iOS 18.4: Access Hidden Ambient Music Playlists

In Apple’s iOS 18.4 software update, there’s a new Ambient Music feature available in the Control Center options on iPhone. It’s free to use, and does not require an Apple Music subscription. It’s also more customizable than most users probably realize. Keep reading to learn how.

There are four different sound categories to Ambient Music, including Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing. You can add each category individually to your Control Center, and then tap on one to start a playlist of songs in the chosen category.

Add Ambient Music Buttons to Control Center

1. Open Control Center by swiping down from the top-right corner of your screen.
2. Tap the + button in the top-left corner, or long press on a blank space.
3. Tap Add a Control at the bottom of the screen.
4. Scroll down to the new “Ambient Music” controls section and choose from Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing.
5. Tap any blank space to exit out of edit mode.

When you turn on one of the Ambient Music options in Control Center, playback controls will appear on the screen. You can also tap or long press the Dynamic Island on newer iPhones to access playback controls or bring up a fullscreen music player with album art.

Changing Ambient Music Category Playlists

It’s not obvious, but you can actually choose different playlists for each Ambient Music category. In fact, this option is so hidden in the interface that some might even call it an “easter egg” – or perhaps a non-intuitive UI design choice. Apple describes the playlists as follows:

• Sleep: Sleep Sounds, Bedtime Beats, Sound Bath, and Piano Sleep.
• Chill: Piano Chill, Ambient Chill, Lo-Fi Jazz, and Pure Chill.
• Productivity: BEATstrumentals, Binaural Frequencies, Pure Focus, and Classical Concentration.
• Wellbeing: Pure Meditation, Spa, Beats & Breath, and Pure Calm.

Here’s what you need to do to choose a different playlist – or even one of your own:

1. Open Control Center, then tap the + icon in the top-left corner of the screen.
2. Tap one of the Ambient Music buttons that you added to your Control Center (try to avoid tapping the minus symbol or the button will disappear).
3. Tap the playlist name in blue next to “Playlist,” then select one of the playlists from the dropdown. If you select From Library, tap Choose to pick a playlist from your Music library.
4. Tap any blank space, then tap again to exit out of edit mode.

So now you know how to switch up the playlists when listening to Ambient Music, whether that’s for restful sleep, relaxation, focusing on tasks, or for meditation and self-care.