- The third beta of iOS 26.2 is now available
- It includes a new way to use AirDrop with people who aren’t your contacts
- This also hints at the possibility of changing the default voice assistant, but so far only in Japan.
Apple has now rolled out the third beta version of iOS 26.2, and while most of the changes and additions here are minor, there is one pretty big new feature.
Now – as spotted by MacRumors – you’ll be able to use AirDrop to share files with someone without having to add them as a contact first, or enable AirDrop for everyone nearby. Instead, you can generate a code that – once shared with someone – lets you exchange files via AirDrop for 30 days. So this works even if your AirDrop is set to Contacts only.
If you want to remove their AirDrop privileges before the 30 days are up – or just see a list of those with whom you’ve shared such a code – you can do so from Settings > General > AirDrop > Manage Known AirDrop Contacts.
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The other changes in this iOS 26.2 beta are relatively minor, but worth knowing about. For example, third-party medical apps will now be able to access the Apple Watch’s hypertension notifications, and Apple has further tweaked the level design in the Measure app, after giving it a Liquid Glass redesign in the previous beta.
Most other additions simply provide you with information about changes added in previous beta versions. For example, there’s now text in the Reminders app making it clearer that you can add an alarm to a reminder if you set it as urgent – the ability to add alarms having been added in a previous beta version of iOS 26.2.
Likewise, a warning is now added to the Liquid Glass settings screen, warning you that you cannot use the previously added “Tint” option in combination with the “Reduce Transparency” and “Increase Contrast” accessibility settings.
A Siri replacement only in Japan
There’s one last thing though that could be a big deal, except that it’s currently limited to Japan, as there are signs in this beta that users in Japan will soon be able to choose another default voice assistant that you can launch with a long press of the side button.
It’s unclear why this would be exclusive to Japan, but if Apple ever expands this to the rest of the world, it could be a huge upgrade for anyone who doesn’t like Siri.
In any case, as with previous beta versions of iOS 26.2, we don’t necessarily recommend downloading this, especially since the final version will likely be released very soon. But if you just can’t wait, here’s how to download iOS betas.
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