Apple has released iOS 18.4, which brings additional improvements to Apple Intelligence features, a new exciting capability for iPhone 15 Pro devices, new emojis, and more.
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Although it doesn’t have as many new features as previous iOS 18 sub-releases, iOS 18.4 offers enhancements aimed at making your iPhone smarter and smoother. Below, we’ve listed 12 new things your iPhone can do after installing the update through Settings ➝ General ➝ Software Update.
Prioritize Notifications
iOS 18.4 introduces a smarter way to manage notifications with the new "Prioritize Notifications" feature. Initially, this feature was available only as an all-or-nothing setting in beta 1, but in the latest beta, you can customize this feature for each app individually.
Priority notifications appear in a dedicated section on the Lock Screen, ensuring you see the most important alerts first. Apple Intelligence automatically determines which notifications deserve priority status, but you can still access all notifications by swiping up to view the Notification Center.
Explore Vision Pro Content
If you own an Apple Vision Pro headset, iOS 18.4 will install a dedicated Vision Pro app on your iPhone. This companion app helps you discover and download content for your headset without having to wear it.
The app features specialized sections for immersive videos, 3D movies, and the ability to download apps directly to your Vision Pro device. There's also a "My Vision Pro" section offering a user guide and helpful tips to get the most out of your device.
Apple Intelligence via Control Center
The Control Center in iOS 18.4 now includes a dedicated section for Apple Intelligence. This new section includes the "Write to Siri" option (which was previously found under the Siri section that was removed), as well as new controls to activate Siri and access Visual Intelligence features.
Visual Intelligence via Action Button
In iOS 18.4, a new option allows you to configure the Action Button to trigger Visual Intelligence. This provides an alternative to using the camera control button on iPhone 16 models and enables this feature on iPhone 15 Pro devices.
Visual Intelligence lets you use the iPhone’s camera to recognize places and objects around you. It can also: summarize texts, read texts aloud, translate texts, search Google for items, ask ChatGPT questions, and perform more smart tasks.
Pause Downloads
A simple but useful addition in iOS 18.4 is the ability to pause app downloads directly from the Updates list in the App Store.
Previously, you could only stop installations entirely from the store or pause them by pressing the app icon from the Home Screen. Now, you can pause or resume downloads easily and flexibly, whether the app is being downloaded for the first time or just being updated.
Change App Settings via Shortcuts
Power users will appreciate the new set of actions added to the Shortcuts app in iOS 18.4. Most of these actions focus on modifying app settings directly without needing to navigate manually through the settings.
For example, the Maps app can now execute shortcuts to avoid traffic or toll roads, adjust the volume, and manage directions via the radio. Safari has added shortcuts for auto-filling forms, blocking pop-ups, closing tabs, changing search engines, and modifying the tab bar settings.
Other apps that received new shortcuts include Reminders, Calendar, Apple TV, Books, Notes, Voice Memos, and Weather.
Get the Latest in the Food World
Apple has launched a new dedicated food section within the Apple News app, offering tens of thousands of recipes, restaurant articles, healthy eating tips, and kitchen essentials—all in one place.
This section is exclusive to Apple News+ subscribers and aggregates content from top cooking magazines and websites like: Allrecipes, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Good Food, and Serious Eats.
One of the standout features is the "Recipe Catalog," which is regularly updated with new recipes. It also includes a practical "Cook Mode," which provides step-by-step instructions while cooking, and allows you to save your favorite recipes for offline access.
Hand Drawing in Image Playground
The iOS 18.4 update expands the creative capabilities of the Image Playground app by adding a new hand-drawing (Sketch) style. This artistic option joins the previously available Animation and Illustration styles.
You can easily switch between these styles by pressing the "+" button within the app, allowing you to experiment with and change the visual style smoothly. Additionally, Apple has updated the seasonal themes within the app, replacing the "Winter Holidays" theme with a new "Spring" theme in line with the changing seasons.
Play Soothing Music
The iOS 18.4 update introduces a new and relaxing feature called "Ambient Music," which can be accessed directly from the Control Center.
This addition offers four distinct sound categories:
Sleep
Chill
Productivity
Wellbeing
You can add each category individually to the Control Center, allowing quick access to your preferred soundscapes. Simply press on a category to play a random selection of sounds or music specific to that style.
Control Center provides basic playback functions, but you can access additional controls by tapping the Dynamic Island at the top of the screen or through the "Now Playing" widget, where you can skip tracks and see what's currently playing.
Email Classification on iPad
iPad users also get an intelligent upgrade in the Mail app with the introduction of the email classification feature in the iPadOS 18.4 update.
This organizational feature, previously introduced for iPhone users in iOS 18.2, automatically sorts incoming emails into different categories for more efficient inbox management. The system prioritizes important communications in the "Primary" section, while organizing other emails into practical categories such as: Purchases, Newsletters, Promotions, and Social Media Notifications.
The goal of this classification is to reduce inbox clutter and ensure the most important messages appear first.
Larger Home Screen in CarPlay
CarPlay receives a welcome update in terms of space in iOS 18.4, with some users reporting that the Home Screen now displays three rows of app icons instead of just two.
This update allows drivers to see more apps without having to scroll, making it easier to access navigation, music, messages, and other apps while driving more safely and comfortably.
Express Yourself with New Emojis
The iOS 18.4 update includes new emojis, including:
Eye bags
Fingerprint
Leafless tree
Root vegetables
Harp instrument
Shovel
Color spot
These emojis are part of Unicode 16, which was released in September 2024.
Additional Small Improvements in iOS 18.4:
One-click options to delete or restore all photos in the "Recently Deleted" section in the Photos app.
New sounds for Siri.
New widgets for the Podcasts app.
A newly organized list within the Wallet app, including options for orders, settings, subscriptions, and payments.
