Technologies

iOS 17 Beta 3 for Developers Is Out Right Now for the iPhone

The third developer beta for iOS 17 is available for download.

iOS 17 beta 3 is now available for developers. Apple is letting anyone with a compatible phone install the iOS 17 developer beta for free.

The company first announced iOS 17 at WWDC in June. Shortly after the keynote event, Apple released the first developer beta version of iOS 17. Typically, you have to pay $99 to officially download and install any Apple developer beta software, but this year the company is letting anyone get a crack at iOS 17 — as long as they join the Apple Developer Program.

Read more: Apple Unveils iOS 17 for the iPhone at WWDC 2023

iOS 17 emphasizes communication, with several new features for the Phone, FaceTime and Messages applications, including personalized contact posters, video messages, a more intelligent autocorrect, improved AirDrop options and the Journal app.

Before you go on and install iOS 17, you should know that developer beta versions like this aren’t intended for general use, especially because they may have unfinished features and issues that can make the iPhone difficult to use. These early beta releases are, instead, for developers, to help them keep their apps up to date and get early access to the upcoming features.

In short, you probably shouldn’t install the developer beta on your primary iPhone. If you really want to get iOS 17 right now, try to find a spare iPhone that is new enough (iPhone XS or later) to work with the latest software.

Read more: iOS 17 Is Coming This Year. Will It Work on Your iPhone?

For folks who still want to dive in, we’ll show you how to install the iOS 17 developer version on your iPhone, as well as what to do in case you want to revert to iOS 16.

Want to learn more about the stuff unveiled at WWDC? Here’s what you need to know about Vision Pro, Apple’s new augmented reality headset. And here’s all the dope on the new 15-inch MacBook Air and MacOS Sonoma.

What to know before you download the iOS 17 developer beta

Because the iOS 17 developer beta is an early prerelease version, the software could have bugs and other issues.

Again, if you’re thinking about downloading iOS 17, do it on a backup or secondary phone, if available. The iOS 17 developer beta’s issues could cripple your iPhone and make it difficult to use, disabling phone calls or text messages or making it extremely laggy. However, if you only have your main phone or tablet available, make sure to back up your iPhone on iOS 16.5 (the latest version of iOS 16) before updating to iOS 17. That way you have the option to return to iOS 16 if there are too many issues on the new OS.

Also, you must have an iPhone XS or later to run iOS 17. iOS 17 is not supported on the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and the iPhone X, all of which supported the iOS 16 developer beta last year.

And most importantly, to download the iOS 17 developer beta, you must be enrolled in the Apple Developer Program. The full membership is $99 a year, but as mentioned above, Apple is now offering a free membership option, with limited tools and resources, that allows pretty much anyone to download and install the iOS 17 developer beta for free.

You can also wait to join the Apple Beta Software program next month, which will provide a more stable iOS 17 upgrade than the developer version.

How to enroll in the Apple Developer Program, for free

If you’re only interested in testing out the iOS 17 developer beta for fun, you don’t need to pay for an Apple Developer Program membership. You can easily use your existing Apple ID to sign up for the developer program and download developer software onto your iPhone.

1. Go to Apple’s Developer website, tap the three-dash menu in the top-right and hit Account.

2. Sign in with your existing Apple ID.

3. Read through the Apple Developer Agreement, check the boxes at the bottom and then hit Submit.

You now have a free Apple Developer Program account. You can skip the next step to download and install the iOS 17 developer beta on your iPhone.

How to enroll in the paid Apple Developer Program

If you’re a developer, and want full access to development tools and the ability to distribute apps on the App Store, then you’ll want to pay for the Apple Developer Program. On your iPhone, here’s how you can enroll:

1. Download the Apple Developer app from the App Store, launch the app, go to Account and tap Enroll Now.

2. Sign in with your Apple ID credentials, read through the various benefits and instructions, enter your personal information and scan your ID to verify your identity.

3. Once this information is submitted, you must choose your entity (individual for most people) and agree to the program license agreement.

4. Finally, pay the Apple Developer membership fee (with Apple Pay), which is $99 (about £80 or AU$140) a year.

After you successfully make the payment, you’ll be redirected to your Account page in the Apple Developer app. Here you can verify that you’re now enrolled, and you can also check out the date of your membership’s expiration next year.

