iOS 18.4 Public Beta: What’s New and How to Get It

Apple has officially released the iOS 18.4 public beta, along with updates for iPadOS 18.4, macOS Sequoia 15.4, watchOS 11.4, and tvOS 15.4. These updates introduce Priority Notifications, an enhanced Apple News+ Food section, Ambient Music features, and Vision Pro integration. If you’re eager to try out the latest improvements before the full release, here’s everything you need to know.

How to Download iOS 18.4 Public Beta

Public beta testers can download iOS 18.4 by:

1. Visiting Apple’s public beta testing website and signing up.
2. Navigating to Settings > General > Software Update on their iPhone.
3. Enabling Beta Updates and selecting iOS 18.4 Public Beta.

Once installed, you’ll get access to new Apple Intelligence enhancements, refined notification management, and other exciting features.

New Features in iOS 18.4

1. Priority Notifications

Apple is making notifications smarter with Priority Notifications, an AI-driven feature that ensures your most important alerts appear first. This feature can be enabled under Settings > Notifications > Prioritize Notifications, allowing you to customize which alerts are prioritized on your Lock Screen.

2. Apple News+ Food Section

Food enthusiasts will appreciate Apple News+’s new Food section, which provides:

• A curated collection of recipes from top sources.
• Food-related news on restaurants, health trends, and culinary stories.
• An ad-free recipe interface, offering a clutter-free cooking experience.

If you’ve ever struggled with messy recipe websites overloaded with ads, this streamlined experience will be a game-changer.

3. Image Playground: Sketch Mode

Apple has expanded its AI-powered Image Playground with a new Sketch style. This joins the existing Animation and Illustration modes, giving users another creative way to generate AI-assisted artwork.

4. Vision Pro Integration

For Apple Vision Pro users, iOS 18.4 brings a dedicated Vision Pro app, allowing users to:

• Manage the headset directly from their iPhone.
• Discover and download apps, games, and TV content for Vision Pro.
• Control Guest Mode, making it easier for others to experience Vision Pro without changing personal settings.

With every iOS update, many users find themselves needing to transfer data between devices, especially if they are switching phones. Smart Transfer is the perfect third-party phone clone app for this task.

Unlike AirDrop, which is limited to Apple devices, Smart Transfer’s transfer mobile feature allows you to share files, photos, videos, and contacts across iOS and Android seamlessly. Whether you’re testing beta software or moving to a new iPhone, Smart Transfer device clone ensures a smooth and secure transition without losing data.

5. Ambient Music in Control Center

Apple is enhancing Control Center with a new Ambient Music feature, offering:

• Relaxing playlists for different moods (Chill, Productivity, Sleep, Wellbeing).
• Customizable options to replace the default Apple Music playlists.
• Quick access via Control Center or the Action button.

This feature makes it easier than ever to set the mood with a single tap.

6. Mail Categorization for iPad and Mac

Previously available only on iPhone, the new Mail Categorization feature now extends to iPad and Mac, helping users automatically sort emails into categories such as:

• Primary (important messages).
• Transactions (receipts, orders, and invoices).
• Updates (newsletters and promotions).

This makes managing emails faster and more organized across all Apple devices.

Final Thoughts

The iOS 18.4 public beta brings notable AI-driven improvements, enhanced media features, and better device management options. While some features, like Siri AI enhancements, are still missing, this update refines the iPhone experience with smarter notifications, improved Apple News+, and deeper Vision Pro integration.

And if you’re upgrading your iPhone or switching devices, don’t forget to use Smart Transfer to make the process effortless.