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What’s Free on the Epic Games Store This Week?

This week we’ve got River City Girls, Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms and more. Check out how you can get these games and all their rewards at the Epic Games Store.

Are you eager to play a game but struggling to decide on one? Or perhaps you’re reluctant to spend money on a game that might not meet your expectations. Making the right decision is crucial, particularly with rising gaming costs and 2025 looking unpredictable for the gaming industry. Look no further than the Epic Games Store if you’re after something that makes decision-making easier. Each week, you can download a free game (often two or three, if you’re lucky) and keep it forever—without spending a penny. This is the best way to discover exciting new titles without financial risk.

Fortnite is a major influence in pop culture, and it’s also a video game that helped propel Epic Games into the limelight. Following the game’s success, Epic Games launched its own storefront in 2019, offering various games — from action titles to indie favorites — to attract gamers. It quickly became a direct competitor for Valve’s own gaming store, Steam, especially with its offering of free games to play each week.

Sorry console gamers, but the Epic Games Store is exclusively available on PC. This means you cannot access its free games on systems like the PS5 or Xbox. However, if you have a PC or laptop, now’s the time to dive into the Epic Games Store and take full advantage of its free discounts and deals. Creating an Epic Games account is completely free, and you’ll gain numerous rewards. Don’t miss out.

What is the new free game on the Epic Games Store this week? (April 10 to April 17)

Arcadegeddon

It’s time to head into the future with IIIFonic’s Arcadegeddon, a cooperative rogue-lite shooter multiplayer. It is a third-person POV, and players will go up against a virus injected into the arcade they are part of. To level up and progress, they’ll have to explore multiple biomes, take part in mini-games, search for hidden chests and defeat enemies and bosses.

The game came out in 2023, so its player base isn’t as active as one might expect — so be sure you’ll be able to enjoy the game with friends before you download it. Even so, Arcadegeddon has been praised for its «tight level design» as well as its satisfying gunplay. If you like a challenge, you’ll probably want to take advantage of this shooter.

Players can redeem 5,000 ARC coins, which can be used to purchase items and weapons in-game. So don’t miss out on this limited-time offer.

Arcadegeddon’s offer of 5,000 ARC coins is available for free via the Epic Games Store. Released in 2023, most gamers who enjoyed it liked its diverse characters and found gameplay relaxing. It has a 4.5 out of 5 rating.

Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms: Astarion’s Champions of Renown Pack

Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms is a strategy management game that dares to ask: What if your favorite Dungeons and Dragons characters united and embarked on a grand adventure together? Wouldn’t that be the coolest thing ever? If you think so, then this is the game for you.

If you’ve been a fan of Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms, you’ll already know that Baldur’s Gate 3’s most popular character Astarion is a huge reason to jump into the game. With Astarion’s Champions of Renown Pack, players will receive over $100 worth of rewards for free. You’ll need to hurry, though, because this offer ends on April 17.

The rewards of the renown pack are the following:

  • Unlocks for the following Champions: Artemis (Seat 3), Karlach (Seat 4), Kalix (Seat 5), Astarion (Seat 10) and the Dark Urge (Seat 11)
  • Exclusive Skin: Tuxedo Kalix
  • Exclusive Familiar: Rumble the Angry Flumph
  • Artemis Chests: 32 Platinum Artemis Chests with 2 shiny equipment cards guaranteed.
  • Karlach Chests: 32 Platinum Karlach chests with 2 shiny equipment cards guaranteed.
  • Kalix Chests: 32 Platinum Kalix chests with 2 shiny equipment cards guaranteed.
  • Astarion Chests: 32 Platinum Astarion chests with 2 shiny equipment cards guaranteed.
  • The Dark Urge Chests: 32 Platinum The Dark Urge chests with 2 shiny equipment cards guaranteed.
  • Two Week-Long Buff Potions: 1 potion of the Gold Hunter and 1 potion of the Gem Hunter.

Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms: Astarion’s Champions of Renown Pack is free via the Epic Games Store. Idle Champions is a free-to-play game, with many gamers praising the game for its selection of iconic characters from the Forgotten Realms and how easy it is to jump into a game without worrying too much about controls.

River City Girls

You wake up one morning only to discover your and your best friend’s boyfriends have been kidnapped. What is a girlie to do? Find out who did it and beat them within an inch of their life, duh.

