Apple has released the second Public Beta version of OS X 10.11 El Capitan to users participating in the testing program. The version closely matches the 4th developer beta, arriving as build 15A225f, and should offer notable bug fixes along with improvements to stability and performance compared to the first public beta release of El Capitan.



Mac users who are currently running OS X El Capitan Public Beta can find the updated version available now to download from the Mac App Store, accessible from the  Apple menu > App Store > Updates tab. The download is between 2GB and 3GB depending on the target Mac hardware, and requires a reboot to install. Be sure to back up the Mac before proceeding.

For those who are interested, anyone can opt-in to participate in the OS X Public Beta program and send Apple feedback about OS X El Capitan, though it’s best to reserve beta system software for secondary machines, or at the very least, dual boot OS X El Capitan with a separate partition or disk to preserve your primary stable OS X experience. Additionally, always back up the Mac before installing any updates, and make it a regular habit if you’re using beta system software, which is notoriously buggy and not up to par compared to a stable final release of OS X.

OS X El Capitan will be available as a free update later in the year, arriving sometime in the fall for Mac users.

Separately, iOS 9 Public Beta 2 is also available today for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch users interested in running beta iOS versions.