You can install iOS 17 with an over-the-air update on your iPhone

The easiest way to download the iOS 17 developer beta is with an over-the-air update — the way you would update to any other new software release on your device. Once you’re a member of the Apple Developer Program, free or paid, you’ll automatically have the option to install iOS 17 from your settings. Here’s how:

1. On your iPhone or iPad, go to the Settings > General > Software Update.

2. Next, go into Beta Updates and tap iOS 17 Developer Beta.

3. Go back and tap Download and Install under the new «iOS 17 Developer Beta option» that appears.

You’ll need to then enter your passcode, agree to the terms and conditions and wait for the update to be installed. The process can take over 20 minutes, depending on your internet connection. Once your phone reboots, you should have access to the iOS 17 developer beta.

Or download the iOS 17 developer beta using your Mac

Over-the-air updates require a certain amount of storage, and if you don’t have that available, your computer is really the only way to update to iOS 17 beta without manually clearing out space.

1. On your Mac, go to the Apple Developer Program download page, find «iOS 17 beta,» click Download Restore Images and download the iOS beta software restore image for your specific device.

2. Connect your device to your computer and enter your device passcode or hit Trust This Computer if prompted.

3. Next, open Finder, click your device in the sidebar under Locations.

4. Hold down the Option key, click Check for Update and choose the iOS 17 beta software restore image you just downloaded from the Apple Developer page.

The iOS 17 beta software will install on your device. Wait for a few minutes and when your phone reboots, you should have access.

While you’re here, check out the best iPhone model you can get in 2023. And if you’re looking for a new computer, check out these laptops you might be interested in.

Technologies

Tinder Users Must Start Logging In With Their Faces, Starting Nationwide

The social app now has new US requirements including face identification to help quell longstanding problems with catfishing and more.

US Tinder users will find a new feature when they open up the dating app starting Wednesday: A mandatory Face Check on their phones will be required before they can log into their profiles.

The Face Check step will begin with a new request to record a video of your face, a more casual version of setting up Apple’s Face ID login. Tinder will then run checks comparing your face data to your current profile pics and automatically create a small face badge for your profile. We already know how it works, because Tinder has already launched the feature in Canada and California before the full US rollout.

The technology, powered by FaceTec, will keep biometric data of the user’s face in encrypted form but discard the scanning video for privacy. Tinder will be able to use the face data to detect duplicate accounts, in an effort to cut down on fake profiles and identity theft.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Tinder’s facial recognition rollout is also made to prevent catfishing, or people pretending to be someone else on Tinder to scam or blackmail them. But that also points to a deeper problem on the rise in dating apps — a growing number of bots, many controlled by AI, are designed to glean personal information or fool users into scammy subscriptions, among other problems.

Tinder’s working against these bots on several fronts, including this Face Check push as well as ID Check, which requires a government-issued ID and other types of photo verification.

The dating app also recently released a feature in June to enable double-dating with your friends, which Tinder reports is especially popular with Gen Z users. If you’re worried about the latest hazards on Tinder, we have guide to safety practices.

A representative for Tinder did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Thursday, Oct. 23

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Oct. 23.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Like some weather, memories and I.P.A.s
Answer: HAZY

5A clue: Statement that’s self-evidently true
Answer: AXIOM

7A clue: Civic automaker
Answer: HONDA

8A clue: What fear leads to, as Yoda told a young Anakin
Answer: ANGER

9A clue: Foxlike
Answer: SLY

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Verbal «lol»
Answer: HAHA

2D clue: Brain signal transmitter
Answer: AXON

3D clue: Hits with a witty comeback
Answer: ZINGS

4D clue: Sing at the top of a mountain, maybe
Answer: YODEL

6D clue: Name of the famous «Queen of Scots»
Answer: MARY

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Oct. 23 #599

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Oct. 23, No. 599.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle might be Halloween-themed, as the answers are all rather dangerous. Some of them are a bit tough to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: Please don’t eat me!

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Remember Mr. Yuk?

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

POND, NOON, NODE, BALE, SOCK, LOVE, LOCK, MOCK, LEER, REEL, GLOVE, DAIS, LEAN, LEAD, REEL

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers: