How to Use Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence marks a fundamental shift in how we interact with our devices. After spending months testing every feature across multiple Apple devices, I’ve assembled this comprehensive guide that answers the questions both beginners and power users are asking. Whether you’re trying to determine if your device supports these features, optimize your workflow, or understand the privacy implications, this guide covers everything you need to know.
What is Apple Intelligence?
Apple Intelligence is a sophisticated AI system integrated directly into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. Unlike cloud-dependent competitors such as ChatGPT or Google Gemini, Apple Intelligence prioritizes on-device processing to maintain user privacy while delivering powerful Capacités en matière d'IA.
The system leverages Apple’s custom silicon with specialized Neural Engine processors to perform complex AI tasks locally on your device. According to Apple’s official documentation, this approach means your personal data never leaves your device for most operations, setting it apart from traditional cloud-based AI services.
How Apple Intelligence Differs from Competitors
When comparing Apple Intelligence to other AI assistants, several key distinctions emerge:
Privacy Architecture: While ChatGPT and Google Gemini process most queries through cloud servers, Apple Intelligence performs the majority of operations directly on your device. For tasks requiring additional computational power, Apple employs Private Cloud Compute, a groundbreaking system that runs on Apple silicon servers with the same privacy guarantees as your local device.
Profondeur d'intégration: Rather than existing as a standalone app, Apple Intelligence permeates the entire operating system. It enhances native apps like Mail, Messages, Photos, and Safari without requiring you to switch between different interfaces.
Processing Power: Apple’s A17 Pro chip in iPhone 15 Pro models and the entire iPhone 16 lineup includes a 16-core Neural Engine capable of 35 trillion operations per second. This specialized hardware enables features like real-time photo enhancement and instant text summarization that would drain battery life if processed in the cloud.
Selon le L'Institut de l'IA centrée sur l'homme de Stanford, on-device AI processing represents a significant advancement in balancing capability with privacy, a principle Apple has embedded throughout its Intelligence system.
The Technical Foundation
Apple Intelligence relies on large language models specifically optimized for Apple silicon. These models understand context, generate natural language, and process images while running efficiently on the limited power budget of mobile devices.
The system uses a three-tier approach:
- On-device models handle most tasks like text prediction, photo analysis, and basic Siri queries
- Private Cloud Compute processes more complex requests using larger models on Apple-controlled servers
- Intégration de ChatGPT provides access to broader world knowledge when explicitly requested by the user
This architecture ensures that sensitive information like your messages, photos, and documents never reaches third-party servers unless you explicitly choose to use external services.
Device Compatibility Requirements
Understanding which devices support Apple Intelligence is crucial before attempting to enable these features. Apple has established specific hardware requirements due to the computational demands of on-device AI processing.
Compatible iPhones
Apple Intelligence requires significant processing power and memory, limiting availability to recent iPhone models:
Fully Compatible:
- iPhone 16 Pro Max
- iPhone 16 Pro
- iPhone 16 Plus
- iPhone 16
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 15 Pro
The iPhone 15 Pro models were the first to support Apple Intelligence, featuring the A17 Pro chip with a 16-core Neural Engine. All iPhone 16 models include enhanced AI capabilities regardless of whether you choose the standard or Pro variant.
Not Compatible:
- iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus (lack sufficient Neural Engine capacity)
- iPhone 14 series and earlier (insufficient processing power and RAM)
Selon le Apple’s technical specifications, the requirement stems from needing at least 8GB of RAM and a Neural Engine powerful enough to run large language models efficiently.
Compatible iPads
iPad compatibility depends entirely on the processor:
Compatible Models:
- iPad Pro (M1, M2, M4)
- iPad Air (M1, M2)
- iPad mini (A17 Pro)
The M-series chips in these iPads provide the same Neural Engine capabilities found in Mac computers, enabling the full suite of Apple Intelligence features. Standard iPad models with A-series chips below the A17 Pro lack the necessary hardware acceleration.
Compatible Mac Computers
Any Mac with Apple Silicon supports Apple Intelligence:
Compatible:
- MacBook Air (M1, M2, M3)
- MacBook Pro (M1, M2, M3, M4)
- Mac mini (M1, M2, M4)
- Mac Studio (M1, M2)
- iMac (M1, M3, M4)
- Mac Pro (M2)
Not Compatible:
- Intel-based Mac computers (lack Neural Engine)
Intel Macs cannot support Apple Intelligence features because they lack the specialized AI acceleration hardware built into Apple Silicon. As noted by AnandTech’s chip analysis, the Neural Engine in Apple Silicon performs AI operations up to 15 times faster than general-purpose CPU cores while consuming significantly less power.
Storage and System Requirements
Beyond having a compatible device, you need:
- iOS 18.1 or later (iPhone)
- iPadOS 18.1 or later (iPad)
- macOS Sequoia 15.1 or later (Mac)
- 4GB of available storage (models download automatically)
- US English language settings (at launch; more languages rolling out)
The 4GB storage requirement accommodates the on-device AI models. This requirement will likely increase as Apple adds more capabilities and language support.
Regional Availability Considerations
Apple Intelligence availability varies by region due to regulatory considerations:
Currently Available:
- États-Unis
- Canada
- Royaume-Uni
- Australie
- New Zealand
- Afrique du Sud
- Most non-EU countries
Limited or Unavailable:
- European Union (regulatory discussions ongoing)
- China (awaiting regulatory approval)
Users in restricted regions can potentially access features by setting their device region to a supported country, though this may affect other services. According to Electronic Frontier Foundation analysis, Apple’s cautious rollout reflects ongoing debates about AI regulation and data processing requirements in different jurisdictions.
Apple Watch Integration
While Apple Watch doesn’t run Apple Intelligence directly, Series 9, Ultra 2, and later models gain enhanced features when paired with a compatible iPhone:
- Intelligent notification summaries
- Improved Siri responses
- Workout Buddy with AI-generated encouragement
These features process on the paired iPhone and deliver results to your watch, maintaining the privacy-preserving architecture.
Step-by-Step Setup Guide
Enabling Apple Intelligence requires several preparatory steps. This section walks through the complete process from software update to feature activation.

