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Apple has released the fourth developer beta of iPadOS 26.4, which means the stable release is right around the corner. There are plenty of new features in this new update, which generally don’t happen so late in the OS update cycle. Here are all the major changes your iPad will get with the new iPadOS 26.4 update.
Apple Music gets a serious glow-up
The biggest change is in Apple Music. The app now features a fully immersive look, with album art filling the entire screen while the colors, text, and UI adapt to match.
You can now create AI-generated playlists by simply describing what you want using the new Playlist Playground feature. Type in “study session” or “old party songs,” and Apple Music builds a playlist for you in seconds.
Artist profiles now show upcoming concerts with Ticketmaster integration, so you always know whenever your favorite artist is performing in your area.
Video podcasts come to iPad
Video podcasts have finally arrived in the Apple Podcasts app. If a podcast supports video, you will see a small icon on the episode. Tap play and the video loads right in the Podcast app. You can also hide the video if you are on a limited data plan and download video podcasts for offline viewing.
Hidden windows reminder
iPadOS 26 brought a proper windowing system to iPad, letting you open multiple app windows and resize them freely. The downside is that it also makes it easier to lose track of open windows.
iPadOS 26.4 fixes that with a new pop-up that appears when you launch an app with hidden windows, letting you tap to bring them all back into view at once. Now you will never lose track of open windows of an app.
Ambient music widget
While you could previously access Ambient Sounds from the Control Center, you can now add it directly to your Home Screen and start playing with a single tap using a new widget. There are four options: Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing, each offering several playlist choices.
New emojis
The iPadOS 26.4 update will bring a set of eight new emojis for you to express yourself. The new emojis include Ballet Dancer, Distorted Face, Fight Cloud, Hairy Creature (Sasquatch), Landslide, Orca, Trombone, and Treasure Chest. New emojis generally do not excite me, but the distorted face emoji does look fun to use.
More changes coming in iPadOS 26.4
There are several other minor upgrades you get with the iPadOS 26.4 update. Safari on iPad finally gets a new compact tab bar option, there’s a new “Reduce Bright Effects” setting that tones down the Liquid Glass shimmer effect, and the App Store gets a layout refresh.
Reminders now includes an urgent, alarm-like alert feature, Stolen Device Protection is enabled by default, the wallpaper gallery has been redesigned, and the Control Center is now tinted to improve legibility.
When is iPadOS 26.4 coming to your iPad?
Overall, iPadOS 26.4 is shaping up to be a solid update with a good mix of eye-catching features and smaller improvements. As for when your iPad will receive the update, the stable release typically arrives about two weeks after the developer beta, so you can expect it before the end of the month.
