iOS 26 brings some the biggest updates yet for Apple Music users, with the Music app getting its most feature-packed release in years. Here’s everything new for Apple Music in iOS 26.
AutoMix like a DJ
AutoMix is Apple Music’s new feature that acts like a DJ, seamlessly and artfully transitioning from one song to the next.
Here’s how Apple describes it:
Apple Music delivers an elevated listening experience with AutoMix, which mixes one song into the next, just like a DJ. Using AI to analyze audio features, it crafts unique transitions between songs with time stretching and beat matching to deliver continuous playback and an even more seamless listening experience.
You can always turn AutoMix off if it isn’t your thing. While I’ve found that the feature sometimes transitions a song too soon, for the most part I’ve found it a fantastic addition.
Animated Lock Screen artwork
Apple Music has long offered more expansive album artwork, which in some cases is even animated. But it’s always been limited to the confines of the Music app.
In iOS 26 though, full-screen album art is now part of your iPhone’s Lock Screen—with animation support too.
It’s a beautiful new look and makes the iPhone’s always-on display more compelling than ever.
Pinned music
Want quick access to your go-to music favorites? Or need a place to save albums a friend recommended you check out?
For the first time, Apple Music in iOS 26 lets you pin music to the top of your library.
You can pin up to six albums, artists, playlists—whatever best suits your needs.
Out of all Apple apps, Music has long been one of the best in terms of its Home Screen widget offerings.
That trend continues in iOS 26, with three brand new widgets options arriving:
- Pins (medium)
- Pins (large)
- Live Radio (large)
The first two correspond to whatever music you’ve pinned to your library, while the third offers quick access to the six live hosted radio stations Apple Music offers.
Fully native Apple Music Replay
Apple Music Replay is the Apple equivalent of Spotify Wrapped, but it’s always had one big flaw. Rather than baking Replay into the Music app, it’s lived entirely on the web.
Last year for the first time, you could open your Replay inside Music, but it was still ultimately a web view.
But iOS 26 makes Apple Music Replay fully native in the Music app. So whether you’re viewing your your-end recap, or checking your month-by-month stats that are available all year long, Replay will be a smoother experience than ever.
Folder creation
The Music app on the Mac has long offered the ability to organize playlists into folders, and while those folders will sync to iPhone, you’ve never been able to create or edit them on iOS.
Fortunately, iOS and iPadOS 26 bring full support for creating and modifying playlist folders. As music libraries grow, folders can be a great way to organize your playlists.
Lyric translation and pronunciation
Apple has several big systemwide live translation features coming in iOS 26, and the Music app benefits via lyric translation.
Inside Apple Music’s lyrics screen, iOS 26 can provide live translation alongside the original lyrics so you know what’s being sung.
Not only that, but Music also offers phonetic guidance so you can learn exactly how to pronounce lyrics in languages you can’t speak.
Which new Apple Music features in iOS 26 have you been enjoying most? Let us know in the comments.
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