Apple has officially released the iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4 updates to the public. The new updates include various improvements like Playlist Playground for Apple Music, 8 new emojis and more.
iOS 26.4 & iPadOS 26.4: Updates released
Changelog
Apple Music
- Playlist Playground (beta) generates a playlist from your description, complete with a title, description, and tracklist
- Concerts helps you discover nearby shows from artists in your library and recommend new artists based on what you listen to
- Offline Music Recognition in Control Center 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 on-screen motion
Other improvements
- 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
Features included only with iPadOS 26.4:
- A new Hidden Windows popup to help ensure you don’t lose track of hidden windows
- Safari now lets you use a compact tab bar
- Apple Podcasts introduces enhanced video features
- Freeform gets new Apple Creator Studio-exclusive features
- Apple’s TV app makes it easy to customise subtitles
- Health app has some data visualisation updates
The new updates can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings> General> Software update.
