Apple released iOS 17.4 on March 5, more than a month after the tech giant released iOS 17.3 to the public. This major iOS update brings new features, including big changes for people in the European Union and new emojis, as well as important bug fixes to your iPhone. Apple later announced iOS 17.4.1 March 21, but that update patched several zero-day vulnerabilities on your iPhone and didn’t include any new features.
To download the update, go to settings > In general > Software updatetouch Now install and follow the instructions on the screen.
Here’s what iOS 17.4 brings to your iPhone.
Read more: You really should update to iOS 17.4.1 immediately
Downloading other app stores in the EU
Apple introduced a significant change to Safari, the App Store, and iOS with iOS 17.4, but only for people in Europe. With iOS 17.4, people in the EU can download alternative app stores and apps outside of the App Store. As CNET’s Katie Collins reports, this marks one of the biggest changes to the App Store since its launch in 2008. People in the EU will also get new default app controls, giving them more ways to customize their iPhone experience.
People in the EU now have access to other app stores and more.
Apple made these changes, which were announced in January, to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act.
Read more: Apple will allow competing app stores to be installed on iPhones in Europe
More options for in-app payments
Apple introduced more in-app payment methods with iOS 17.4. If you go to Settings > Privacy & Securityyou will see the option called Contactless and NFC, or near field communication. If you tap the new option, you’ll be taken to a mostly blank page that has a small disclaimer saying that the page will display apps that have requested the ability to use contactless and NFC payments in the future. Apple announced these options alongside the changes for people in the EU, and there’s no word on whether apps outside of that region will use it.
At least 100 new emoticons
Some of the new emoji in iOS 17.4 include a phoenix, a lime wedge, and broken chains.
Apple introduced over 100 new emojis to iPhone users with iOS 17.4. Those emoji include heads shaking up and down or left and right, a phoenix and a lime wedge. These emoji were announced in 2023, and some Android devices, including the latest Samsung phones, already have them.
Improved iMessage security against future threats
With iOS 17.4, your iMessage chats get enhanced security to protect them from cyberattacks involving quantum computing. According to David Lumb of CNETApple said it has not seen cyberattacks like this before, but the company now wants to preempt the potential threat.
Read more: Apple’s next iOS update protects iMessage from future quantum computing attacks
Podcasts can now show transcripts
You can now read the transcript of your favorite podcasts with iOS 17.4.
In iOS 17.4, you can read the transcripts of your favorite podcasts while you listen to them. To view transcripts, go to the Podcasts app and start listening to a show, then tap the media player at the bottom of the screen. There is a new button in the lower left corner of your screen that looks like a speech bubble with quotation marks inside it. Tap this button and you’ll see a transcript of the show you’re listening to.
You can also search within the transcript, so if someone mentions the title of a book or movie and you only remember part of it, you can search for the part you know and find the full title.
Read more: What to know about podcast transcripts on iOS 17.4
Virtual card numbers come in Apple Cash
Your Apple Cash it also gets an upgrade with iOS 17.4. Now you can watch virtual card numbers for your Apple Cash which allows you to shop in online stores that do not accept Apple Pay. This card comes with its own number, expiration date and three-digit security code, just like a physical card. You can also easily request a new card number if you think your card has been compromised.
Read more: How to see your Apple Cash virtual card numbers
Another digital clock widget
In iOS 17.4, Apple introduced a new digital clock app widget called City Digital. This widget displays the time as well as a set location as opposed to where your iPhone is currently located. This can be helpful if you’re traveling or living far from family and friends but want to stay in touch without waking them up in the middle of the night.
Apple introduced a digital clock widget on the iPhone with the release iOS 17.2.
More options to protect against a stolen device
Stolen device protection now allows you to always request a security delay or only when you’re away from locations like your home.
Apple introduced several new options in Stolen Device Protection with iOS 17.4. The new options let you choose whether you want to always require a 1-hour security delay to access certain settings or make changes, or only require a delay when you’re away from a known location like your home.
