Apple launched iOS 18.4 for all iPhones, which included bug patches, new emoji, and a new recipes area in Apple News. A few new features were also added to the iPhone Control Center by the update, one of which gives the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max Visual Intelligence.
In order to offer you greater control over how the feature works, Apple redesigned the Control Center in iOS 18, which was launched in September. You may resize controls, assign certain controls to a specific page, and rearrange controls to your preference with iOS 18. Additionally, Apple added additional controls to the feature, transforming it into a single location for all of your favorite iPhone functions.
See also: All the Information You Require About iOS 18
Apple keeps increasing the amount of controls you may add to the Control Center with iOS 18.4. You can add ambient music controls if your iPhone has the update, and iPhones with Apple Intelligence receive a few AI options in the menu as well. Learn how to add the new controls to your Control Center and what you need to know about them.
Controls for ambient music
Apple added four new controls to the Control Center library’s Ambient Music section for all users. Sleep, relaxation, productivity, and wellbeing are these controls. A playlist of songs that match each of these settings may be accessed by pressing on it. For example, Sleep uses relaxing music to help you fall asleep.
According to some research, white noise may aid in word acquisition and enhance learning in distracting settings for adults. Calm, a mental health startup, claims that certain types of music may enhance the quality of your sleep and help you fall asleep more quickly. Thus, you may study, sleep, and more with these additional controls.
To locate these controls, follow these steps.
1. To access your Control Center, swipe down from the upper-right corner of your Home Screen.
2. In the upper-left corner of your screen, tap the addition (+) symbol.
3. Click on “Add a Control.”
You’ll see an Ambient Music controls area. “Ambient Music” may also be found by using the search bar located at the top of the control library. All four controls will be shown under Ambient Music. To add them to your Control Center, tap any or all of them. After adding one or more controls to your Control Center, return to it and press one to begin playing music.
Icons of music
When you enable the new Ambient Music controls in Control Center, your iPhone will play playlists that have already been loaded.
Here’s how to modify each control’s playlist.
1. To access your Control Center, swipe down from the upper-right corner of your Home Screen.
2. In the upper-left corner of your screen, tap the addition (+) symbol.
3. Press the control for Ambient Music that you want to modify.
4. To the right of Playlist, tap the playlist.
For every control, a dropdown menu containing more playlists will show up. You’ll notice playlists like Lo-Fi Snooze and Restful Notes if you’re in the Sleep control. A From Library option that gets music from your library will also be shown if your music app has playlists. The playlist you choose will be linked to that control when you tap on it.
Phone noises
Background noises and ambient music are comparable, albeit the latter are more static, such as white noise.
With background sounds like rain and the waves, Apple already allows you to turn your iPhone into a white noise generator. However, unlike the more static noises in that aspect, ambient music is real music.
These two capabilities seem to be Apple’s attempt to position itself as the go-to choice for background music that will help you fall asleep or work. These ambient music playlists are also available on other sites like Spotify and YouTube, so this may be Apple’s attempt to steal some users from other platforms.
Controls by Apple Intelligence
Access to Apple Intelligence features is now limited to owners of iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or iPhone 16 models; iOS 18.4 included three new Apple Intelligence settings just for these users. These controls are Visual Intelligence, Talk to Siri, and Type to Siri.
To locate these controls, follow these steps.
1. To access your Control Center, swipe down from the upper-right corner of your Home Screen.
2. In the upper-left corner of your screen, tap the addition (+) symbol.
3. Click on “Add a Control.”
The Apple Intelligence & Siri area may then be found by scrolling through the menu or by searching for “Apple Intelligence” using the search box at the top of the screen. To add these controls to your Control Center, tap any or all of them. The Visual Intelligence control is crucial since it adds the Apple Intelligence function to the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, but the Talk to Siri and Type to Siri controls may be useful if you’re having problems using the digital assistant.
Picture of a plant
Visual Intelligence is a monstera laniata mint. Gather yourself.
Due to the Camera Control button on the iPhone 16 series, Visual Intelligence was initially limited to those smartphones. With iOS 18.4, the Control Center’s titular control makes Visual Intelligence available on more devices and users. However, keep in mind that visual intelligence is not always correct, just like any other AI technology. Double-checking the findings and key information it provides is advised.