River City Girls can be best described as a chaotic, action-adventure beat-em up with glorious pixel-art aesthetic and graphics that will leave you wanting more. As the tough-as-nails heroines Misako and Kyoko, players who enjoy using an arsenal of weapons, items and wise-cracking dialogue to put the smackdown on their enemies will love the game’s zany energy.

Better yet, you won’t have to embark on this challenge alone (though you can, if you want to). With 2-player co-op, you and your friend can put the hurt on the bad guys who took your boyfriends while also enjoying the motion-comic story panels and anime cutscenes. If you love anime, you may even recognize some cameo characters featured in-game. And if not characters, recognizable voice actors such as Cristina ‘Vee’ Valenzuela, known for multiple roles in both anime and video games, are sure to entice you.

It isn’t just fights, however. River City Girls also features six large city regions to explore and participate in side quests. Some may even change the ending you get… depending on the choices you make.

Usually $30, River City Girls is now available for free via the Epic Games Store. River City Girls is well-liked, with 79% of critics recommending it, and it boasts a score of Strong on OpenCritic. Most gamers who enjoyed the game liked its appealing aesthetic and diverse characters.

What will be free on the Epic Games Store next week? (April 17 to April 24)

Firestone Online Idle RPG Epic Games Store Offer

If you’re someone who enjoys the aesthetics of fantasy RPGs but doesn’t have time to play them, then you’ll be intrigued by Firestone Online Idle RPG. Alternatively, if you’re someone who prefers the social aspect of multiplayer RPGs, you should also consider jumping in on this game before its offer next week.

While you might be sitting idle, your heroes never are. Even if you don’t have your eyes on the game, your characters will hack, slash and dice their way through waves of enemies. Of course, if you’d like to speed things up, you can treat the game as a clicker, giving you control of the ferocity of battle alongside other players.

With Firestone Online Idle RPG’s Epic Games Store offer, players will get the chance to claim special rewards and an exclusive skin — altogether valued at $100 altogether.

The offer contains the following rewards:

  • Exclusive skin for the hero, Boris
  • 2 Avatars for your Character Profile
  • 10 Common Chests, each containing at least 1 piece of gear for Heroes
  • 5 Uncommon Chests containing at least 1 Uncommon gear
  • 10 Wooden Chests with at least 1 Heroes Jewels
  • 5 Iron Chests with at least 1 Uncommon Jewel
  • 360 Strange Dust to help train your Guardians or conduct experiments
  • 50 Scrolls to enhance your stats in battle
  • 35 Game Tokens to test your mettle at the Tavern
  • 5 Prestige Tokens
  • 200 Gems

To get this offer, log onto the game through the Epic Games store — it doesn’t matter if you’re a new or existing player. However, new players must reach stage 15 before obtaining the rewards.

Firestone Online Idle RPG Epic Games Store Offer will be available via the Epic Games Store. Firestone Online Idle RPG is a free-to-play game, with a review score of 3.8 out of 5. Many players enjoy the game’s playful visuals and easy controls.

Previous free games on the Epic Games Store

Unsure whether your favorite game has been selected as part of Epic’s free game of the week or curious about what deals you’ve missed? We’ve listed a selection of games from previous weeks.

Epic Games Store free games in 2025

  • Firestone Online Idle RPG (April 17 to April 24)
  • River City Girls (April 10 to April 17)
  • Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms (April 10 to April 17)
  • Arcadgeddon (April 10 to April 17)
  • Cat Quest II (April 3 to April 10)
  • Cat Quest (March 27 to April 3)
  • Neko Ghost, Jump (March 27 to April 3)
  • Jurassic World Evolution 2 (March 20 to 27)
  • Mortal Shell (March 13 to 20)
  • World of Warships: Anniversary Party Favor DLC (March 13 to 20)
  • Them’s Fighting Herds (March 6 to 13)
  • Mages of Mystralia (Feb. 27 to March 6)
  • World War Z Aftermath (Feb. 20 to 27)
  • Garden Story (Feb. 20 to 27)
  • F1 Manager 2024 (Feb. 13 to 20)
  • Humankind (Feb. 6 to 13)
  • Beyond Blue (Feb. 6 to 13)
  • Undying (Jan. 30 to Feb. 6)
  • Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery (Jan. 23 to 30)
  • Escape Academy (Jan. 16 to 23)
  • Turmoil (Jan. 9 to 16)
  • Hell Let Loose (Jan. 2 to 9)
  • Kingdom Come Deliverance (Jan. 1)

