Apple has released the first iOS 26.4 RC build, highlighting 13 enhancements coming to your iPhone, and that means three things.
First, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the public next week. Second, iOS 26.5 with the first Gemini-powered Siri and Apple Intelligence features is next in the beta cycle. And third, Apple has shared detailed release notes about what’s new in iOS 26.4.
iOS 26.4 release notes
Here are the official release notes for iOS 26.4, which detail 13 enhancements coming to your iPhone:
This update introduces Playlist Playground and Concerts in Apple Music, and 8 new emoji, along with other features, bug fixes, and security updates for your iPhone.
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 recommends new artists based on what you listen to
- Offline Music Recognize 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 curates playlists to the Home Screen
- Full screen backgrounds give album and playlist pages a more immersive look
Accessibility
- Reduce bright effects setting minimizes 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, customize, and preview
- Reduce Motion setting more reliably reduces the animations of Liquid Glass for users sensitive to screen motion
This update also includes the following enhancements:
- 8 new emjoji 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 organizer
- Improved keyboard accuracy when typing quickly
iOS 26.4 is available as a release candidate build for beta testers starting today. The official release will likely follow next week. You can see 9to5Mac’s full hands-on coverage of iOS 26.4 features here.
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