Apple has seeded the Release Candidates (RC) for iOS 26.4, iPadOS 26.4, macOS Tahoe 26.4, watchOS 26.4, tvOS 26.4, and visionOS 26.4 to developers and public beta testers today — the final step before public release. An RC arriving today, March 18, puts iOS 26.4’s public release on track for next week, likely around March 24–25. Apple has also seeded RC builds of legacy OS versions including iOS 18.7.5, macOS 15.4, and others for devices that cannot run the latest software.
Why iOS 26.4 Matters
iOS 26.4 is a significant update with a firm deadline: the AirPods Max 2, which go on pre-order March 25 and ship in early April, require iOS 26.4 for several of their headline features. Live Translation, Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Voice Isolation, and the new Digital Crown camera controls all depend on iOS 26.4 being installed. Apple needed this RC out today to keep that timeline on track.
What’s New in iOS 26.4
- Apple Music — Playlist Playground: Generate playlists from any text prompt — a mood, activity, emotion, or idea — using AI
- Apple Music — Concerts Near You: Find local live shows directly in the app
- Apple Music — Redesigned Albums & Playlists: Full-page artwork and a refreshed visual layout
- Apple Podcasts — Video Podcasting: Native support for creating, distributing, and monetizing video podcast content
- Freeform — Folders: Organize boards with folders for the first time
- Passwords App — Credit Card AutoFill: Credit card details stored in the Passwords app can now AutoFill in third-party apps
- Find My — Precise Outdoor Location for AirPods: More accurate tracking for AirPods outdoors
- Stolen Device Protection — On by Default: The security feature is now enabled automatically for all users
- Ambient Music Widget: A new Lock Screen and Home Screen widget for ambient music playback
- Sleep App — Average Bedtime Metrics: New sleep trend data in the Health app
- New Emoji: A fresh batch of new characters including a distorted face, fighting cloud, landslide, orchid, and trombone
- AirPods Max 2 Support: Full support for all second-generation AirPods Max features
What Didn’t Make It
The highly anticipated new Siri capabilities — with enhanced contextual understanding and deeper app integration — are not included in iOS 26.4. Apple has confirmed that Siri improvements are coming in 2026, but they appear to be destined for a future update, likely iOS 26.5 or iOS 27. End-to-end encryption for RCS messaging was tested in earlier betas but was also pulled before the RC.
Legacy OS Release Candidates
Apple has also released RC builds for older operating systems for devices that can’t run iOS 26:
- iOS 18.7.7 — security and bug fixes for older iPhones
- iPadOS 18.7.7 — same for older iPads
- macOS Sequoia 15.7.5 RC 5 — for Macs running Sequoia
- macOS Sonoma 14.8.5 RC 4 — for older Macs on Sonoma
- tvOS 26.4 RC, HomePod Software 26.4 RC, watchOS 26.4 RC — across Apple TV, HomePod and Apple Watches
When Will It Be Released?
Based on Apple’s consistent pattern of releasing software one week after the RC, iOS 26.4 should go public around March 24–25, 2026 — perfectly timed to coincide with AirPods Max 2 pre-orders opening on March 25. If you’re on a developer or public beta profile, you can install the RC now via Settings → General → Software Update. Everyone else should expect the public release within the week.
Should You Install the RC?
If you’re a registered developer or public beta tester, the RC is generally stable and safe to install — it represents the final version Apple plans to ship barring last-minute bug discoveries. For everyone else, the public release is just days away. Given that iOS 26.4 includes the DarkSword vulnerability patches from iOS 26.3 and delivers useful new features, it’s worth installing promptly when it arrives.
