iOS 26.4 beta 2 is out – with these new features for your iPhone

A week after the release of the first beta version, iOS 26.4 beta 2 is now available. These improvements are coming to your iPhone soon.

iOS 26.4 beta 2 is out

The update to iOS 26.4 beta 2 refines and adds new features. There are updates to RCS encryption, the Games app and more. We have listed the most important ones for you.

RCS encryption

The release of iOS 26.4 last week added support for testing RCS encryption, but only for iPhone-to-iPhone communications. With iOS 26.4 beta 2, Apple has expanded testing to include messaging between iPhones and Android devices. Apple say about this:

“In this beta, RCS end-to-end encryption will become available for testing between Apple and Android devices. This feature is not shipping in this release and will be available to customers in future iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS 26 releases. End-to-end encryption is in beta and is not available for all devices or carriers. Conversations labeled as encrypted are encrypted end-to-end, so messages can’t be read while they’re sent between devices.”

“In this beta release, RCS end-to-end encryption becomes available for testing between Apple and Android devices. This feature is not included in this release and will be available to customers in future releases of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS 26. End-to-end encryption is in beta and is not available on all devices or carriers. Conversations marked as encrypted are encrypted end-to-end so messages cannot be read while in transit between devices.”

Reduce highlight effects

In the Accessibility menu in the Settings app, Apple has added a new toggle under Appearance & Text Size. This allows you to reduce some highlight effects around the edges of buttons and sliders.

Games app

In iOS 26.4 beta 1, Apple updated the user interface in the App Store and moved the search bar back to the top of the Search tab. Search is now also integrated into the bar and is no longer separate. In iOS 26.4 beta 2, Apple made the same change to the Games app.

Other changes

• When your iPhone is in dark mode, pop-up menus in the Control Center now also appear with a dark background.
• Minor changes have been made to the App Store interface.
• When you change the home screen, the menu that appears is a lot more transparent.
• Is the beta install switch turned on? From now on, this will be automatically turned off if you have not installed a new beta for four months.

Release iOS 26.4

We still have to wait a while for iOS 26.4, because the update will only come to your iPhone in the second half of March. So just be patient, many new features will be coming to your iPhone next month. In the meantime, more test versions of iOS 26.4 will be released, which may contain even more features. Don’t want to miss any of that? Then sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter so you always stay informed!