Apple Music is getting a major visual and functional upgrade with iOS 26, bringing features that make the experience feel less like a static interface and more like an immersive environment.
One of the most noticeable changes is the ability to expand album artwork into a full-screen animated display right from the Lock Screen. Tap the album cover while a song is playing, and if it has animated artwork, the image comes alive in real time. Music controls stay visible, floating over the motion graphics with a translucent design that’s part of Apple’s new Liquid Glass aesthetic.
This visual overhaul is more than just a style refresh. Apple is aiming to make the interface feel layered and reactive, moving away from flat grids and toward something more ambient. The Lock Screen doesn’t just display what’s playing anymore—it adapts to it. When music takes over the screen, it turns a passive glance into a more engaging moment. It’s subtle, but it reshapes how music feels on iPhone, especially when it’s the only thing happening in that moment of use.
Alongside the new visuals, iOS 26 also introduces pinned music in Apple Music—a long-requested feature that finally gives users more control over their library. You can now pin up to six items, whether albums, playlists, or artists, directly to the top of the Library tab. Long-press any item in your collection, and you’ll find pinning options that make it easy to keep your most-played or to-listen items always within reach. For users who struggle to keep track of favorites in an endless scroll of streaming options, this is a small but meaningful change.
Another update coming in iOS 26 is Apple Music’s new lyrics translation feature, which helps users understand foreign-language songs without turning to third-party sites. There’s also a pronunciation tool built into Apple Music Sing, designed to improve accuracy when singing along by teaching how words should sound. These features aim to make global music more accessible and participatory.
Apple is also experimenting with how music flows from track to track. The new AutoMix feature introduces continuous DJ-style transitions, similar to what Spotify’s AI DJ offers. While Apple hasn’t confirmed deeper AI integration yet, Mark Gurman has reported that a more advanced Apple Music reboot may still be in the works, possibly arriving alongside the iPhone 17 launch.
