iOS 18.4 Adds New Ambient Music Feature

In iOS 18.4, there's a new Ambient Music option that can be added to Control Center. There are four different sound categories, including Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing.

ios 18 4 ambient music
Each category can be added to Control Center separately, and tapping one plays a random selection of sounds or music from that particular category.

You can't choose what's playing from Control Center, but if you play a category and then tap into the Dynamic Island at the top or access the Now Playing widget, you can skip songs and see the name of what's currently playing.

There is no dedicated app for the feature, but Apple has a hidden app that provides more control through skipping songs.

Ambient Music is available on both the iPhone and the iPad in iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4.

Related Roundups: iOS 18, iPadOS 18
Related Forums: iOS 18, iPadOS 18

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Top Rated Comments

phuklok1 Avatar
27 weeks ago
i’ve said this before but maybe apple might see it one day…

we need a real graphic equalizer, not presets

we need the eq to save settings independently for each bluetooth or output device.

we need swipe controls for skipping

(would also be nice to have a next track button in maps)

these are pretty basic things that others have been doing for decades at this point
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
turbineseaplane Avatar
27 weeks ago
Do you have to be an Apple Music subscriber?

Is it licensed / commercial music we would know of or ?

Did they make the music in house?
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
antiprotest Avatar
27 weeks ago

There is no dedicated app for the feature, but Apple has a hidden app that provides more control through skipping songs.
What?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
scottct1 Avatar
27 weeks ago
I don't have an Apple Music subscription and all of them are working for me. It never asked me to subscribe or anything.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
randomthoughts Avatar
27 weeks ago
Interesting. There is already Background Sounds in Control Center under the Accessibility section that you can choose different sounds. Will be interesting to see how similar this is to what is already available.



Attachment Image
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dancefreak Avatar
27 weeks ago
Does this finally mean I can play sleep music without ambient taking over my recommendations in Apple Music?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)