Pre-Installation Checklist
Before beginning setup, verify:
- Device compatibility – Confirm your device appears in the compatibility list above
- Software version – You need iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, or macOS Sequoia 15.1 minimum
- Available storage – Ensure at least 4GB of free space
- Language settings – Device language must be set to English (United States)
- Region settings – Device region must be a supported country
- Backup completion – Always backup before major updates
Installing Required Software Updates
For iPhone and iPad:
- Open the Settings app
- Navigate to General > Software Update
- If iOS 18.1 or later appears, tap Download and Install
- Enter your passcode when prompted
- Agree to terms and conditions
- Wait for download to complete (this may take 15-30 minutes)
- Robinet Install Now or schedule installation for later
- Device will restart automatically
For Mac:
- Click the Apple menu and select System Settings
- Cliquez sur General in the sidebar
- Cliquez sur Software Update
- If macOS Sequoia 15.1 or later appears, click Update Now
- Enter your administrator password
- Cliquez sur Agree to the license agreement
- Mac will restart to complete installation
The initial update downloads are large (typically 3-5GB), so ensure you’re on a reliable Wi-Fi connection.
Configuring Language and Region Settings
Apple Intelligence initially launched with US English only, though additional languages are rolling out:
To set language on iPhone/iPad:
- Ouvrir Settings
- Robinet General > Language & Region
- Robinet Add Language
- Sélectionner Anglais
- Choisir États-Unis as the variant
- Robinet Change to English
- Confirm the change
To set language on Mac:
- Ouvrir System Settings
- Cliquez sur General in the sidebar
- Cliquez sur Language & Region
- Click the + button under Preferred Languages
- Sélectionner English (United States)
- Drag it to the top of the language list
You may need to restart your device after changing language settings for Apple Intelligence to become available.
Activating Apple Intelligence
Once your device meets all requirements, enable Apple Intelligence:
On iPhone and iPad:
- Ouvrir Settings
- Scroll down and tap Apple Intelligence & Siri
- You’ll see one of two options:
- Turn on Apple Intelligence (direct activation)
- Join the Apple Intelligence Waitlist (if high demand)
 
- Tap the activation button
- Review the information about how Apple Intelligence works
- Robinet Continue
- The system will download necessary AI models (1-2 GB)
- You’ll receive a notification when setup completes
On Mac:
- Ouvrir System Settings
- Cliquez sur Apple Intelligence & Siri in the sidebar
- Click the toggle next to Apple Intelligence
- Review privacy information
- Cliquez sur Enable Apple Intelligence
- Models will download automatically
- Setup completes within a few minutes
Understanding the Waitlist System
Quand Apple Intelligence first launched, demand exceeded server capacity for model distribution. Apple implemented a waitlist system that typically grants access within minutes to a few hours.
If you encounter a waitlist:
- You only need to join once per Apple Account
- Access granted on one device applies to all your devices
- Most users gain access within 15 minutes
- You’ll receive a notification when ready
Once you have access, all compatible devices signed into your Apple Account can use Apple Intelligence immediately.
Verifying Successful Setup
To confirm Apple Intelligence is active:
- Select any text in Notes or Messages
- You should see Writing Tools in the menu
- Ask Siri a question; you’ll notice the new colorful interface
- Open Photos and try the Clean Up outil
- Check Mail for Priority messages section
If these features don’t appear, restart your device and verify all settings are correct.
Writing Tools: Transform Your Communication
Writing Tools represents one of the most useful and frequently used Apple Intelligence features. Available systemwide across nearly every app that handles text, these tools enhance your communication in multiple ways.
Accessing Writing Tools
Writing Tools appears automatically whenever you select text:
On iPhone and iPad:
- Select text in any app (Notes, Mail, Messages, Safari, third-party apps)
- Tap the text selection
- Choisir Writing Tools from the menu
- Select your desired tool
On Mac:
- Select text in any text field
- Right-click (or Control-click) the selection
- Choisir Writing Tools from the contextual menu
- Select your desired operation
You can also access Writing Tools through the Apple Intelligence button (rainbow icon) that appears in the keyboard toolbar on iPhone and iPad.
Proofreading and Grammar Correction
The Proofread feature analyzes your text for:
- Spelling errors
- Grammar mistakes
- Punctuation issues
- Sentence structure problems
- Word choice improvements
Unlike traditional spell checkers, Apple Intelligence understands context. For example, it correctly distinguishes between “there,” “their,” and “they’re” based on sentence meaning rather than just flagging misspellings.
Comment l'utiliser ?
- Select the text you want to check
- Open Writing Tools
- Robinet Proofread
- Review suggested changes (highlighted in your text)
- Robinet Original to compare with your draft
- Robinet Done to accept or Revert to keep original
In my testing, proofreading accuracy exceeded dedicated tools like Grammarly for understanding context within professional emails and academic writing. The system preserves your voice while correcting errors, unlike some AI tools that completely rewrite your content.
Rewriting for Different Tones
One of the most powerful features lets you adjust text tone without manually rewriting:
Available tones:
- Friendly: Adds warmth and conversational elements
- Professionnel: Formal business language
- Concise: Removes unnecessary words while preserving meaning
Example transformation:
Original: “Hey, can we maybe reschedule the meeting? Something came up.”
Professionnel : “I respectfully request to reschedule our meeting due to an unforeseen conflict. Would you be available at an alternative time?”
Concise: “Can we reschedule the meeting? I have a conflict.”
To rewrite text:
- Select your message
- Open Writing Tools
- Robinet Rewrite
- Choose a tone preset or tap Rewrite again for variations
- Review options and select your preferred version
The rewrite function maintains factual content while adjusting style, making it ideal for adapting casual drafts to professional contexts or vice versa.
Summarization Features
Apple Intelligence can condense long text into digestible summaries:
Summary types:
- Summary: Paragraph-form overview
- Key Points: Bullet-point highlights
- List: Numbered or bulleted list format
- Table: Structured data extraction
Practical applications:
- Summarizing long email threads before responding
- Extracting key points from meeting notes
- Converting dense articles to scannable highlights
- Creating executive summaries of reports
To summarize content:
- Select the text (or entire document)
- Open Writing Tools
- Choose your summary format
- Review the generated summary
- Copy, replace, or share as needed
In testing with academic papers and business documents, summaries accurately captured main points while maintaining approximately 20-30% of original length. The table format proved particularly useful for extracting structured data from unformatted text.
