iOS 18.4: Access Hidden Ambient Music Playlists

[MacRumors]

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.

Article Link: iOS 18.4: Access Hidden Ambient Music Playlists

 

[MrPiper415]

I like this feature but worry it will mess with my algorithms.

I used to listen to ambient music whilst working but all my personalised stations quickly assumed I despised anything with lyrics. Took me months to correct!

 

[Godspeed8230]

Is it just me or is anyone else also trying to add a "control" by clicking on the empty circle space instead of the tiny "+ Add a control" on the bottom? This is so not intuitive - arrrrgh.
Also, wow, this playlist feature could not be more hidden and secretive. I miss 3D Touch - would have been THE perfect use case.

 

[TechWhisperer]

I love it, but I don’t like the fact that it shows up in my history and subsequently altering my personalized algorithm.

 

[djducat]

It's a great feature to add, I've been using it since I upgraded.. While it's definitely separate from Music, it would be nice to be able to favorite things so they get added to your library. Or being able to up and downvote specific tracks would be good too. Some of the rhythms in there are definitely things I do not like to hear in my "Productivity" time. Also some basic shortcut functionality would be a nice addition as well.

 

[Plutonius]

It sounds like a good feature but I have been using an ambient music app for years.

 

[WU27f1xcCs]

Wow I have been using this since the Beta and did not realise you could change playlists, this is a horrible UI. You can even open Ambient Music as a separate application and it doesn’t let you change the playlist even in the dedicated application?

 

[bluecoast]

Absolutely love this. Amazing tracks in each of the genres. I’d pay for this feature. Shhh don’t tell Tim.

 

[Dr McKay]

I like this feature but worry it will mess with my algorithms.

I used to listen to ambient music whilst working but the all my personalised stations then assumed I despised anything with lyrics. Took me months to correct!

I don’t think it’s connected to Apple Music at all, I don’t have a subscription with them anymore and don’t even the Apple Music app installed but I can still play it. When I open the running apps screen it is its own app called “Ambient Music”.

I’m pretty confident it won’t mess with your Apple Music preferences

 

[Flamingdeathbolts]

Awesome feature as I was already using two other apps for ambient noise to zen out during that stressful moment of the day. Happy that Apple continues to find ways to add value!

 

[CarAnalogy]

I love this feature, because this is generally what I listen to anyway and it doesn't turn my phone into a pocket hand warmer like YouTube Music does.

Even better, I deleted the Music app and never use it because it's awful, but this works great!

 

[CarAnalogy]

Absolutely love this. Amazing tracks in each of the genres. I’d pay for this feature. Shhh don’t tell Tim.

Seriously, I don't know how this one slipped past the bean counters.

 

[CarAnalogy]

Wow I have been using this since the Beta and did not realise you could change playlists, this is a horrible UI. You can even open Ambient Music as a separate application and it doesn’t let you change the playlist even in the dedicated application?

Oh I agree this implementation makes almost no sense. But with this genre of music, skip forward and back and pause is plenty for me.

 

[CarAnalogy]

Is it just me or is someone else also trying to add a "control" by clicking on the empty circle space instead of the tiny "+ Add a control" on the bottom? This is so not intuitive - arrrrgh.
Also, wow, this playlist feature could not be more hidden and secretive. I miss 3D Touch - would have been THE perfect use case.

Yes the interface is ridiculous, and the fact that you have to make a separate control for each genre. And then you have to tell which is which by symbol only.

I guess this is the next step in emoji devolution. Nobody wants words, just pictures, I guess?

 

[uiop.]

I've been listening to the chill and productivity playlists the past few days and absolutely LOVE them. Really good background music that is never distracting and I haven't found a single song that I want to skip. Great feature I didn't know I needed.

 

[sdz]

the EU must force Apple to open the Control Center Menu for Spotify. I would like to have Ambient music (but from spotify) right from the control center 😘😘

 

[Yptcn]

It's a bit clunky but nice . OTOH , I do not get the choice "From Library" , I do have music in the Music app but am not subscribed to  Music , maybe that's why ?.

 

[FloatingBones]

I like this feature but worry it will mess with my algorithms.

I was curious what sort of complaining we would get about this nice new -- and free -- feature. Thanks for answering my question!

Why anticipate the worst? Why not just ask a question and complain if the answer isn't to your liking? No points are earned by striving to pre-anticipate a negative in every action that Apple does.

I used to listen to ambient music whilst working but the all my personalised stations then assumed I despised anything with lyrics. Took me months to correct!

Poor thing! But that doesn't justify a half-baked criticism of this new feature by Apple. You know what happens when you jump to conclusions, right?

 

[ThankYouRob]

I don’t think it’s connected to Apple Music at all, I don’t have a subscription with them anymore and don’t even the Apple Music app installed but I can still play it. When I open the running apps screen it is its own app called “Ambient Music”.

I’m pretty confident it won’t mess with your Apple Music preferences

I was just going to say this same thing! I was a victim of this too, excited to see my yearly Recap in Apple Music, only to see its all classical artists from my Sleep playlist...as the legendary Dr. McKay said though - it looks to be separate from Apple Music. I can start this ambient sound on my phone, hand it off to my Homepod at night, set sleep timer, then in the morning on my phone, opening Apple Music it picks up where I left off playing the day before in Apple Music - not the ambient music. But I guess we'll know for sure when I check the next monthly Recap, if its counting this or not.

 

[iea96]

I don’t understand why this isn’t a standalone app.

 

[BJMRamage]

I guess the idea is nice...but the horrible method of activating this "hidden" feature and controlling the playlists is insanely stupid.
This would be nice if it worked as an App Clip...meaning you can still use the Control Center Controls but to have a minimal app that you could long-press and change the style of music and then the playlist control being an easier selector.
I assume Apple is paying the artists...you can find their music within the Apple Music app but they aren't too easy to find by just artist, you almost have to search for a specific song.

Perhaps this feature will be part of a new future plan/device that will allow these to play while using this new thing...or adding these to an Invite, Journal entry, etc.

 

[slothdog]

You can even add the same control to Control Center more than once and assign each one to a different playlist in the same category. Good luck remembering which is which, since they'll all have the same icon. Definitely would have been better with a tappable list, like the Hearing->Background Sounds control. (As opposed to the Background Sounds control. Not confusing at all…)

 

[jml12286]

This is pretty cool, but odd its so hidden. Ill try it out later today. I hope like others have said, that it doesn't mess with my Apple Music algorithms...

 

[ignatius345]

What an insanely convoluted interface. You have to edit the Control Center buttons to change the playlist? The discoverability of this feature is close to nil. I can't imagine why it wouldn't just be a standalone app.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Why is it hidden at all?

Why not in an App of its own?