Skip to main content

iOS 18.4 is here already and it’s bringing these new emoji

iOS 18 logo on the iPhone 16 Pro
Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends

Apple has already released the latest iOS 18.4 update and it’s available to download and install now.

Why would you want to do that? Well there are a whole host of new additions, but, surely eight brand new emoji are enough of a draw on their own.

Recommended Videos

Aisde from the eight fresh emoji, Apple has also added Sketch Style in Image Playground, better image organization in Photos, recipes in News+ and of course the usual bug fixes and security updates.

So let’s break down what’s new in iOS 18.4 as well as if and how you can get it on your iPhone.

What’s new in iOS 18.4?

The big headline here is those new emoji. There’s eight in total and these include a smiley with bags under its eyes, a fingerprint, a splatter, a leafless tree, a harp, a root vegetable, a shovel and the flag for the island of Sark. While that last one is pretty case specific, the rest certainly help expand the emoji vocabulary in useful ways.

Also new is Sketch Style in Image Playground which, as you’d expect, allows you to generate images using Apple Intelligence to get a more artistic drawn finish to the image.

Another Intelligence based feature is Priority Notifications, which sorts your messages and other notifications to bring the important, timely ones, to your attention. There are also some new Intelligence languages including French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish. Plus, English for speakers in India and Singapore.

Photos has been adjusted with new filters and order options. There’s an option to disable recently viewed or shared items as well as to reorder in diffrerent collections.

The News+ addition of recipes means cooking guidance pulled in from various publishers. There are also stories about restaurants as well as tips for the kitchen and a searchable Recipe Catalog.

Can I get iOS 18.4?

While the update is rolling out to many iPhones, it’s worth nothing that the Apple Intelligence features only work on newer phones that are powerful enough to support this. They are the iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max and 16 series, including the 16e.

For all other features iOS 18.4 is now available for all iPhones that follow the 2018 iPhone Xs and newer.

How do I get iOS 18.4 on my phone?

To update simply head to Settings on your iPhone then navigate to Software Update. You should then be able to pick if you Install Now or Install Later. In either case that should get the chunky download underway before starting the installation process and rebooting.

Luke Edwards
Luke has over two decades of experience covering tech, science and health. Among many others, Luke writes about health tech…
5 lost iOS features I want to see return in iOS 19
Siri being shown on an iPhone 15 Pro on iOS 18.

In the second week of June, Apple will likely give the world a glimpse of its jazzed-up operating systems at WWDC 2025, and a major redesign is expected for iOS 19. Though I’ve always yearned for a return to the skeuomorphism look, we are hearing that Apple is eying a unified aesthetic language that is more reminiscent of Vision OS running on its uber-expensive headset.

A lot of eyes and ears will hunt for AI-related announcements, especially in the wake of Apple Intelligence flubs and delays. On the more practical side of things, an AI fitness coach might land this year with the iOS 19 update. But after going through all the hype and rumors, I hope Apple brings back the following features that it abandoned years ago, but with a modern makeover: 

Read more
iOS 18.5 arrives as Apple edges closer to big iOS 19 reveal
The iOS 18.5 update waiting on an iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Apple has released iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5, the latest software updates for its iPhone and iPad models. As the version numbers suggest, Apple is gradually getting closer to the announcement of iOS 19, which will almost certainly be one of the main topics during its Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) keynote which takes place on June 9. In the meantime, here’s what you need to know about iOS and iPadOS 18.5.

Apple iPhone and iPad owners can check their devices for the update now by opening the Settings app, tapping General, and then Software Update. If iOS 18.5 or iPadOS 18.5 is available, it’ll show up here and you only need to follow the instructions to install it. What will you find once it’s all up and running?This isn’t a big software update, so don’t expect to spot any major alterations. Likely the most obvious will be a new wallpaper in Apple’s 2025 Pride collection, which follows the recent release of a special Pride 2025-themed Sport Band for the Apple Watch. If you’re a parent and your child has an iPhone, you’ll receive a notification when the Screen Time passcode is used, provided both devices have iOS 18.5 installed. 

Read more
Your current iPhone battery could last longer with iOS 19, thanks to AI
iOS 19 leak renders with squircle icons.

Imagine downloading a software update for your current iPhone and the battery life getting extended. That could be a reality thanks to iOS 19.

According to a report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, we can expect iOS 19 to leverage AI in such a way as to actually improve battery life efficiency on iPhone.

Read more