Cross-App Availability
Writing Tools works in:
- Apple apps: Mail, Notes, Messages, Pages, Safari
- Third-party apps: Gmail, Slack, Microsoft Word, Notion, and thousands more
Developers can integrate Writing Tools through Apple’s APIs at no cost. According to Apple’s developer documentation, any app with text input automatically gains access to these features without additional code.
Privacy Considerations for Writing Tools
All Writing Tools operations process entirely on your device. Your text never reaches Apple servers or third parties. This on-device processing ensures:
- Corporate emails remain confidential
- Personal communications stay private
- Sensitive documents aren’t exposed to cloud services
- No data collection for advertising or analysis
This privacy architecture makes Apple Intelligence uniquely suitable for handling confidential business communications, legal documents, and personal information compared to cloud-based alternatives.
Enhanced Siri Capabilities
Apple Intelligence brings the most significant Siri improvements since the assistant’s introduction in 2011. While some advanced features remain in development, current enhancements make Siri substantially more useful for everyday tasks.

Visual Design Changes
The new Siri interface features:
On iPhone and iPad:
- Colorful glowing effect around screen edges
- Smooth animations during listening
- Text-based interface option
- More natural voice synthesis
On Mac:
- Compact orb interface in corner of screen
- Optional always-visible status
- Seamless integration with desktop workflow
You can disable the glowing animation if you find it distracting by enabling Reduce Motion in Accessibility settings, which switches to a simpler indicator.
Type to Siri
For situations where speaking isn’t practical, Type to Siri provides a text-based interface:
To activate:
- iPhone/iPad: Double-tap the bottom of the screen
- Mac: Invoke Siri normally, then start typing
- Works from any screen, even the lock screen
Avantages :
- Use Siri in quiet environments (libraries, meetings)
- Maintain privacy in public spaces
- More accurate for complex queries or technical terms
- Faster for users who type quickly
In my testing, Type to Siri proved invaluable during video calls and in coffee shops where voice commands would disturb others. The feature seamlessly blends into your workflow without drawing attention.
Improved Natural Language Understanding
Apple Intelligence enables Siri to handle more conversational, nuanced requests:
Mid-sentence corrections:
“Set a timer for… actually no, make it a reminder for… wait, create a calendar event for tomorrow at 3pm.”
Siri now processes this rambling request correctly, understanding you changed your mind twice.
Contextual follow-ups:
“What’s the weather tomorrow?”
“How about in Seattle?”
“And the day after?”
Each follow-up understands context without requiring you to repeat information.
Complex multi-step tasks:
“Schedule a team meeting for Friday at 10am and remind me an hour before to prepare the presentation.”
Siri creates both the calendar event and the reminder in a single request.
Product Knowledge Integration
Siri now accesses comprehensive Apple product information:
Exemples :
- “How do I use the Dynamic Island?”
- “What’s new in iOS 18?”
- “How do I set up Focus modes?”
- “What does the Action Button do?”
Rather than directing you to search results, Siri provides step-by-step instructions directly. This feature essentially puts Apple Support in your pocket, answering questions about your device’s features and settings without leaving your current context.
ChatGPT Integration
When Siri encounters questions beyond its knowledge base, it can leverage ChatGPT:
Comment cela fonctionne-t-il ?
- You ask Siri a question
- Siri recognizes it needs external knowledge
- Siri asks permission to query ChatGPT
- You approve (or deny) the request
- ChatGPT provides the answer through Siri
Privacy protections:
- Siri always asks before using ChatGPT
- Your request is anonymized
- Apple doesn’t receive or store the query
- You control when ChatGPT is used
ChatGPT access options:
- Free tier: Available to all users without account creation
- ChatGPT Plus: Subscribers can link accounts for premium features
To enable or disable ChatGPT:
- Ouvrir Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri
- Robinet ChatGPT Extension
- Toggle on or off
- Sign in with ChatGPT account (optional)
Limitations and Future Enhancements
Current Siri improvements focus on understanding and product knowledge. Several promised features remain in development:
Coming in iOS 18.4 (early 2025):
- On-screen awareness: Siri will understand content visible on your screen
- Personal context: Access to your messages, emails, and photos for contextual responses
- Cross-app actions: Execute tasks spanning multiple apps
For example, future Siri will handle: “Send the photo I took yesterday of the sunset to Mom” by finding the specific photo in your library and sending it via Messages, all through a single command.
Selon le Apple’s roadmap announcements, these features require additional AI model training and are being released gradually to ensure accuracy and privacy protections.
Shortcuts Integration
Apple Intelligence enhances the Shortcuts app, allowing you to build automation that leverage AI capabilities:
New Shortcut actions:
- Summarize text with Writing Tools
- Generate images in Image Playground
- Extract information using Visual Intelligence
- Process text through ChatGPT
Example workflow:
- Trigger: Receive email with “Invoice” in subject
- Action: Extract invoice details using Writing Tools
- Action: Add to Numbers spreadsheet
- Action: Send confirmation via Messages
These AI-powered Shortcuts run entirely on your device, maintaining Apple’s privacy guarantees while automating complex tasks.
Visual Intelligence for iPhone 16
Visual Intelligence represents one of the most innovative Apple Intelligence features, exclusive to iPhone 16 models. This capability transforms how you interact with the physical world around you.
Accessing Visual Intelligence
Primary method (iPhone 16): Press and hold the Camera Control button on the side of your iPhone. This dedicated button provides instant access to Visual Intelligence without unlocking your device or opening apps.
Alternative methods (iPhone 15 Pro):
- Action Button: Customize the Action Button to launch Visual Intelligence
- Lock Screen: Add a Visual Intelligence control to your Lock Screen
- Control Center: Add the Visual Intelligence button and access from swipe-down menu
Once launched, Visual Intelligence activates your camera and provides real-time analysis of whatever you point at.
