New Emoji, Playlist Generator and More: All the New Features iOS 26.4 Brings to Your iPhone


Apple released iOS 26.4 on Tuesday, March 24, about a week after the tech giant released iOS 26.3.1 (a), the company’s first Background Security Improvement update. The most recent update brings a slew of features to your iPhone, including new emoji and video podcasts.

Tech Tips

You can download iOS 26.4 now by going to Settings and tapping General. Next, select Software Update, tap Update Now and follow the prompts on your screen.

Here are some of the new features iOS 26.4 brings to your iPhone.

New emoji

An orca, distorted face and other emoji coming out of a smartphone.

All the new emoji iOS 26.4 brings to your iPhone.

CNET/Apple

With iOS 26.4, your iPhone gets eight new emoji. Those emoji include:

The Unicode Consortium is responsible for creating emoji, and it approved these new emoji in September as part of Unicode 17.0. But this is the first time the emoji are showing up on iPhones. 

Video podcasts come to Apple Podcasts

The iOS 26.4 update also brings video to your Podcasts app. To view these video podcasts, open the Podcasts app and start listening to an episode with the video player icon in the top right corner of the title card. Once you’re listening, open the media player and tap the Turn Video On button near the podcast’s progress bar. The podcast’s artwork will be replaced with the video. To turn the video off again, tap Turn Video Off and the podcast’s artwork will return.

Side-by-side screenshots of the Podcasts app. On the left we see a podcasts artwork and on the right we see that artwork replaced by a video.

Video podcasts are a fun addition to the Podcasts app.

Apple/Screenshots by CNET

Reduce some Liquid Glass effects across your device

Apple’s iOS 26.4 update adds another setting to minimize Liquid Glass effects across your device: Reduce Bright Effects. Here’s where to find this setting.

1. Tap Settings.
2. Tap Accessibility.
3. Tap Display & Text Size.
4. Scroll down the menu to find Reduce Bright Effects.

The Reduce Bright Effects option in the Display and Text Size settings menu.

Reduce Bright Effects can eliminate some Liquid Glass effects.

Apple/Screenshot by CNET

Apple says the setting will minimize highlighting and flashing when interacting with on-screen elements, such as buttons or the keyboard. So if you find certain flash elements annoying, you can now disable them. 

Playlist Playground in Apple Music

The iOS 26.4 update also introduces a new playlist generator for Apple Music subscribers called Playlist Playground. Apple says the feature can create a playlist based on your description. Once you enter your description, it will create a playlist with a title, tracklist and general description.

To access Playlist Playground, first you have to be an Apple Music subscriber. Then, open Apple Music and go to your Library. In your Library, you’ll see a new icon at the top of your screen with a plus and a few lines next to it. Tap this, and you’ll be prompted to describe your playlist.

Apple Music's Playlist Playground which can create a playlist for you based on your own desccription.

Playlist Playground can generate a playlist for you in no time.

Apple/Screenshots by CNET

Apple notes this feature is still in beta, so it might create unexpected results. So you might ask for a good gym mix and end up with some Whitney Houston — but who’s to say Whitney isn’t good gym music?

Find nearby concerts with the aptly named Concerts feature

iOS 26.4 brings a new Concerts feature to your Apple Music app. 

“Concerts helps you discover nearby shows from artists in your library and recommends new artists based on what you listen to,” Apple writes in the update’s description. That way, you can easily find nearby shows.

To find Concerts, tap the magnifying glass icon at the bottom of your Apple Music screen, then tap Concerts. The feature may ask for your location the first time you use it. Then you’ll see popular shows nearby, along with their dates, times and locations. Tapping into any of these shows gives you more information on the show, as well as a link to buy tickets.

The Concerts menu in Apple Music.

The Concerts tab in Apple Music makes it easy to see upcoming shows in your area.

Apple/Screenshot by CNET

Shazam works offline, kind of

With iOS 26.4, your Control Center’s Shazam app can work in more ways. Now, if you aren’t connected to the internet and use the Control Center app to identify a song, the app will eventually tell you the song’s identity once you’re back online. 

