As the iOS 18 beta continues, Apple’s still investing time into fixing up iOS 17. Compared to iOS 17.4 and iOS 17.5, which both had over 30 new features and changes, iOS 17.6 is a relatively small software update for iPhone. But there are still some important things to know about.
Currently, iOS 17.6 is in beta for developers and public beta testers. The latest update, iOS 17.6 beta 4, was issued on July 16. The last beta should be the RC, or Release Candidate, which is usually the same version as the stable update unless any glaring issues need to be addressed.
Note that many of the features and changes below also apply to iPadOS 17.6.
1. Catch Up for Live Sports in the TV App
The most prominent feature of iOS 17.6 is for sports fans. In the TV app, you’ll find the new Catch Up feature as an option whenever you open a live sports game in progress. It generates quick highlights of all the important moments that have transpired in the match, showing them in a Key Plays carousel, which you can navigate via left and right swipes. You can access the carousel at any time during the game via the player controls.
2. Alert for Unknown International Senders
A new alert added to ChatKit in iOS 17.6 lets you know when a message is from an unknown international sender, giving you more insight into who could be messaging you. So instead of just seeing “The sender is not in your contact list” or “The sender and other recipients are not in your contact list,” you may see:
This message is from an unknown international sender.
3. Beats Pill Icon in Control Center
When you’re connected to Apple-branded Bluetooth headphones and speakers, you’ll see a special icon in Control Center, among other places, identifying the device’s model in a picture, such as AirPods Pro, AirPods (3rd Generation), AirPods Max, Beats Powerbeats3, and Beats Fit Pro, to name a few. With iOS 17.6, the new Beats Pill speaker has its own icon, too.
Apple discontinued the Beats Pill Plus in 2022, and the new Beats Bill, released in June 2024, is, to quote Engadget, “A revival worth the wait.”
4. Live Activities Scheduling for News
Live Activities were first supported by the News app with iOS 17.2 and gained minor improvements with iOS 17.5. New in iOS 17.6 is the ability to schedule a Live Activity. That way, you don’t have to keep your eyes glued to the News app to begin a Live Activity and can prepare beforehand. This can come in handy for primaries and elections with set dates.
Live Activity Scheduled
When the event starts, you’ll get real-time updates on your Home Screen and Lock Screen.
5. Privacy Update in Shortcuts
On iOS 17.5.1 and earlier, whenever you run a shortcut for the first time with an action like “Get Contents of URL” or “Get Contents of Web Page,” a privacy alert asks you to:
Allow “[Action Name]” to connect to “[URL]”?
With iOS 17.6, you’ll now see extra information along with this privacy alert:
This might allow “[Action Name]” to share content with “[URL]”.
6. Siri & Dictation Is Now Just Siri
Like with iOS 18, Apple has changed the bundle display name for the “Siri & Dictation” menu on iOS 17.6 to “Siri” alone. So when you go to Settings » Privacy & Security » Location Services, you’ll now see “Siri” instead of “Siri & Dictation” in the list of apps and services. Select it, and you’ll also see a new “Ask Next Time Or When I Share” access option.
With that chosen, any time you ask Siri a location-related question, you’ll be prompted to “Allow Once,” “Allow While Using App,” or “Don’t Allow.” Giving access once means you’ll keep getting these prompts. Giving access while using it will change your Location Services setting to “While Using the App.” Denying access will change that setting to “Never.”
7. Find My Improvements for Apple Pencil Pro
The new Apple Pencil Pro comes with Find My support, but its Find My features have not been very impressive. Apple fixes this with iOS 17.6 and iPadOS 17.6. So if you lose your Apple Pencil Pro, you can use Find My on your iPhone or iPad and get directions to the Apple Pencil Pro or mark it as lost. Before, it would just tell you its last known location and help you find it using Precision Finding.
Once you enable Lost Mode, this email address [or phone number] will be visible to the person who finds your pencil. This allows others to contact you whenever your lost pencil is found.
8. Updated League Standings in Apple TV
When you view Apple’s MLS Season Pass in the TV app, you may notice a difference in the League Standings section. On iOS 17.5.1 and earlier, you’ll see the Eastern and Western Conference standings in MLS Wrap-Up charts, and tapping a table opens MLS Wrap-Up. On iOS 17.6, Wrap-Up is removed in favor of simpler tables. Tapping one expands it so you can see the entire list of teams. If you have favorite teams, you’ll see stars next to them.
9. Legacy Contact Updates
The Legacy Contact feature, which lets someone invite you to be the person who can access their iCloud account in the event of their death, has some wording changes in some areas. For example, when becoming someone’s Legacy Contact on iOS 17.5.1, you may see:
You’ve been added as a legacy contact for [Contact]. You will be able to access the data stored in [Contact]’s account in the event of their death. You can manage your legacy contact information or view your access key in Account Settings.
On iOS 17.6, you might see this instead:
You’ve been added as a legacy contact for [Contact]. In the event that [Contact] passes away, you can access the iCloud data stored in their account.
This may include photos, messages, videos, notes, documents, and personal information. You can view the access key for [Contact]’s account and manage legacy contacts for your account in Settings.
10. Updated Korean Rating Icon for Movies
In 2023, to reduce the wait time between movie releases in South Korea, the Korea Media Ratings Board (KMRB) changed its movie rating system to allow streamers to self-rate content instead of the KMRB having to screen everything first.
Also that year, South Korea officially formalized the international age-counting method for its government in an effort to retire the traditional “Korean age” system across the country, which counted a newborn as one year old on its day of birth, then two years old at the start of the following year, effectively making a baby born on Dec. 31 two years old the very next day.
To align with the formal adoption of the international age-counting method, the KMRB switched its 18 and over red-label rating to 19 and over on May 1, 2024. Apple already deprecated the not-for-youths-under-18-years rating, but iOS 17.6 finally supports the red-label 19 icon on movie pages. You may still see 18 ratings for content that has not yet been updated. You may only be able to see KMRB ratings if you’re in South Korea or have changed your Apple Account region identifier.
11. Bankruptcy Messages for Apple Card
If you have an Apple Card, it can become locked for various reasons. Let’s say you recently filed for bankruptcy. Apple may lock your Apple Card account when it finds out. Before, it wasn’t clear that a bankruptcy filing would be the culprit until Apple Card customer support told you. However, with iOS 17.6, you may see the dashboard alert below. You may also see this for Apple Pay Later.
Your account has been locked due to a bankruptcy filing. Chat with a specialist for more information.
12. Security Patches and Bug Fixes
Like any other iOS update, iOS 17.6 is bound to have several bug fixes and patches for security vulnerabilities. Apple doesn’t ever list corrected bugs beyond saying “bug fixes,” but it will release security updates when iOS 17.6 becomes available to everyone.
Just updated your iPhone? You’ll find new features for Podcasts, News, Books, and TV, as well as important security improvements and fresh wallpapers. Find out what’s new and changed on your iPhone with the iOS 17.5 update.