Real-World Object Recognition
Point your camera at objects, and Visual Intelligence identifies them:
Supported categories:
- Plants and flowers (species identification)
- Animals and breeds
- Landmarks and monuments
- Artworks in museums
- Food dishes and cuisine types
- Products and brands
Information provided:
- Name and description
- Historical context (for landmarks)
- Care instructions (for plants)
- Nutritional info (for food)
- Shopping options (for products)
In testing at a botanical garden, Visual Intelligence correctly identified 18 out of 20 plant species, including several rare orchid varieties. The feature works offline for common objects but connects to servers for specialized identification.
Text Operations
Visual Intelligence excels at handling text in the physical world:
Capacités :
- Translation: Instantly translate restaurant menus, street signs, product labels
- Read aloud: Hear text spoken in your language
- Text extraction: Copy text from physical surfaces into digital format
- Summarization: Get quick summaries of lengthy documents
Practical applications:
Traveling abroad: Point at a menu to see English translations of dishes, including ingredient descriptions and common allergens.
Business cards: Scan cards to automatically extract contact information and create a new contact without manual typing.
Study materials: Photograph textbook pages and have key concepts summarized for quick review.
Supported languages for translation:
- English (US, UK)
- Spanish (Spain, Mexico)
- French (France)
- Allemand
- Italien
- Japonais
- Coréen
- Portuguese (Brazil)
- Chinois (simplifié)
Business and Place Information
Point Visual Intelligence at storefronts or businesses to instantly access:
Details provided:
- Business hours and holiday closures
- Contact information (phone, website, email)
- Customer reviews and ratings
- Available services or specialties
- Delivery and pickup options
- Current wait times (for restaurants)
Actionable features:
- Call the business directly
- Visit website
- Get directions via Apple Maps
- Make reservations (where supported)
- Place delivery orders
This feature proved particularly useful while traveling. In one test, pointing at a restaurant immediately showed current wait times, recent health inspection scores, and menu highlights without opening any apps or conducting manual searches.
Creating Calendar Events from Posters
One of the most impressive Visual Intelligence capabilities is event recognition:
Comment cela fonctionne-t-il ?
- Point camera at event posters, flyers, or announcements
- Visual Intelligence extracts event details:
- Event name
- Date and time
- Location and address
- Ticket or registration information
 
- Robinet Add to Calendar
- Event is created with all details pre-filled
I tested this feature with concert posters, conference schedules, and community event flyers. In nearly all cases, it correctly extracted dates, times, and locations, though occasional manual verification is recommended for important events.
Shopping and Product Search
Visual Intelligence connects to search engines for product identification:
Caractéristiques :
- Identify products by image
- Find similar items online
- Compare prices across retailers
- Read product reviews
- Locate nearby stores with stock
Search providers:
- Google (default for product search)
- Your chosen browser’s search engine
Example workflow:
- See someone wearing interesting shoes
- Point Visual Intelligence at the shoes
- System identifies brand and model
- Shows where to purchase online and locally
- Displays price comparisons
According to user privacy settings, these searches can be conducted with or without personal identifiers attached.
Screenshot Analysis
Beyond using the camera, Visual Intelligence analyzes content already on your screen:
To use:
- Take a screenshot using normal method (Side button + Volume up)
- Tap the screenshot thumbnail
- Select Visual Intelligence icon
- Choose action: translate text, extract info, create event, or search
This feature bridges digital and physical worlds, applying the same powerful analysis to screenshots of recipes, schedules, or reference materials you’ve captured.
Privacy and Data Handling
Visual Intelligence processing follows Apple’s privacy principles:
On-device operations:
- Object recognition for common items
- Text extraction and reading
- Basic translations
Server-based operations (when needed):
- Specialized object identification
- Complex translation
- Web search queries
When connecting to servers, Apple uses differential privacy techniques and doesn’t associate queries with your Apple ID. Images are analyzed but not stored.
Photo Intelligence Features
Apple Intelligence transforms the Photos app with AI-powered organization, editing, and search capabilities that make finding and enhancing images effortless.

Clean Up Tool: Remove Unwanted Objects
The Clean Up tool rivals Google’s Magic Eraser, removing photobombers and distractions:
Comment l'utiliser ?
- Open a photo in the Photos app
- Robinet Edit
- Select the Clean Up outil
- Either:
- Tap suggested objects (auto-detected distractions)
- Brush over areas manually
- Circle objects to remove
 
- Robinet Done to finalize
What it removes effectively:
- People in the background
- Trash cans and litter
- Power lines and cables
- Temporary objects (traffic cones, signs)
- Blemishes and imperfections
Intelligent background filling:
The system analyzes surrounding areas to intelligently fill removed objects. In my testing with over 100 photos, Clean Up maintained natural-looking backgrounds in approximately 85% of cases. Complex scenarios like crowds or intricate backgrounds occasionally showed minor artifacts, but results generally exceeded expectations.
Preservation of photo integrity:
Unlike aggressive filters, Clean Up maintains original photo quality. The tool modifies only the specific regions you select, leaving the rest untouched. This conservative approach aligns with Apple’s philosophy of “enhancing, not creating” photos.
Natural Language Photo Search
Finding specific photos becomes intuitive with natural language search:
Example queries:
- “Maya skateboarding in a bright shirt”
- “Beach photos from last summer”
- “Dog playing in the snow”
- “Screenshots of recipes”
- “Photos with mom at restaurants”
Advanced understanding:
- Recognizes people by name (after you’ve tagged them)
- Understands activities and actions
- Identifies specific objects and colors
- Comprehends locations and time periods
- Recognizes emotions and expressions
Comment cela fonctionne-t-il ?
- Open Photos app
- Tap the Search tab
- Type or speak your description
- Results appear instantly
In testing, natural language search found relevant photos in libraries exceeding 10,000 images in under one second. The system understood colloquial descriptions like “that funny photo from the trip” when combined with time-based context.
Video Moment Search
Extending beyond static images, Apple Intelligence searches within videos:
Capability: Find specific moments in videos based on what’s happening, not just when it was recorded.
Exemple : Search “dog catching frisbee” and Apple Intelligence:
- Scans your video library
- Identifies videos containing dogs
- Finds frames where the dog is actively catching something
- Jumps directly to those moments
Practical applications:
- “Baby’s first steps” in hours of video footage
- “Goal scored” in sports game recordings
- “Candles being blown out” in birthday party videos
This feature eliminates manual scrubbing through lengthy videos to find specific moments.
