When can I download iOS 26.4? iPhone update timeline as release date nears and new features set to debut

Apple’s iOS 26 for iPhone got off to a rough start when it was finally released to the public in September of last year.

Its new Liquid Glass design language remained unpolished in many areas, and the operating system harbored a fair amount of bugs. But since iOS 26.0 debuted, Apple has released three major updates for it, further polishing the interface and adding new features.

And soon, Apple will update iOS 26 once again with the release of iOS 26.4. It’s a release that is set to not just eliminate bugs and enhance the details of Liquid Glass, but is also set to add some significant new features to your iPhone.

Here’s what’s coming, and when you can get iOS 26.4.

What new features are coming to iOS 26.4?

Apple has been beta testing iOS 26.4 since last month. Originally, the software update was rumored to include the company’s revamped Siri, powered by Google’s Gemini LLM. However, Siri’s AI revamp has been absent from all iOS 26.4 betas to date, so it looks like a truly useful Apple digital assistant is still a ways away.

But that doesn’t mean iOS 26.4 doesn’t have any new features. Quite the contrary. Besides your normal user interface polishes and bug fixes, iOS 26.4 is set to include some major upgrades to its media apps, notes 9to5Mac. Those upgrades include:

• AI-powered music playlist creation: iOS 26.4 will add a feature to the Music app called “Playlist Playground.” The feature allows you to generate music playlists from natural-language text descriptions. So you could instruct the Playlist Playground feature to make a playlist of “80s rock ballads under five minutes long,” and the Music app will generate a playlist based on your prompt.
• Podcasts app video overhaul: Apple’s Podcasts app has supported video podcasts for some time. But in iOS 26.4, its video capabilities are getting a major upgrade. Now you can quickly switch between the audio and video versions of a podcast. This feature will be great for those times when you are watching a video podcast, but then suddenly need to be on the move—soon you’ll be able to easily switch to the audio version of the podcast, ensuring you can still enjoy it when your eyes are needed on other things.
• Redesigned album and playlist interface: Also in the Music app, Apple has redesigned the look of the interface that you see when displaying playlists or albums in full screen. In iOS 26.4, the Music app will now tint the entire screen based on the album art color scheme, giving each playlist and album its own unique look.

And that’s not all: iOS 26.4 will add numerous small refinements and additions across the operating system, including new emojis, new Ambient Music widgets for your Home Screen, automatic activation of Stolen Device Protection, and more.

iOS 26.4 beta: Download it now

While Apple hasn’t released iOS 26.4 to the general public yet, it has released four betas of the software to developers and public beta testers. And if you are in any of those two groups, you can download the latest beta of iOS 26.4 onto your iPhone today.

To download the developer beta, you’ll need to be a member of the Apple Developer Program.

If you’re not a developer, but still want to try out the new software early, you can join the Apple Beta Software Program for free and get access to public betas—including the iOS 26.4 beta—today.

Of course, the usual warning applies: betas are buggy, and in rare cases, they can cause data loss or otherwise harm your phone. So always proceed with caution if you decide to download a beta.

iOS 26.4 final release: Download it later this month

If a beta isn’t your thing, you’ll have to wait until Apple releases the final version of iOS 26.4 to the public. Thankfully, you probably won’t have to wait too much longer.

Apple generally has a 5-6 beta development cycle for iOS “point” upgrades like iOS 26.4. Apple released the first iOS 26.4 beta in mid-February, which means the final public version of the beta is highly likely to be released between mid-March and the end of the month.

Once Apple releases the final version of the software, you’ll be able to download iOS 26.4 right to your iPhone using the device’s Software Update feature in the Settings app.

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