Apple has released iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4, the latest big updates for iPhone and iPad. The headline changes include tweaks to Apple Intelligence, a fresh batch of emoji, and more – including one particular bug fix we’ve been waiting for with bated breath.
Apple Intelligence gets sharper
Apple is continuing to flesh out Apple Intelligence – its umbrella term for AI-powered features built into iPhone. iOS 26.4 unfortunately doesn’t bring the long-awaited “Siri 2.0,” instead refining what we’ve already got. Apple’s official notes are a bit light on specifics, which usually means under-the-hood tuning rather than flashy new capabilities. Keep an eye on WWDC26 in June for bigger things, hopefully including a much-improved Siri.
Playlist Playground
If you’re an Apple Music subscriber and you live in the US, good news – iOS 26.4 brings a new feature that automagically creates playlists based on a prompt. That sounds like an AI feature, but it’s available on all iPhones, not just those compatible with Apple Intelligence.
There are a few smaller additions in Apple Music too, from offline song recognition to a new ambient music widget. Oh, and the Podcasts app gets better support for video podcasts.
A new batch of emoji
No Spring update feels complete without a few new tiny yellow faces joining the party. iOS 26.4 adds 8 new emoji characters, giving you a few more ways to react in Messages without having to type actual words – always handy.
The new glyphs include treasure chests, ballet dancers, and even Bigfoot. (Full list here.) I don’t know how society ever functioned without them.
Keyboard improvements
Do you feel like you’ve been making more typos that usual over the past year? You’re not imagining it – the iOS keyboard has been notoriously wonky since iOS 26 released. It seems Apple is quietly fixing it here, which is perhaps our favorite improvement of this entire update.
Vacuums in Home
The Home app now supports robot vacuums, which means compatible cleaners can be controlled alongside your other smart home devices. You can add them to scenes and automations, and ask Siri to send them off to do the floors while you do literally anything else.
Smaller fixes
Beyond the headline features, this update also includes the usual mix of interface polish, performance improvements, and bug fixes. These releases often tidy up rough edges you may not have consciously noticed, but you’ll appreciate them all the same once things feel a bit smoother and more reliable.
How to update
To install the update, open Settings > General > Software Update and follow the prompts to download and restart your iPhone. If you have automatic updates enabled, it may update on its own when the conditions are right – but it’s quicker to trigger the update yourself.