Apple has just released iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4 to the public. The new update includes a handful of improvements to Apple Music, 8 new emojis, support for AirPods Max 2, and much more. Most of the new features are available for both iPhones and iPads, with a few specific differences.
Here"s the official changelog for iOS 26.4:
Apple Music
- Concerts helps you discover nearby shows from artists in your library and recommends new artists based on what you listen to
- Offline Music Recognition in Control Centre identifies songs without an internet connection and delivers results automatically when you"re back online
- Ambient Music widget for Sleep, Chill, Productivity and Wellbeing brings curated playlists to the Home Screen
- Full-screen backgrounds give album and playlist pages a more immersive look
Accessibility
- Reduce bright effects setting minimises bright flashes when tapping on elements like buttons
- Subtitle and caption settings are available from the captions icon while viewing media, making them easier to find, customise and preview
- Reduce Motion setting more reliably reduces the animations of Liquid Glass for users sensitive to onscreen motion
This update also includes the following enhancements:
- Support for AirPods Max 2
- 8 new emoji including an orca, trombone, landslide, ballet dancer and distorted face are available in the emoji keyboard
- Freeform gains advanced image creation and editing tools, and a premium content library, joining Apple Creator Studio
- Mark reminders as urgent from the Quick Toolbar or by touching and holding, and filter for urgent reminders in your Smart Lists
- Purchase Sharing lets adult members in Family Sharing groups use their own payment method when making purchases, without relying on the family organiser
- Improved keyboard accuracy when typing quickly"
These are iPadOS 26.4-specific changes:
- "Compact tab bar option in Safari gives you more space to browse and lets you search directly from the active tab
- Open window indicator appears when you switch to an app with hidden or minimized windows"
Despite earlier reports that iOS 26.4 might bring a major Siri upgrade, Apple still hasn"t introduced any meaningful changes to its assistant. Hopefully, we"ll have more info by this June"s WWDC 2026 conference.
To update your iPhone/iPad to iOS 26.4/iPadOS 26.4, go to Settings > General > Software Update on your iPhone/iPad.