When Apple released iOS 18 in 2024, the update introduced Apple Intelligence to the iPhone 16 lineup as well as the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. But it wasn’t until Apple released iOS 18.4 in March 2025, that Visual Intelligence arrived on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, and those iPhones could access the feature from their device’s Control Center.
That iOS update also brought new music controls to all iPhones. These controls can also be found in the Control Center, and they can give you easy access to musical playlists that, depending on your mood, could help you sleep, relax or be more productive.
Here’s what you need to know about the new controls and how to add them to your Control Center.
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New Apple Intelligence controls
For now, only those with an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max or the iPhone 16 lineup can access Apple Intelligence features. With iOS 18.4 or later, those people got three new dedicated Apple Intelligence controls: Talk to Siri, Type to Siri and Visual Intelligence.
Here’s how to find these controls.
1. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your Home Screen to open your Control Center.
2. Tap the plus (+) sign in the top-left corner of your screen.
3. Tap Add a Control.
Then you can use the search bar near the top of the screen to search for “Apple Intelligence” or you can scroll through the menu to find the Apple Intelligence & Siri section. Tap any (or all) of these controls to add them to your Control Center. While Talk to Siri and Type to Siri controls can be helpful if you have trouble accessing the digital assistant, the Visual Intelligence control is important because it brings the Apple Intelligence feature to the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max.
Visual Intelligence was originally only accessible on the iPhone 16 lineup because those devices have the Camera Control button. But iOS 18.4 made the feature accessible on more devices thanks to the titular control in Control Center. But remember, Visual Intelligence is like any other AI tool, so it might not always be accurate. You should double-check the results and information it shows you.
iOS 18.4 also introduced new Ambient Music controls to all iPhones.
Ambient Music controls
With iOS 18.4, Apple added four new controls to the Control Center library under the Ambient Music category: Sleep, Chill, Productivity and Wellbeing. Each of these controls can activate a playlist filled with music that corresponds to the specific control. Sleep, for instance, plays ambient music to help lull you to bed.
Some studies suggest white noise could help adults learn words and improve learning in environments full of distractions. According to the mental health company Calm, certain kinds of music can help you fall asleep faster and improve the quality of your sleep. So these new controls can help you learn, fall asleep and more.
Here’s how to find these controls.
1. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your Home Screen to open your Control Center.
2. Tap the plus (+) sign in the top-left corner of your screen.
3. Tap Add a Control.
You’ll see a section of controls called Ambient Music. You can also search for “Ambient Music” in the search bar at the top of the control library. Under Ambient Music, you’ll see all four controls. Tap one (or all) of them to add them to your Control Center. Once you’ve added one or all the controls to your Control Center, go back to your Control Center and tap one to start playing music.
Here’s how to change the playlist for each control.
1. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your Home Screen to open your Control Center.
2. Tap the plus (+) sign in the top-left corner of your screen.
3. Tap the Ambient Music control you want to edit.
4. Tap the playlist to the right of Playlist.
A dropdown menu will appear with additional playlists for each control. If you’re in the Sleep control, you’ll see playlists like Restful Notes and Lo-Fi Snooze. If you have playlists in your Music app, then you’ll also see an option From Library, which pulls music from your library. Tap whichever playlist you want, and it will be assigned to that control.
Apple already lets you transform your iPhone into a white noise machine with Background Sounds, like ocean and rain. But Ambient Music is actual music as opposed to more static sounds, like in that feature.
Both of these features feel like a way for Apple to present itself as the first option for whenever you want some background music to help you fall asleep or be productive. Other services, like Spotify and YouTube, already have ambient music playlists like these, so this could be Apple’s way of taking some of those services’ audience.
For more iOS news, here’s everything iOS 26.2 and iOS 26.1 brought to your iPhone, as well as my review of iOS 26. You can also check out our iOS 26 cheat sheet.
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