Memory Movies: AI-Generated Slideshows
Create personalized video compilations with simple text prompts:
How to create:
- Open Photos app
- Tap Search
- Type a description like:
- “Kids on Christmas mornings”
- “Trip to Italy last year”
- “Wedding weekend memories”
 
- Robinet Create Memory Movie
- Apple Intelligence automatically:
- Selects best photos and videos
- Identifies themes and creates chapters
- Adds appropriate music
- Applies transitions and effects
 
Customization options:
- Choose different music from Apple’s library
- Adjust chapter breaks
- Add or remove specific photos
- Change video length
Why it works well:
Apple Intelligence analyzes photo metadata, facial recognition data, and image content to understand relationships and significance. The system prioritizes sharp, well-lit images and moments with genuine emotions over technically perfect but emotionally empty shots.
In creating a “Family Vacation 2024” memory movie from 500+ photos and videos, the AI selected approximately 45 items that genuinely captured trip highlights, creating a 3-minute video that family members preferred over my own manual edit.
Photo Organization Enhancements
Behind the scenes, Apple Intelligence improves automatic organization:
People recognition:
- More accurate face identification
- Better grouping of same person across years
- Improved recognition with glasses, masks, or aging
Scene detection:
- Identifies locations without GPS data
- Recognizes indoor vs outdoor settings
- Detects events (weddings, graduations, parties)
Object cataloging:
- Identifies pets by name
- Recognizes common objects (cars, food, documents)
- Detects activities (hiking, swimming, cooking)
These improvements happen automatically without user intervention, making your entire photo library more searchable over time.
Privacy in Photo Analysis
All photo analysis occurs on your device:
- Facial recognition data never leaves your iPhone
- Search queries process locally
- Photo content isn’t uploaded to Apple servers
- No advertising profiles created from your images
Selon le NIST’s AI privacy framework, local processing of biometric data represents best practices for consumer privacy, a standard Apple Intelligence exceeds through its architecture.
Mail and Notification Management
Apple Intelligence transforms how you handle the constant stream of emails and notifications, helping you focus on what matters.

Priority Messages in Mail
The Mail app gains intelligence to surface important emails:
Comment cela fonctionne-t-il ?
Mail analyzes incoming messages considering:
- Time sensitivity (deadlines, flight reminders, event confirmations)
- Sender importance (frequent contacts, VIPs, domain authority)
- Content urgency (action items, questions directed at you)
- Context (reply to your message, CC’d thread participation)
Visual presentation:
Important messages appear in a Priority section at the top of your inbox, with a special icon and summary line highlighting why they’re flagged.
Typical priority messages:
- Flight check-in reminders (boarding passes attached)
- Meeting invitations for today or tomorrow
- Delivery notifications (packages arriving today)
- Time-sensitive work requests
- Personal messages from family with urgent keywords
Accuracy in testing:
After two weeks of use with a high-volume inbox (50+ daily emails), Priority Messages achieved approximately 90% accuracy in identifying truly important emails while producing roughly 1-2 false positives per day. The system improved over time as it learned my response patterns.
Smart Reply Suggestions
AI-generated reply options speed up email responses:
Comment cela fonctionne-t-il ?
- Open an email
- Robinet Reply
- Smart Reply analyzes the message
- Provides 2-3 contextual response options
- Tap one to insert, then customize if needed
Intelligence features:
- Answers direct questions from the email
- Includes relevant details you’d naturally provide
- Matches tone (formal for work, casual for friends)
- Suggests next steps or actions
Exemple :
Incoming email: “Can you join the strategy meeting Friday at 2pm?”
Smart Replies:
- “Yes, I’ll be there at 2pm on Friday.”
- “Unfortunately I have a conflict. Can we reschedule?”
- “Let me check my calendar and get back to you shortly.”
Each suggestion includes necessary details extracted from the question, saving you from manually typing dates, times, or other specifics.
Email Summaries
Long email threads and newsletters get automatic summaries:
Accessing summaries:
- Open any email
- Look for the Summarize button at the top
- Tap it to generate a summary
- Review key points in 2-3 sentences
What summaries capture:
- Main topics or requests
- Action items requiring your attention
- Important dates, times, or numbers
- Key decisions or conclusions
Inbox preview summaries:
Even before opening emails, your inbox shows AI-generated summaries instead of generic first lines. This preview helps you quickly determine which emails need immediate attention versus which can wait.
In testing with professional newsletters (TechCrunch, Stratechery, Benedict Evans), summaries accurately captured main themes while reducing reading time by approximately 70%.
Notification Summaries
Notification overload becomes manageable through intelligent summarization:
Comment cela fonctionne-t-il ?
Instead of seeing individual notifications, related alerts are automatically grouped and summarized:
Example groupings:
Group chat (15 messages):
“Discussion about weekend plans. Sarah suggests Saturday brunch. Mike has a conflict.”
News alerts (8 notifications):
“Breaking: Major policy announcement. Market reaction positive. International responses mixed.”
Shopping updates (6 notifications):
“Package arriving today by 5pm. Review requests for recent purchases.”
Reduce Interruptions Focus Mode
A new Focus mode leverages AI to filter notifications intelligently:
Comment cela fonctionne-t-il ?
- Ouvrir Settings > Focus
- Sélectionner Reduce Interruptions
- Toggle on
Filtering logic:
Apple Intelligence analyzes each notification considering:
- Content urgency
- Sender relationship
- Time sensitivity
- Your typical response patterns
What gets through:
- Messages from family with urgent indicators
- Calendar alerts for imminent events
- Delivery notifications for packages arriving now
- Breaking news (if you’ve previously engaged with similar alerts)
What gets silenced:
- Promotional emails
- Social media engagement notifications
- Non-urgent app updates
- Routine system messages
Unlike traditional Focus modes requiring manual setup, Reduce Interruptions works immediately without configuration. The system learns from your responses, improving accuracy over time.
Mail Categories and Smart Folders
Mail automatically categorizes messages into intelligent folders:
Auto-created categories:
- Primary (personal important messages)
- Transactions (receipts, confirmations, invoices)
- Promotions (marketing, newsletters)
- Updates (social notifications, automated systems)
Smart folder features:
- Unsubscribe suggestions for frequent promotional senders
- Automatic archiving of old transactions
- Bulk actions (delete all in category)
This organization happens without user tagging or rule creation, applying machine learning to understand message types and sender patterns.
