Apple makes macOS 11.5 beta five available to developers, public testers

Credit: Andrew O'Hara, AppleInsider

Apple has released the fifth beta version of its upcoming macOS 11.5 update, allowing both developers and public testers to try out the new build.

The latest builds can be downloaded by developers in the beta-testing scheme via the Apple Developer Center, or as an over-the-air update for hardware already using earlier beta builds. A public beta version of macOS 11.5 is also available through the Apple Beta Software Program website.

Apple released the fourth beta version of macOS 11.5 on June 29, and the third version on June 14. The company kicked off beta testing macOS 11.5 in May.

Apple also released fifth beta versions of iOS 14.7, iPadOS 14.7, tvOS 14.7, and watchOS 7.6 on Thursday.

At this point, it appears that macOS 11.5 is a relatively minor update focused on system improvements, under-the-hood changes, and security fixes. Apple has shifted its primary focus to the upcoming macOS Monterey operating system.

Both AppleInsider and Apple strongly advise users avoid installing betas on to "mission-critical" or primary devices, due to the potential for data loss or other issues. Instead, the recommendation is to install betas onto secondary or non-essential devices, and to ensure there are sufficient backups of important data before making any major changes.

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