Ambient Music home screen widgets

Apple introduced two new Ambient Music widgets for your home screen with iOS 26.4. These widgets let you easily access the four Ambient Music playlists: Sleep, Chill, Productivity, Wellbeing. You can quickly turn on a relaxing playlist to unwind after a long day, or one to help you focus on the task at hand.

An iPhone widget for the Ambient Music feature.

The Ambient Music widget makes it easy to play music for just the right setting.

Apple/Screenshot by CNET

Apple introduced these playlists to your iPhone alongside iOS 18.4 in 2024. However, you could only access those playlists from your Control Center at the time. 

Let other adults in your Family pay for themselves

In iOS 26.4, other adults in your Family sharing group can now use their own payment instead of depending on the group organizer’s payment method. That means if you’re an adult and have a family sharing group with your own parents, siblings or other family members, you can now purchase a new game, movie or something else with your own information instead of using someone else’s information and then paying them back for using their money. 

This can be a helpful feature that allows you to avoid the hassle of paying someone else back for using their payment information. And if you’re the person whose card is always used, it can be a nice way to ensure others pay for their own stuff and don’t freeload off you. 

More caption options when viewing videos

With iOS 26.4, you can easily change the caption style while watching content in certain apps, such as Apple TV. 

To see these options, start playing a video, then tap the speech bubble icon in the bottom-right corner of your screen to open the subtitle menu. Tap Style, and you’ll see the subtitle options Classic (the default setting), Large Text, Outline Text and Transparent Background. So if you and a few others are watching something on your iPhone and want to make sure everyone can see the captions, you might choose Large Text.

The subtitle style menu.

You can adjust the subtitles in some apps thanks to iOS 26.4.

Apple/Screenshot by CNET

More control over wallpaper Collections

The iOS 26.4 update also gives you more control over which wallpaper Collections are on your iPhone. Now, if you go to Settings > Wallpaper > Add New Wallpaper, you can tap Get under Collections like Weather and Astronomy. 

If you want to delete a Collection from your device, tap the check mark to the right of the downloaded Collection, and the option to Remove from Gallery appears. Tap this to delete the Collection from your iPhone, saving you some precious space.

The option to Remove from Gallery is highlighted in the Add New Wallpaper menu.

You can remove wallpaper Collections from your iPhone if you want to save a little more space. 

Apple/Screenshot by CNET

Here are the release notes for iOS 26.4.

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 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 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 on-screen motion.

This update also includes the following enhancements:

  • Support for AirPods Max 2.
  • 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 organizer.
  • Improved keyboard accuracy when typing quickly.

For more iOS news, check out what features were included in iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.2. You can also take a look at our iOS 26 cheat sheet for other tips and tricks.

Watch this: Don’t Wait: iOS 26.4 Brings New Emoji, Keyboard Fixes, AI Playlists





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Michelin is a French multinational company that many consumers consider to be one of the most satisfying major tire brands. This firm makes several tire models that offer comfort, performance, all-terrain prowess, and everything in between — including cutting-edge products like the $42,000-per-set Michelin Pilot Sport PAX that it developed specifically for the Bugatti Veyron. Aside from its own tires, Michelin also owns other tire brands that you might be familiar with, including BFGoodrich, Achilles, and Corsa.

While tires are what Michelin is known for, the company has put its name to more than the rubber that wraps around your car’s rims. In fact, the company sells several other products that aren’t tires. So, we’re listing a few Michelin-branded items that you can buy online and in retail stores. While they might not all be made of rubber or even related to vehicles, these tools and accessories can come in handy when keeping your car — and even yourself — in good shape.

Michelin tire inflator

Since Michelin is primarily known for its tires, it makes sense for the company to sell a Michelin-branded tire inflator as well. That way, if you get a flat on one of the Michelin tires on your car or want to regularly top up your car’s tire pressure to maintain optimum performance, you can use a Michelin-branded pump to fill up your tires. The company actually sells several types of inflators on its Amazon page, but it only offers a single motorized unit — the Michelin Micro Tyre Inflator, which is available on Amazon for $98.99.

This little device is only slightly wider than an iPhone 17 and weighs about 400 grams, or 14 ounces. This means it’s easy to store in your car and to move to whichever tire needs topping up. More importantly, it takes power from a 12-volt socket, allowing you to run it using your car’s battery. It also has a USB port for charging your phone (or any other USB device) in case of an emergency.

