iOS 17 beta 7 is out: 3 new changes you should know about ASAP
One step closer to a more polished iOS 17
Apple just released the seventh beta so far for iOS 17. With the iPhone 15’s release date imminent (likely mid-September), this will probably be one of the last iOS 17 updates during this beta testing period.
With the beta 7 version, Apple is rounding out iOS 17 with bug fixes, overall performance improvement updates, and some small new features. At only 664.9 MB, this is a fairly small update, but the system seems to be smoother and more responsive. If you’re still using iOS 17, here’s how to download the iOS 17 public beta.
What’s new with iOS 17 beta 7?
As people continue to play around with the latest iOS 17 update, new features or changes will be discovered. You can check out every issue resolved or noted in iOS 17 beta 7, or just read on to check out the most exciting changes.
1. Haptic feedback update fuels iPhone 15 action button rumors
One bug from beta 6 that was fixed with the beta 7 update includes the iPhone’s Silent Switch and haptic feedback. Users with the beta 6 update noted that when the mute switch was clicked, there was no haptic feedback to signal that the phone had been silenced. Haptic feedback is back with the beta 7 update with slightly stronger, longer vibrations, feeding into rumors of an action button on the iPhone 15 replacing the mute switch.
iOS 17 Beta 7 is out. Video later… pic.twitter.com/aVAZNmvXLdAugust 22, 2023
2. Call button relocation
With beta 7, the end call button has relocated from the bottom right side back to the middle when the keypad is expanded. In prior betas, the end call button would move from the middle to the right when the keypad was expanded. Now, the end call button stays in the same place whether the keyboard is expanded or not.
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3. A zippier UI overall
Overall, iOS 17 beta 17 seems to have implemented small changes that make the system faster, more responsive, and cooler (temperature-wise). Apple replaced the Suggested Music shortcut with a Recently Played shortcut, mood animations for the State of Mind feature in the Health app have been refined and sped up, and accessing photos in iMessage conversations is easier and speedier as well.
If you haven’t already become a part of the public beta, check out these three exciting features that’ll make you want to install it immediately. With beta 7, this is the most stable version of iOS 17 so far, but be sure to back up your phone before installing the beta just in case. If you ever decide you want to get out of the beta, here’s how to downgrade iOS 17 to 16.
Sarah Chaney is a freelance tech writer with five years of experience across multiple outlets, including Mashable, How-To Geek, MakeUseOf, Tom’s Guide, and of course, Laptop Mag. She loves reviewing the latest gadgets, from inventive robot vacuums to new laptops, wearables, and anything PC-related. When she's not writing, she's probably playing a video game, exploring the outdoors, or listening to her current favorite song or album on repeat.