Apple released its public beta of the new OS X Yosemite operating system Thursday. The new public beta program was initially detailed at this years WWDC last month, and is an opportunity for non-developers to download and test the new OS in its initial and incomplete form.

According to Apple, only the first one million people to sign up for the beta program on its website will be eligible to download it now before the official OS is launched this fall. 

A report by Mac World details the process users undergo in order to get the beta. First you register on the beta program's website, at which point you will then receive a "redemption code" that you then enter in at the Mac App Store, whereupon you'll then be prompted with an "installer app" that will then download the beta to your Mac.

After you've successfully installed the Yosemite beta, future updates will arrive automatically all the way until the official launch this fall. 

The public beta is the exact same as the developer preview Apple pushed out to its dev community earlier in the week, although the developer update timeline might be different than that for regular users. 

If you do decide to install the public beta, just remember that it isn't a finalized product, which means certain aspects probably won't work the way you might expect them to. Always be sure to backup your Mac before installing the beta, that way if anything goes wrong or if you want to roll your machine back to the way it was, you can. 

How to Sign Up for the Beta Program

If the one million user limited hasn't been exceeded, you can still sign up for the beta program. You'll need to go to the beta program web page and click on the "sign up" button. After that just follow the prompts. You will need to have a legit Apple ID in order for it to work, though. 

Is the Yosemite Beta Free?

Yes.

How to Know if You've Been Accepted into the Program

If you've already applied, and you were one of the first million users to do so, then you're in. You should receive a redemption code if you were successfully accepted into the program that allows you to download the beta from the Mac App Store.

If you don't receive a redemption code after signing up, contact Apple. But, bear in mind, you might be out of luck if more than a million people have already signed up. 

Previous Beta Program Registration

If you signed up for the OS X Beta Seed Program previously, you are not automatically enrolled in the OS X Yosemite beta program. 

Requirements to Run OS X Yosemite Beta

Basically, if your Mac can run Mavericks (OS X 10.9), then you will be able to run the Yosemite beta. 

Backup

Again: if you are installing the Yosemite beta, do yourself a favor and back up your current configuration first. When in doubt, always back up your computer. 

If you decide to install OS X Yosemite beta, we wish you luck. You might want to check out Mac World's complete FAQ here.