Read Apple’s release notes for iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 to learn about all the new features and fixes these updates brings to your iPhone and iPad.
iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 launched on March 5, 2023, bringing several new features and enhancements, including a handful of new emoji characters to spice up your messages, transcriptions of shows on Apple Podcasts and quantum encryption in iMessage to shield against threats from the future.
Cosmetic changes include renaming the Listen Now to Home in the Music and Podcasts apps, and a floating Now Playing bar to keep things consistent.
Under-the-hood tweaks include an improved Stolen Device Protection feature, the ability for Siri to read back messages in multiple languages, a digital clock widget for any city, updated battery health reporting on the iPhone 15 lineup, Apple Cash virtual card numbers, new CarPlay apps, etc.
For users in the European Union, iOS 17.4 brings changes to comply with the Digital Markets Act, including alternative app stores and payment options, setting a new default browser from a list of the most downloaded browsers, access to the iPhone’s NFC chip for contactless payments in third-party apps, and so on.
Release notes: What’s new in iOS 17.4?
Your iOS and iPadOS 17.4 17.4 release notes are included below. You can also view this changelog in support documents on Apple’s website here and here.
Emoji
● New mushroom, phoenix, lime, broken chain and shaking heads emoji are now available in the emoji keyboard
● 18 people and body emoji add the option to face them in either direction
Apple Podcasts
● Transcripts let you follow an episode with text that highlights in sync with the audio in English, Spanish, French and German
● Episode text can be read in full, searched for a word or phrase, tapped to play from a specific point and used with accessibility features such as Text Size, Increase Contrast and VoiceOver
This update includes the following enhancements and bug fixes:
● Music recognition lets you add songs you have identified to your Apple Music Playlists and Library, as well as Apple Music Classical
● Siri has a new option to announce messages you receive in any supported language (iPhone only)
● Stolen Device Protection supports the option for increased security in all locations (iPhone only)
● Battery Health in Settings shows battery cycle count, manufacture date and first use on iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models (iPhone only)
● Call Identification displays Apple-verified business name, logo and department name when available (iPhone only)
● Business updates in Messages for Business provide trusted information for order status, flight notifications, fraud alerts or other transactions you opt into
● Apple Cash virtual card numbers enable you to pay with Apple Cash at merchants that don’t yet accept Apple Pay by typing in your number from Wallet or using Safari AutoFill
● Fixes an issue where contact pictures are blank in Find My
● Fixes an issue for Dual SIM users where the phone number changes from primary to secondary and is visible to a group they have messaged
For customers who live in the 27 member countries in the European Union, release notes will include details about Apple’s ecosystem changes there:
Apps in the EU
Residents of the European Union will now have new options to:
● Install apps from alternative app marketplaces
● Install web browser with alternative browser engines
● Manage your default web browser the first time you open Safari
● Use alternative payment options for apps in the App Store with the external purchases badge
This support document lists the security patches in iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4.
How to install iOS 17.4
Apple released iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 to the public on March 5, 2024. To download and install an over-the-air update on your iPhone and iPad. go to Settings > General > Software Update and follow the onscreen instructions.
Just because your device is compatible with iOS 17.4 doesn’t necessarily mean you can use every new feature. Some features require specific hardware. Others may be region-restricted. For further information about such restrictions, peruse the iOS and iPadOS Feature Availability page on Apple’s website.