Some users say that the device is slow, taking about 12 minutes to bring a tire from 10 to 32 PSI, but that’s not unexpected given its small size. Still, it should be good enough for regular weekly maintenance if you know your car’s proper tire pressure, or in case of an emergency. Its biggest downside is that you need a power source to run it, but having a dead battery and a flat tire simultaneously is likely a rare occurrence in many modern cars.

Michelin mini fridge

Taking a road trip during the summer can get you thirsty, and there’s no better way to quench that thirst than by drinking a cool can of soda (or your beverage of choice). If you want to ensure that you’ll always have a cold drink ready while you’re driving on the freeway, Michelin’s mini fridge will help you with that. This nifty little refrigerator is available on Amazon for just $99.99 and can be connected to either 110V AC or 12V DC power, ensuring that it will work on both your desk and in your car.

The mini fridge measures 6.9 x 9.45 x 10 inches (17.5 x 24 x 25.4 cm), meaning it can easily fit on a garage shelf or office desk. It should also be small enough to put on the floor of your car. Despite that relatively small size, it’s large enough to fit six 350-ml cans or four 500-ml bottles, and it will keep these items at a chilly 32 degrees Fahrenheit or 18 degrees Celsius. It also has an LED light on the door, so it can double as a night light if necessary.

Aside from keeping your drinks (and other food items) below room temperature, it also has a few other creature comforts. These include a removable shelf and door basket for flexibility and easy cleaning, as well as a retractable carry handle and a self-locking door to make transportation easier.

Michelin car floor mats

Heavy-duty car floor mats are often made from rubber for durability and water resistance, and since Michelin is in the business of rubber, it makes sense for the company to offer exactly that. So, if you want to protect your vehicle’s floor from dirt, dust, and mud, the company can help you with its Michelin all-weather car floor mats. This four-piece package is available on Amazon for $49.99 and comes in either black or tan.

The surface of these floor mats is specially designed to trap debris, snow, and water, preventing them from ruining the carpet on your vehicle. The mats have a cleat backing that grips your car’s floor and prevents them from slipping. The front row mats also come with what Michelin calls a Gripclip Retention System, allowing them to clip into your vehicle’s safety clips and adding even more reassurance that they won’t accidentally slip while you’re driving and pose a hazard to your safety.

These mats are universal and will work in most vehicles. However, they’re also easy to customize: If you find them a bit too large for the footwell of your tiny hatchback, you can use a pair of scissors to trim the edges for a perfect fit.

Michelin Stealth Ultra wiper blades

While Michelin’s Stealth Ultra wiper blades aren’t generally considered among the best windshield wipers, they appear to be a pretty good choice given their four-star rating on Amazon. These wipers cost $49.99 and are available in various size combinations for all sorts of cars. This ensures that no matter what vehicle you’re driving, you can probably find a set that will fit your needs.

These Michelin wipers are curved to conform to the shape of your windscreen for a clean, streak-free wipe. The company’s Amazon listing claims that these are designed to “withstand rain, wind, snow, mud, dust, or any other debris that might hamper your windshield’s visibility.” While you might think that windshield wipers are pretty simple items, and that you can just purchase any generic wipers off the internet, you must remember that they’re essential so that you have the best visibility possible during inclement weather. So, for your safety, consider investing in a set from a reputable brand like Michelin.

Michelin work boots

Michelin is known for making rubber tires to put on your car’s “feet,” but did you know it also makes shoes for the driver’s feet? The company makes sports & outdoor footwear, as well as shoes for work and safety. For this example, we have the Michelin HydroEdge Steel Toe waterproof work boot, listed for $210 on Amazon and at Georgia Boot. This shoe is available in U.S. sizes from 7.5 up to 14, ensuring that no matter what size you wear, you can get a Michelin work boot for yourself.

As the name suggests, this pair of shoes has steel toes to protect your feet from accidental impacts and is fully waterproof to help keep your feet dry, even in supposedly severe conditions. It also meets ASTM F2413 standards for electrical protection, meaning it has fully insulating soles to protect you from electrical hazards at work. Michelin also added what it calls an Advanced Rear Suspension system to its heel, ensuring proper shock absorption when you walk.





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