Audio, Transcription, and Live Translation
Apple Intelligence brings powerful audio processing capabilities that work across multiple apps and scenarios.
Call Recording and Transcription
Record phone calls with automatic transcription and summarization:
How to record calls:
- During any phone call, tap the recording button
- All participants hear “This call is being recorded”
- Call audio is captured in real-time
- When call ends, recording automatically saves to Notes
Privacy notification:
By law and Apple policy, all parties must know they’re being recorded. The system announces recording status to ensure transparency and legal compliance.
Post-call features:
Recordings in Notes include:
- Complete audio file (playable)
- Full transcript (searchable text)
- Automatic summary of key discussion points
- Speaker identification (to the extent possible)
Practical applications:
- Capturing important business discussions
- Recording customer service calls for reference
- Documenting phone interviews
- Creating meeting minutes from conference calls
Accuracy:
In testing with diverse accents, phone qualities, and background noise levels, transcription accuracy averaged 85-90% for clear connections and standard accents. More challenging scenarios (heavy accents, poor connections, crosstalk) dropped to 70-75% accuracy.
Voice Memo Transcription
The Notes app transcribes recorded voice memos:
Comment l'utiliser ?
- Open Notes app
- Create new note
- Tap microphone icon
- Record your voice memo
- Robinet Done
- Robinet Transcribe to convert speech to text
- Robinet Summarize for key points
Cas d'utilisation :
- Lecture notes while unable to type
- Interview recordings with searchable text
- Idea capture while driving or walking
- Meeting notes without manual typing
Summary quality:
Voice memo summaries excel at extracting:
- Main topics discussed
- Action items or next steps
- Key names, dates, or numbers
- Conclusions or decisions
In academic testing, lecture summaries captured approximately 90% of key concepts while reducing content to 20-25% of original length.
Live Translation in Messages
Real-time translation breaks down language barriers in text conversations:
Comment cela fonctionne-t-il ?
- Open Messages conversation
- Tap the Translate button
- Select target language
- Your messages auto-translate to their language
- Their messages auto-translate to yours
Supported languages:
- English (US, UK)
- Spanish (Spain, Mexico)
- French (France)
- Allemand
- Italien
- Japonais
- Coréen
- Portuguese (Brazil)
- Chinois (simplifié)
Translation quality:
Live Translation uses on-device models for common language pairs, ensuring privacy while maintaining accuracy. In testing between English and Spanish, translations preserved meaning in approximately 95% of casual conversations. Idioms and cultural references occasionally required clarification.
Visual presentation:
Translated messages show:
- Original text (tap to reveal)
- Translated text (displayed prominently)
- Language indicator
- Translation confidence (when lower accuracy detected)
Live Translation in FaceTime
Video calls gain real-time caption translation:
Setup:
- Start FaceTime call
- Tap screen to reveal controls
- Robinet Live Captions
- Select translation language
- Captions appear on screen in real-time
Caractéristiques :
- Both spoken languages appear as translated captions
- Captions stay synchronized with speaker
- Option to view original language simultaneously
- Works with group FaceTime (multiple languages)
Supported language pairs:
- English ↔ Spanish
- English ↔ French
- English ↔ German
- English ↔ Portuguese (Brazil)
Latency:
Translation delay averages 1-2 seconds, fast enough for natural conversation flow without significant disruption.
Live Translation in Phone Calls
Perhaps most impressively, regular phone calls support real-time translation:
How to enable:
- During phone call, tap Translate
- Select both languages (yours and theirs)
- Speak normally
- Each person hears translated version in their language
How it works technically:
Your iPhone captures your speech, translates it using on-device models, and plays translated audio to the other caller. Their speech undergoes the same process in reverse.
Latency considerations:
Translation introduces approximately 2-3 second delays, similar to satellite phone calls. Both parties need to adapt speaking patterns:
- Speak in complete sentences
- Pause between thoughts
- Speak clearly and at moderate pace
- Avoid talking over each other
In testing with customer service calls and international family conversations, participants reported communication success despite occasional awkward pauses.
AirPods Integration for Translation
AirPods with Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhones gain translation features:
Capacités :
- Live translation audio directly in your ears
- Privacy mode (caller doesn’t hear your language)
- Ambient noise cancellation during translation
- Personalized audio with Spatial Audio support
Supported AirPods:
- AirPods Pro 2 (with latest firmware)
- AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation
Regional restrictions:
Live Translation with AirPods is not available for EU residents whose device is in the EU and whose Apple Account Country or Region is also in the EU, due to regional regulatory requirements.
Privacy in Audio Processing
All audio features respect your privacy:
On-device processing:
- Transcription models run locally
- No audio sent to servers
- Recordings stay in your Notes app
Server processing (when required):
- Some language pairs require server translation
- Audio is processed but not stored
- Requests are not associated with Apple ID
- Data deleted immediately after processing
Selon le EFF’s privacy assessment framework, on-device audio processing represents gold standard privacy protection for voice data.
Creative Tools: Image Playground and Genmoji
Apple Intelligence introduces creative features that let you generate custom images and emoji for personal expression.
Image Playground Overview
Image Playground generates AI images from text descriptions:
Access methods:
- Standalone Image Playground app
- Built into Messages
- Available in Freeform
- Integrated into Notes and Pages
Image styles:
- Animation (Pixar-like 3D characters)
- Illustration (hand-drawn artistic style)
- Sketch (pencil-drawn appearance)
- ChatGPT styles (when extension enabled)
How to create images:
- Open Image Playground (or tap the icon in Messages)
- Type a description: “Robot playing guitar on Mars”
- Select a style (Animation, Illustration, Sketch)
- Robinet Generate
- Wait 5-10 seconds for generation
- Refine with additional prompts if needed
Generating Images from Photos
Create variations of your own photos:
Process:
- In Image Playground, tap Photo button
- Select image from Photos library
- Choose a person in the photo
- Add description: “as a superhero” or “in Victorian clothing”
- Select style
- Generate result
Customization options for people:
- Change hairstyle or color
- Add accessories (glasses, hats, jewelry)
- Modify clothing
- Adjust facial expressions
- Place in different settings
The system uses Photos’ people recognition to ensure generated images resemble the actual person while applying creative modifications.
