Apple has just released iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4 software updates for iPhone and iPad, and you should download them right away.

iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4 for iPhone and iPad Now Available for Download with Apple Music Playlist Playground, New Emoji, and More

If you’ve already downloaded and installed the iOS 26.4 or iPadOS 26.4 RC updates a week before, then this is an ordinary day for you. For everyone else, there are a bunch of reasons to be excited about.

I’ve already covered everything that is new in iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4. If you’re interested in that, make sure you head over to this link that highlights everything new that is part of the new updates.

Download iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4 Over the Air

Assuming you have ample free space on your iPhone or iPad, and more than 50% battery, you can download the new updates over the air immediately.

  • Connect your device to a Wi-Fi network – Settings > Wi-Fi.
  • Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
  • Once the page refreshes, you’ll see the new 26.4 update.
  • Tap on the Update Now button at the bottom to begin the update process.

According to Apple, the new software updates have the following build number: 23E246

Download the iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4 Firmware Files (IPSW)

Clean Install iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4 on iPhone and iPad

You can install iOS 26.4 or iPadOS 26.4 on your device from scratch. You can either do it using an IPSW from the links above, or just follow the quick and easy guide posted here.

A clean installation will erase everything off your device, which means you should take a backup of everything using Finder or iCloud. And, assuming you have a fast internet connection, the process doesn’t take too long either.

Apart from the usual bug fixes, there are a bunch of security patches in this update as well. This is reason enough to update your iPhone and iPad immediately to the 26.4 update.

Categorized in:

Apple, iPad, iPhone, News,

Last Update: March 24, 2026