Epic Games Store free games in 2024

  • Sifu (Dec. 31)
  • [Redacted] (Dec. 30 to 31)
  • Orcs Must Die 3 (Dec. 29 to 30)
  • Kill Knight (Dec. 28 to 29)
  • Hot Wheels Unleashed (Dec. 27 to 28)
  • Ghostrunner 2 (Dec. 26 to 27)
  • Control (Dec. 25 to 26)
  • Dredge (Dec. 24 to 25)
  • Darker and Darker: Legendary Status (Dec. 23 to 24)
  • Wizard of Legend (Dec. 22 to 23)
  • TerraTech (Dec. 21 to 22)
  • Astrea: Six Sided Oracles (Dec. 20 to 21)
  • Vampire Survivors (Dec. 19 to 20)
  • The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria (Dec. 12 to 19)
  • Bus Simulator 21 Next Stop, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga (Dec. 5 to 12)
  • Brotato (Nov. 28 to Dec. 5)
  • Beholder (Nov. 21 to 28)
  • Castlevania Anniversary Collection; Snakebird Complete (Nov. 14 to 21)
  • Apex Legends Ash Unlock Bundle; Deceive Inc (Nov. 7 to 14)
  • Witch It; Ghostwire: Tokyo (Oct. 31 to Nov. 7)
  • Moving Out (Oct. 24 to 31)
  • Kardboard Kings; Invincible Presents: Atom Eve (Oct. 17 to 24)
  • Empyrion: Galactic Survival; Outliver: Tribulations (Oct. 10 to 17)
  • Bear and Breakfast (Oct. 3 to 10)
  • The Spirit and The Mouse (Sept. 26 to Oct. 3)
  • TOEM; The Last Stand: Aftermath (Sept. 19 to 26)
  • Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland; Super Crazy Rhythm Castle (Sept. 12 to 19)
  • Football Manager 2024; Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts (Sept. 5 to 12)
  • Wild Card Football; Fallout: Classic Collection (Aug. 29 to Sept. 5)
  • Gigantic: Rampage Edition; The Callisto Protocol (Aug. 22 to 29)
  • Death’s Gambit: Afterlife (Aug. 15 to 22)
  • Cygni: All Guns Blazing; DNF Duel (Aug. 8 to 15)
  • Lumbearjack (Aug. 1 to 8)
  • F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch; Olympics Go! Paris 2024 Exclusive Outfits Pack (July 25 to Aug. 1)
  • Maid of Sker; Arcade Paradise (July 18 to 25)
  • Floppy Knights (July 11 to 18)
  • The Falconeer (July 4 to 11)
  • Sunless Skies: Sovereign Edition (June 27 to July 4)
  • Rumble Club Free Game of the Week Bonus; Freshly Frosted (June 20 to 27)
  • Redout 2; Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms (June 13 to 20)
  • Marvel’s Midnight Suns (June 6 to 13)
  • Chivalry 2 (May 30 to June 6)
  • Farming Simulator 22 (May 23 to 30)
  • Dragon Age: Inquisition – Game of the Year Edition (May 16 to 23)
  • Firestone Free Offer; Circus Electrique (May 9 to 16)
  • Orcs Must Die! 3, Cat Quest II (May 2 to 9)
  • Lisa: Definitive Edition, Industria (April 25 to May. 2)
  • Town of Salem 2; The Big Con (April 18 to 25)
  • Ghostrunner (April 11 to 18)
  • Thief; The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition (April 4 to 11)
  • Islets (March 28 to April 4)
  • Invincible Presents: Atom Eve; Call of the Wild: The Angler (March 21 to 28)
  • The Bridge; Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (March 14 to 21)
  • Astro Duel 2 (March 7 to 14)
  • Aerial_Knight’s Never Yield (Feb. 29 to March 7)
  • Super Meat Boy Forever (Feb. 22 to 29)
  • Dakar Desert Rally (Feb. 15 to 22)
  • Lost Castle; Doki Doki Literature Club Plus (Feb. 8 to 15)
  • Doors: Paradox (Feb. 1 to 8)
  • Infinifactory (Jan. 25 to Feb. 1)
  • Love (Jan. 18 to 25)
  • Sail Forth (Jan. 11 to 18)
  • Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (Jan. 4 to 11)
  • A Plague Tale: Innocence (Jan. 3 to 4)
  • 20 Minutes Till Dawn (Jan. 2 to 3)
  • Escape Academy (Jan. 1 to 2)