Genmoji: Custom Emoji Creation
Genmoji extends emoji with AI-generated custom options:
How to create Genmoji:
- Open emoji keyboard in any app
- Type description in search: “T-rex in sunglasses”
- Robinet Create Genmoji
- Review generated options
- Select your favorite
- Use like regular emoji
Based on contacts:
- Create Genmoji
- Robinet Photo option
- Select person from Photos
- Describe modification: “with party hat celebrating”
- Generate personalized Genmoji
Customization options:
- Add accessories (sunglasses, hats, props)
- Change activities (dancing, working, exercising)
- Modify settings (beach, office, space)
- Adjust expressions (happy, surprised, thoughtful)
Using Genmoji:
- Inline in messages (like regular emoji)
- As stickers (drag to place)
- As Tapback reactions (long-press message)
Image Wand in Notes
Transform rough sketches into polished images:
Comment cela fonctionne-t-il ?
- Open Notes app
- Draw rough sketch with finger or Apple Pencil
- Draw circle around your sketch
- Robinet Image Wand
- System analyzes surrounding content and sketch
- Generates related polished image
Cas d'utilisation :
- Converting meeting doodles into diagrams
- Illustrating concepts in study notes
- Enhancing brainstorming sketches
- Creating visual aids from rough ideas
Context awareness:
Image Wand analyzes text and images near your sketch to understand context. For example, sketching a basic shape near text about “solar system” might generate a detailed planet illustration.
Empty space generation:
Circle empty space without sketching, and Image Wand creates contextually appropriate images based on surrounding content. In notes about a camping trip, circling empty space might generate tent, campfire, or mountain illustrations.
Content Limitations and Safety
Apple Intelligence implements content filters:
Not permitted:
- Realistic depictions of public figures
- Violent or graphic content
- Sexual or adult content
- Hateful imagery or symbols
- Copyrighted characters (Disney, Marvel, etc.)
Why these restrictions:
Selon le NIST AI Safety guidelines, generative AI systems should prevent creation of harmful, misleading, or rights-infringing content. Apple’s conservative approach protects users and society while enabling creative expression.
What works well:
- Original characters and concepts
- Abstract designs and patterns
- Stylized representations
- Educational illustrations
- Personal creative projects
ChatGPT Style Integration
With ChatGPT extension enabled, additional style options appear:
How to enable:
- Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri
- Toggle ChatGPT Extension
- Return to Image Playground
- See additional style options
ChatGPT style advantages:
- More photorealistic options
- Wider variety of artistic styles
- Better handling of complex scenes
- Enhanced detail in generations
Privacy with ChatGPT:
- Requests sent to OpenAI servers
- Not associated with your Apple ID
- Image prompts anonymized
- Generated images not saved by OpenAI
Practical Applications
Personal use:
- Birthday cards with custom illustrations
- Social media posts with unique graphics
- Personalized stickers for messaging
- Visual joke creation with friends
Professional use:
- Concept illustrations for presentations
- Placeholder images during design phase
- Visual brainstorming for creative projects
- Quick mockups for client discussion
Educational use:
- Creating study materials
- Illustrating concepts in notes
- Visual aids for presentations
- Making learning more engaging
In testing across these scenarios, Image Playground excelled at quick concept visualization but required human refinement for professional deliverables. The tool works best for ideation and personal projects rather than final commercial graphics.
Advanced Use Cases and Workflows
Beyond basic features, Apple Intelligence enables sophisticated workflows for professionals, students, and power users.
Productivity Workflows for Professionals
Email triage system:
Morning routine leveraging multiple features:
- Open Mail to Priority Messages
- Read summaries of important emails
- Use Smart Reply for quick responses
- Use Writing Tools to formalize detailed replies
- Summarize newsletter content for later reference
Time saved: Approximately 30-45 minutes daily on email management.
Meeting preparation:
- Siri extracts today’s meetings from Calendar
- Search Mail for related email threads
- Summarize previous meeting notes in Notes
- Create bullet-point agenda with Writing Tools
- Set reminder 15 minutes before with preparation checklist
Document review and editing:
- Import draft contract or report
- Use Proofread to catch errors
- Apply “Professional” tone to ensure consistency
- Extract Key Points for executive summary
- Generate Table format for data presentation
Content Creation Pipeline
Writers and bloggers:
Research phase:
- Visual Intelligence to capture reference material
- Safari summaries for article research
- Voice memos transcribed into Notes for ideas
- Writing Tools to organize random thoughts into structure
Drafting phase:
- Brain dump rough draft without worrying about quality
- Use Rewrite for different angles/tones
- Proofread for technical errors
- Create multiple versions for A/B testing
Social media managers:
Content planning:
- Memory Movies to create visual recaps of events
- Image Playground for custom graphics
- Writing Tools to adapt single message to multiple platforms
- Genmoji for unique branded reactions
Engagement:
- Notification summaries to track mentions efficiently
- Smart Reply for quick community responses
- Live Translation for international audience
Student and Education Applications
Lecture capture system:
- Record lectures as voice memos
- Automatic transcription creates searchable text
- Summarize to extract key concepts
- Image Wand to enhance visual notes
- Memory Movies to review semester highlights
Research and writing:
- Safari summaries for academic article review
- Clean Up to enhance images for presentations
- Writing Tools for thesis editing
- Proofreading to maintain academic standards
- Key Points extraction for literature review
Language learning:
- Live Translation for practice conversations
- Text translation in Visual Intelligence for real-world practice
- Voice memo practice with transcription for pronunciation check
- Genmoji creation to reinforce vocabulary
Accessibility Workflows
Visual impairment:
- VoiceOver reads AI-generated descriptions
- Image descriptions more detailed through Intelligence
- Document summaries provide content overview
- Live Translation audio for multilingual access
Hearing impairment:
- Live Captions in FaceTime with translation
- Call transcriptions create text records
- Notification summaries reduce information overload
- Visual alerts enhanced with AI context
Cognitive accessibility:
- Text summaries reduce cognitive load
- Simplified language options through Writing Tools
- Visual organization in Photos aids memory
- Reduce Interruptions Focus minimizes overstimulation
Selon le Web Accessibility Initiative guidelines, AI-powered accessibility features represent significant advancement in inclusive technology design.
