You Can Download iOS 26.4 on Your iPhone Right Now

Apple moves from iOS 26.3. After several rounds of developer betas, the company released iOS 26.4 on Tuesday.

iOS 26.4 includes early testing support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging, AI-generated playlists in Apple Music, changes to Protecting Stolen Devicesnew video capabilities in Apple Podcasts and a handful of under-the-hood tweaks that point to Apple’s next direction.

The update as a whole doesn’t introduce anything as flashy as that of iOS 26 Liquid glass redesign or its title Apple Intelligence featuresbut it continues Apple’s model for point releases: expanding features that were previously limited or hidden, strengthening privacy and security, and laying the groundwork for things that won’t fully arrive until later this year.

To download the update, go to Settings > General > Software Update and select Update now for iOS 26.4.

Watch this: I’m impressed with iOS 26. Apple just improved iPhones

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All the new features of iOS 26.4

The iOS 26.4 update adds some notable changes and expands features that Apple has been quietly testing.

• Early support for end-to-end encrypted RCS: iOS 26.4 adds a toggle Settings > Messages > RCS Messaging which allows developers to test end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging in the Messages app. When enabled, encrypted RCS chats will display a new lock icon in chat threads. At the moment, capacity is limited: it is not available for all devices or operators. This is not a full deployment, but a first step towards encrypted RCS in a future update.
• Stolen Device Protection Updates: Apple lights up Protecting Stolen Devices automatically for all iPhone users instead of leaving it opt-in. This security feature, first introduced in 2023, requires Face ID or Touch ID (and in some cases a delay) before someone can do things like view saved passwords, turn off Lost Mode, wipe the device, or change your Apple ID password when away from trusted locations. You can always turn it off if you want.
• Apple Music Playlist Play Area: iOS 26.4 introduced Apple Music new Playlist Playground, an Apple Intelligence-based tool that lets you generate entire playlists from text prompts (like a mix for a rainy day). You can enter your own description or choose from built-in ideas, then edit the generated playlist with other prompts. Apple Music also includes a new Concerts Near You feature and redesigned full-page artwork for albums and playlists.
• Video in Apple Podcasts: The Podcasts app supports video episodes, allowing you to switch between audio and video versions, stream shows, and download video podcasts for offline viewing.

iOS 26.4 also includes other new features and minor improvements, like a new unified Apple Account Hub and the return of notification forwarding, as well as the usual round of bug fixes and performance optimizations typical of an early developer beta.

Which iPhone models support iOS 26?

As long as you have an iPhone 11 or newer, you can download iOS 26. This means the iPhone XR/XS generation is over, while all A13 Bionic handsets, including the upcoming iPhone 17 models, will work.

Apple Intelligence only works on compatible phones, which include all iPhone 16 models and the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max.