Apple introduced Stolen Device Protection with iOS 17.3 with the intention of protecting some of your data if your device is stolen or falls into the wrong hands. This feature doesn’t protect all of your data, but Apple still recommends that everyone turn it on.
Read more: How to strengthen the protection of your iPhone against stolen devices
New battery health readings for iPhone 15 models
With iOS 17.4, iPhone 15 models get a new one Battery health reading. If you go to Settings > Battery, you will see a new option that tells you the battery status in one word, like Normal or Service. You can also tap this option for more details about your battery, such as the number of cycles and maximum capacity. Previously, your iPhone would show a percentage correlated to your battery health without any indication of what it meant.
Read more: A new tool for iOS 17.4 shows if your iPhone 15’s battery health is normal
New Home button in the Music and Books apps
Apple introduced a Home button in the Apple Music and Books app with iOS 17.4. If you open any app and look at the bottom of the screen, the Home button is in the far left corner. This button replaced Listen Now in Apple Music and Read Now in Books.
If you’re an Apple Music subscriber and you tap the button, you’ll be taken to a page that shows you menus, like Recently Played, and recommendations based on the artists you’ve been listening to. If you tap this button in the Books app, you’ll see menus like Current Bestsellers and Start Reading for Free.
Previous iOS updates brought Home buttons to the Podcasts and Apple TV apps, so this change is likely Apple’s attempt to apply some uniformity to its apps.
Siri can read messages in multiple languages
In iOS 17.4, Apple gave Siri the ability to read messages in multiple languages. Once enabled, Siri can read messages in languages such as Spanish, dialects of Mandarin, and Thai. Apple says this won’t change the primary language in which Siri listens and responds.
Read more: How to enable Siri to read messages in multiple languages
New Apple CarPlay and Maps experience in certain vehicles
Certain vehicles that support Apple CarPlay will have a new Maps dashboard with iOS 17.4.
With iOS 17.4, if you’re using Apple CarPlay with Maps in certain supported vehicles, you’ll see a new dashboard.
“With supported CarPlay vehicles, Apple Maps will present a new dashboard experience with information about upcoming maneuvers,” Apple wrote online. “Users will be able to switch their preferred display type between the main screen and the dashboard screen by tapping the map configuration button in the top right of the main Maps screen.”
Apple did not say which vehicles support this new feature, and the company did not respond to a request for comment.
Here are the full iOS 17.4 release notes.
Emoji
New mushroom, phoenix, lime, broken chain, and head nodding emojis are now available on the emoji keyboard.
18 person and body emoticons add the option to rotate them in any direction.
Apple Podcasts
Transcripts allow you to follow the episode with the text highlighted and synchronized with the audio in English, Spanish, French and German.
Episode text can be read in full, searched for a word or phrase, tapped to play from a specific point, and used with accessibility features such as Text Size, Contrast Enhancement, and VoiceOver.
This update includes the following improvements and bug fixes:
Music Recognition lets you add songs you’ve identified to your Apple Music playlists and library, as well as Apple Music Classic.
Siri has a new option to announce the messages you receive in any supported language.
The protection against stolen devices supports the option for increased security in all locations.
Battery Health in Settings shows the number of battery cycles, date of manufacture and first use on iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models.
Caller ID displays Apple-verified company name, logo, and department name when available.
Business updates in Messages for Business provide reliable information for order status, flight notifications, fraud alerts, or other transactions you’ve opted in for.
Apple Cash virtual card numbers allow you to pay with Apple Cash at merchants that don’t yet accept Apple Pay by entering your number from Wallet or using Safari AutoFill.
Fixes an issue where contact images are blank in Find My.
Fixes an issue for dual SIM users where the phone number changes from primary to secondary and is visible to the group they messaged.
Some features may not be available in all regions or on all Apple devices. For information about the security content of Apple software updates, visit this website:
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222
For more on iOS 17, here’s what might be coming iOS 17.5 and what you should know iOS 17.4.1. You can also check out our iOS 17 cheat sheet.
Watch this: Apple and Disney’s Unique Connection: Why Vision Pro Needs a Mouse