Epic Games Store free games of 2023

  • Ghostrunner (Dec. 31, 2023 to Jan. 1, 2024)
  • Saints Row (Dec. 30 to 31)
  • Snakebird Complete (Dec. 29 to 30)
  • Cat Quest (Dec. 28 to 29)
  • Cursed to Golf (Dec. 27 to 28)
  • Human Resource Machine (Dec. 26 to 27)
  • The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition (Dec. 25 to 26)
  • Ghostwire: Tokyo (Dec. 24 to 25)
  • Fallout 3: Game of the Year Edition (Dec. 23 to 24)
  • Art of Rally (Dec. 22 to 23)
  • Melvor Idle (Dec. 21 to 22)
  • DNF Duel (Dec. 20 to 21)
  • Destiny 2: Legacy Collection (Dec. 13 to 20)
  • Predecessor, Gigabash (Dec. 7 to 13)
  • Mighty Fight Federation; Jitsu Squad (Nov. 30 to Dec. 7)
  • Deliver Us Mars (Nov. 23 to 30)
  • Surviving the Aftermath, Earthlock (Nov. 16 to 23)
  • Golden Light (Nov. 9 to 16)
  • Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion (Nov. 2 to 9)
  • The Evil Within 2; Tandem: A Tale of Shadows (Oct. 26 to Nov. 2)
  • The Evil Within; Eternal Threads (Oct. 19 to 26)
  • Q.U.B.E. Ultimate Bundle; Blazing Sails (Oct. 12 to 19)
  • Godlike Burger (Oct. 5 to 12)
  • Soulstice; Model Builder (Sept. 28 to Oct. 5)
  • The Forest Quartet; Out of Line (Sept. 21 to 28)
  • 911 Operator (Sept. 14 to 21)
  • Spelldrifter (Sept. 7 to 14)
  • Cave Story Plus (Aug. 31 to Sept. 7)
  • Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak (Aug. 24 to 31)
  • Dodo Peak; Black Book (Aug. 17 to 24)
  • Orwell: Keeping an Eye on You; Europa Universalis IV (Aug. 10 to 17)
  • Loop Hero, Bloons TD 6 (Aug. 3 to 10)
  • Severed Steel; Homeworld Remastered Collection (July 27 to Aug. 3)
  • The Elder Scrolls Online; Murder by Numbers (July 20 to 27)
  • Train Valley 2 (July 13 to 20)
  • Grime (July 6 to 13)
  • The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet of Chaos (June 29 to July 6)
  • The Hunter: Call of the Wild; Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms (June 22 to 29)
  • Guacamelee 2; Guacamelee Super Turbo Championship Edition (June 15 to 22)
  • Payday 2 (June 8 to 15)
  • Midnight Ghost Hunt (June 1 to 8)
  • Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition (May 25 to June. 1)
  • Death Stranding (May 18 to 25)
  • The Sims 4 The Daring Lifestyle Bundle (May 11 to 18)
  • Kao the Kangaroo; Horizon Chase Turbo, Against All Odds (May 4 to 11)
  • Poker Club; Breathedge (April 27 to May 4)
  • Never Alone (Kisima Ingitchuna); Beyond Blue (April 20-27)
  • Second Extinction; Mordhau (April 13 to 20)
  • Shapez; Dying Light: The Following — Enhanced Edition (April 6 to 13)
  • Tunche; The Silent Age (March 30 to April 6)
  • World of Warships Starter Pack: Ishizuchi; Chess Ultra (March 23 to 30)
  • Warhammer 40,000: Gladius — Relics of War (March 16 to 23)
  • Call of the Sea (March 9 to 16)
  • Rise of Industry (March 2 to 9)
  • Duskers (Feb. 23 to March 2)
  • Warpips (Feb. 16 to 23)
  • Recipe for Disaster (Feb. 9 to 16)
  • Dishonored: Death of the Outsider; City of Gangsters (Feb. 2 to 9)
  • Hell Is Others, Adios (Jan. 26 to Feb. 2)
  • Epistory: Typing Chronicles (Jan. 19 to 26)
  • Gamedec: Definitive Edition; First Class Trouble; Divine Knockout (Jan. 12 to 19)
  • Shadow Tactics: Aiko’s Choice; Kerbal Space Program (Jan. 5 to 12)

Epic Games Store free games of 2022

  • Eximus: Seize the Frontline; Dishonored: Definitive Edition (Dec. 29, 2022 to Jan. 5, 2023)

Epic Store free games FAQ

What do I need to do to get free Epic Store games?

