Just when you thought you had mastered all your iPhone’s tricks, iOS 18.4 arrives with a fresh batch of features that genuinely enhance how you use your iPhone.
This latest update — available as a public beta as of this writing — sharpens Apple’s AI offerings with easier access points, tackles the ever-present notification overload problem, and adds thoughtful conveniences. iOS 18.4’s features strike a balance between new capabilities and practical improvements.
From reprogramming your Action button for smarter AI access to finally gaining proper control over app downloads, iOS 18.4 shows that even smaller updates between major releases can significantly enhance how you use your iPhone.
Let’s dive into how iOS 18.4 brings these new capabilities to your iPhone and how to make the most of them.
1. Easy access to Apple Intelligence
(Image: © Tom’s Guide )
iOS 18.4 introduces a dedicated Apple Intelligence section in the Control Center, making AI-powered features more accessible than ever on compatible iPhones.
This new area includes the Type to Siri functionality that was previously tucked away elsewhere, along with quick access to Visual Intelligence and Talk to Siri.
Getting this set up is straightforward — simply open your Control Center (swipe down from the top-right on newer iPhones), then long-press until the icons start to jiggle.
Next, tap the plus icon, scroll down to find the Apple Intelligence & Siri section, and select Visual Intelligence to add it to your Control Center for quick access.
2. Customize your notification priorities
(Image: © Tom’s Guide )
Notification overload is one of the most frustrating parts of owning a smartphone, constantly pulling your attention in different directions.
iOS 18.4 helps cut through the chaos with its new Priority Notifications feature. When enabled, your most important alerts appear in their own section on the Lock Screen, helping you see what matters most at a glance.
To enable this feature, navigate to Settings, Notifications, Prioritize notifications and toggle it on. Then select specific app notifications you want to appear in the priority section.
3. Visual Intelligence and the Action button
(Image: © Tom’s Guide )
iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 users can now configure the Action button to launch Visual Intelligence, Apple’s object recognition tool.
This is particularly useful for iPhone 15 Pro owners who don’t have the dedicated Camera Control button found on the iPhone 16 models.
To set this up on compatible devices, go to Settings and select Action Button. Browse through the available options until you find Visual Intelligence, then select it as your preferred action.
Once configured, you can identify objects around you by simply pointing your camera and pressing the Action button.
You’ll be given two options. Search performs a standard web search about the object, while Ask lets you pose specific questions that ChatGPT will attempt to answer about what you’re looking at.
4. Pause your downloads
(Image: © Tom’s Guide )
A practical improvement in iOS 18.4 is the ability to pause app downloads directly from the App Store’s update list.
Previously, you had to either completely cancel an installation or awkwardly press the app icon on your Home Screen to access pause controls.
The new functionality works for both fresh downloads and app updates, offering more convenient control over installation timing. You simply have to press the pause button whilst downloading.
This is particularly helpful when you need to prioritize certain downloads when on limited bandwidth, or want to temporarily halt large updates.
5. Explore Vision Pro content
(Image: © Apple)
Vision Pro headset owners will find a dedicated companion app automatically installed after updating to iOS 18.4.
This new app lets you browse and download Vision Pro content directly from your iPhone without needing to wear the headset.
The app features dedicated sections for immersive videos and 3D movies, along with the option to install Vision Pro apps remotely.
Additionally, the My Vision Pro section provides a user guide and practical tips to help users maximize their mixed-reality experience.
This companion app ensures Vision Pro users can easily organize and prepare their content before diving into their next VR session.
Now that you’ve learned about new iOS 18.4 features and how to use them, why not check out some of our other iPhone articles?
For help with documents and messages, Writing Tools is one of Apple Intelligence’s most useful features. And for less well-known features, check out the changes to iOS 18 Notes, including how to summarize audio notes and phone call transcripts.
