Apple’s new mobile operating system, iOS 26, brings one of the most comprehensive updates to Apple Music in years. The app’s innovations both deepen the user experience and unlock the iPhone’s visual and audio capabilities in a more impressive way. iOS 26 includes many notable new features for Apple Music.

Apple Music Reborn with iOS 26

Apple Music users now experience “AutoMix,” a feature that gives a DJ-like feel when transitioning between songs. AutoMix analyzes the sonic characteristics of songs using AI-powered techniques like time stretching and beat matching to create unique transitions between songs. This provides a seamless listening experience. The feature can be disabled at any time.

iOS 26 also features striking visual changes. The large, and in some cases animated, album covers previously available within the app are now available on the lock screen. With the new system, album covers can be displayed full-screen and animated on the iPhone’s lock screen. This feature makes the always-on display feature even more engaging.

Apple Music’s library is also receiving a functional update. Users can now pin their most-listened-to albums, artists, and playlists to the top of their library. Up to six items can be pinned. This feature provides quick access to frequently listened-to content.

Home screen widgets are also being updated with iOS 26. Three new widget options are being added to Apple Music. Medium and large “Pins” widgets provide direct access to pinned content, while the large “Live Radio” widget offers quick access to Apple Music’s six live radio stations.

Apple Music Replay is also being completely redesigned. The year-end music summary, previously only available on the web, is now fully integrated into the Apple Music app. Users can now view the year-end summary or monthly listening statistics directly within the app, in a more streamlined and integrated interface.

iOS 26 also allows users to organize playlists into folders. This feature was previously only available on Mac. Folders can now be created and edited on iPhone and iPad. This feature provides significant convenience, especially for users who want to manage large music libraries.

The system-wide translation capabilities are now being implemented in Apple Music. The lyrics screen now includes live translation support. The song’s original lyrics are displayed simultaneously with the translation. Additionally, phonetic instructions are provided to show users how to pronounce the lyrics correctly.

Apple Music is undergoing a significant transformation in both functionality and user experience with iOS 26. The new version makes listening to music more fluid, personalized, and interactive.