To get free games from the Epic Store each week, you must sign up and make an account.

To register as a user for the Epic Store, first head to the Epic Games website. At the top right-hand corner, click the Sign In button and then Create Account at the bottom of the page.

Can I play the free Epic Store games on Steam?

The Epic Store is different to Steam, so the games that you own on the Epic Store will not be available to play on Steam. If you want to play the free games you’ve downloaded from the Epic Store, you must play them via Epic’s launcher.

Technologies

I Made Google Translate My Default on iPhone Before a Trip and It Saved Me More Than Once

Google Translate supports far more languages than Apple’s app, and it’s easy to make the switch.

If you’re traveling overseas this summer, the Google Translate app can come in handy to quickly translate a road sign or conversation. The latest Google Translate update allows you to pick the app as your default translation app for Apple iPhones and iPads running iOS and iPadOS 18.4 and later. Previously, you were limited to the built-in Apple option.

Google began leveraging AI to boost Google Translate’s offerings, adding 110 languages last year to increase its total support for 249 languages. Compare that to Apple Translate, which supports 19 languages. Neither Google nor Apple responded to a request for comment.

Both apps offer voice and text translation, including a camera feature that lets you instantly translate by pointing your camera at text. Both also allow you to use translation features without an internet connection, which can come in particularly handy when traveling to more remote locations.

After using both, I found that the Google Translate picked up speech a little quicker so I didn’t have to constantly repeat myself, and the audio pronunciations were a little easier to understand than on Apple Translate. I switched to Google Translate as the default on my iPhone, and here’s how you can, too.

How to set Google Translate as the default on an iPhone or iPad

Setting Google Translate as your default app is simple on an iPhone or iPad, so long as it’s running iOS and iPadOS 18.4 or later.

  1. Download the Google Translate app or update it to the latest version.
  2. Go to the Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
  3. Scroll down to the bottom then select Apps.
  4. Click Default Apps at the top of the screen.
  5. Then choose Translation.
  6. Select Google Translate.
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Technologies

The 20 Best PC Games Right Now

Put your gaming computer to the test with the best PC games out right now, including AAA hits like Elden Ring and Black Myth: Wukong as well as indie darlings.

PC gaming gives you the best of most worlds. With a decent budget and some gumption, you can build a solid desktop rig — or you can invest in one of CNET’s best gaming PCs and gain access to a wide world of PC exclusives, indie games and even some titles that were previously exclusive to Sony’s PlayStation and Microsoft’s Xbox.

There’s a truly unlimited amount of tags, store queues and interactive recommendations to browse through, and it can get overwhelming trying to find the next best metroidvania, boomer shooter, collectathon or whatever your cup of tea is. PC gamers aren’t lacking for choice.

In fact, between Steam, the Epic Games Store, Game Pass and more, there are thousands upon thousands of games to choose from. One of the biggest issues you can run into with a massive backlog is choice paralysis. Just which are the best PC games out there?

We’re here to help. To narrow your game choices, CNET curated this list of the best PC games you can play right now.

Read more: Best Gaming PC Deals Right Now

TL;DR? These are the 20 best PC games for June 2025

  • Balatro
  • Warframe
  • Baldur’s Gate 3
  • Overwatch 2
  • Valorant
  • Disco Elysium: The Final Cut
  • Elden Ring
  • Cassette Beasts
  • Dread Delusion
  • Celeste
  • Total War: Pharaoh
  • Stardew Valley
  • Lunacid
  • Black Myth: Wukong
  • Neon White
  • Helldivers 2
  • Risk of Rain 2
  • Soulstone Survivors
  • Terraria
  • Haste

PC gaming FAQs

Recent updates to the list

February 2025: While no new games have been added to the list so far this year, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is an early frontrunner. A spate of stellar seasonal events, maps and new heroes has also put Marvel Rivals in contention for the PC hero shooter crown.

Read more: The Best Heroes to Play in Marvel Rivals

June 2025: Added Helldivers 2, Risk of Rain 2, Soulstone Survivors, Terraria and Haste to the list in order to represent both games industry behemoths and indie gaming hidden gems.

How we determined CNET’s best PC games

When creating this list of the best PC games, we factored in how unique and enjoyable these games are for most players. We evaluated criteria including graphical quality, innovative gameplay mechanics and compelling narratives. The picks we made cover a variety of genres from fantasy to retro platformers to shooters to strategy games, and while we favored PC-exclusive games and indie titles you won’t find on Xbox, PlayStation or Nintendo Switch, we also included some can’t-miss games that appear on multiple platforms. If you’re looking for help choosing your next game, CNET’s top PC list is a good place to start narrowing your choices.

