read alerts from Apple Watch once authorised.

Apple is also said to be preparing a new Side Button action for Japan. This is expected to allow eligible users to choose an alternative voice assistant such as Gemini or Alexa, instead of relying solely on Siri.

The Games app introduces a fresh welcome screen that highlights upcoming features such as improved controller navigation, real-time challenge score updates, and better library filtering.

On iPad, iPadOS 26.2 beta 3 reportedly restores the ability to drag apps from the Dock, Spotlight, and App Library into Split View or Slide Over. This brings back multitasking gestures that were removed during the shift from iPadOS 18 to 26.