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Technologies

How to Add These Hidden Music and Apple Intelligence Controls to Your iPhone

One control can Apple’s Visual Intelligence to more devices besides the iPhone 16 lineup.

Apple released iOS 18.4 on March 31, and the update brought bug fixes, new emoji and a new recipes section in Apple News to all iPhones. The update also brought a handful of new controls to the iPhone Control Center, including one that brings Visual Intelligence to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

When Apple released iOS 18 in September, the update remodeled the Control Center to give you more control over how the feature functions. With iOS 18, you can resize controls, assign some controls to their own dedicated page and adjust the placement of controls to your liking. Apple also introduced more controls to the feature, making it a central hub for all your most-used iPhone features.

Read more: Everything You Need to Know About iOS 18

With iOS 18.4, Apple continues to expand the number of controls you can add to the Control Center. If you have the update on your iPhone, you can add ambient music controls, and Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhones get a few AI controls in the menu, too. Here’s what you need to know about the new controls and how to add them to your Control Center.

Ambient Music controls

Apple gave everyone four new controls in the Control Center library under the Ambient Music category. These controls are Sleep, Chill, Productivity and Wellbeing. Each of these controls can activate a playlist filled with music that corresponds to the specific control. Sleep, for instance, plays ambient music to help lull you to bed.

Some studies suggest white noise could help adults learn words and improve learning in environments full of distractions. According to the mental health company Calm, certain kinds of music can help you fall asleep faster and improve the quality of your sleep. So these new controls can help you learn, fall asleep and more.

Here’s how to find these controls.

1. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your Home Screen to open your Control Center. 
2. Tap the plus (+) sign in the top-left corner of your screen.
3. Tap Add a Control.

You’ll see a section of controls called Ambient Music. You can also search for «Ambient Music» in the search bar at the top of the control library. Under Ambient Music, you’ll see all four controls. Tap one (or all) of them to add them to your Control Center. Once you’ve added one or all the controls to your Control Center, go back to your Control Center and tap one to start playing music.

Here’s how to change the playlist for each control.

1. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your Home Screen to open your Control Center.
2. Tap the plus (+) sign in the top-left corner of your screen.
3. Tap the Ambient Music control you want to edit.
4. Tap the playlist to the right of Playlist.

A dropdown menu will appear with additional playlists for each control. If you’re in the Sleep control, you’ll see playlists like Restful Notes and Lo-Fi Snooze. If you have playlists in your Music app, then you’ll also see an option From Library, which pulls music from your library. Tap whichever playlist you want and it will be assigned to that control.

Apple already lets you transform your iPhone into a white noise machine with Background Sounds, like ocean and rain. But Ambient Music is actual music as opposed to more static sounds like in that feature.

Both of these features feel like a way for Apple to present itself as the first option for whenever you want some background music to help you fall asleep or be productive. Other services, like Spotify and YouTube, already have ambient music playlists like these, so this could be Apple’s way of taking some of those service’s audience.

Apple Intelligence controls

Only people with an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max or the iPhone 16 lineup can access Apple Intelligence features for now, and those people got three new dedicated Apple Intelligence controls with iOS 18.4. Those controls are Talk to Siri, Type to Siri and Visual Intelligence.

Here’s how to find these controls.

1. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your Home Screen to open your Control Center.
2. Tap the plus (+) sign in the top-left corner of your screen.
3. Tap Add a Control.

Then you can use the search bar near the top of the screen to search for «Apple Intelligence» or you can scroll through the menu to find the Apple Intelligence & Siri section. Tap any (or all) of these controls to add them to your Control Center. While Talk to Siri and Type to Siri controls can be helpful if you have trouble accessing the digital assistant, the Visual Intelligence control is important because it brings the Apple Intelligence feature to the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max.

Visual Intelligence was originally only accessible on the iPhone 16 lineup because those devices have the Camera Control button. With iOS 18.4, Visual Intelligence is now accessible on more devices and people thanks to the titular control in Control Center. But remember, Visual Intelligence is like any other AI tool so it won’t always be accurate. You should double check results and important information it shows you.

For more on iOS 18, here are all the new emoji you can use now and everything you should to know about the recipes section in Apple News. You can also check out all the features included in iOS 18.5 and our iOS 18 cheat sheet.

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