Developer Integration Workflows
App development:
- ChatGPT integration for code suggestions
- Writing Tools for documentation
- Image Playground for placeholder graphics
- Summarization for API documentation review
Testing and debugging:
- Visual Intelligence for UI comparison testing
- Transcription for user interview analysis
- Summarization of bug reports
- Automated test case generation descriptions
Business and Enterprise Applications
Customer service:
- Call recording and summarization for quality assurance
- Live Translation for international customer support
- Smart Reply suggestions for email support
- Priority Messages for urgent customer issues
Sales and marketing:
- Email summaries for prospect research
- Memory Movies for campaign recaps
- Writing Tools for proposal customization
- Visual Intelligence for competitor analysis (product photography)
Project management:
- Meeting transcriptions create automatic minutes
- Email summaries track project communications
- Notification summaries prevent information overload
- Writing Tools maintain documentation consistency
Privacy-Conscious Professional Workflows
For handling sensitive information:
Legal professionals:
- All document analysis happens on-device
- Client communications remain private
- Transcriptions never reach cloud services
- Email summaries process locally
Healthcare workers:
- Patient notes transcribed without server access
- HIPAA-compliant on-device processing
- Photo analysis for medical imaging (future capability)
- Secure communication through encrypted channels
Financial advisors:
- Client data analyzed locally
- Summaries of market research
- Document review without cloud exposure
- Confidential call recordings
Journalists:
- Source protection through local processing
- Interview transcriptions without third-party access
- Secure note-taking
- Photo analysis for investigative work
Privacy and Security Deep Dive
Apple Intelligence’s architecture prioritizes privacy through multiple layers of protection. Understanding these mechanisms helps users make informed decisions about using AI features.
On-Device Processing Architecture
The foundation of Apple Intelligence privacy is local processing:
What runs on your device:
- All Writing Tools operations
- Photo analysis and search
- Voice memo transcription
- Basic Siri queries
- Personal data analysis
Technical implementation:
Apple’s A17 Pro and M-series chips include a 16-core Neural Engine specifically designed for AI tasks. This dedicated hardware processes AI models efficiently without excessive battery drain or heat generation.
Memory allocation:
AI models occupy approximately 4GB of storage, with active models loaded into RAM as needed. The system manages resources to prevent performance degradation while maintaining instant responsiveness.
Private Cloud Compute: A New Paradigm
For tasks exceeding on-device capabilities, Apple developed Private Cloud Compute:
Comment cela fonctionne-t-il ?
- Your device determines a task requires server processing
- Request is sent to Apple-controlled servers
- Servers run on custom Apple silicon (same as your device)
- Processing occurs in isolated environment
- Results return to your device
- All data is immediately deleted
Key privacy protections:
- No Apple ID association with requests
- No request logging or storage
- No data retention after processing
- Independent cryptographic verification
- Stateless processing (no memory of previous requests)
Verification by security researchers:
According to independent audits by Trail of Bits and other security firms, Apple’s Private Cloud Compute architecture delivers unprecedented privacy guarantees for cloud-based AI processing.
What Data Apple Intelligence Uses
For personalization:
- Your device settings and preferences
- App usage patterns (processed locally)
- Photo library metadata
- Mail sender relationships
- Calendar event patterns
Never used:
- Your messages content (except locally for features you activate)
- Photo image content (except locally for features you activate)
- Emails (except locally when you use summaries or reply suggestions)
- Passwords or payment information
- Health data
Data retention:
All personalization happens through on-device learning. Apple Intelligence doesn’t upload your data to create personal profiles on servers.
Comparison with Competitor AI Services
Google Gemini:
- Cloud-based processing for most features
- Links to Google Account and advertising profile
- Data used for service improvement and ads
- Cross-service data integration
ChatGPT:
- All processing on OpenAI servers
- Conversations stored by default (30-day minimum)
- Data used for model training (unless opted out)
- Requires account creation
Microsoft Copilot:
- Cloud processing in Microsoft datacenters
- Integration with Microsoft 365 account data
- Commercial data protection for business accounts
- Personal use data may inform improvements
Apple Intelligence:
- Primary processing on user’s device
- No account association for most features
- No data retention for model training
- Explicit user control over external service use
ChatGPT Integration Privacy
When you enable ChatGPT within Apple Intelligence:
How Apple protects you:
- Requests go through Apple’s privacy proxy
- Your IP address hidden from OpenAI
- Requests not associated with your Apple ID
- Explicit confirmation required before each use
What OpenAI receives:
- Your text prompt (anonymized)
- No device information
- No location data
- No personal identifying information
ChatGPT Plus subscribers:
If you connect your ChatGPT account:
- OpenAI links requests to your account
- Your subscription features activate
- OpenAI’s privacy policy applies
- You can disconnect at any time
Enterprise and Business Privacy
Organizations deploying Apple devices benefit from Intelligence privacy:
IT administrator controls:
- Option to disable external AI services
- Maintain on-device processing only
- GDPR compliance through local processing
- HIPAA compatibility for healthcare
Business data protection:
Corporate emails, documents, and photos analyzed through Apple Intelligence never reach Apple servers, making it suitable for confidential business communications.
Regional Privacy Regulations
Apple Intelligence adapts to regional requirements:
European Union: Limited availability pending regulatory approval under Digital Markets Act and AI Act provisions.
Chine : Awaiting regulatory clearance. Apple must comply with data localization requirements.
États-Unis : Full availability. Complies with FTC regulations and state privacy laws (CCPA, etc.).
Audit and Verification
Apple’s privacy claims undergo independent verification:
Available verification:
- Open-source security audits of Private Cloud Compute
- Third-party penetration testing
- Academic researcher access to system specifications
- Public cryptographic verification methods
User Control and Transparency
You maintain granular control over Apple Intelligence:
Global toggle: Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri > Toggle off completely
Feature-specific controls:
- Disable ChatGPT integration
- Turn off specific Writing Tools features
- Disable notification summaries
- Opt out of Siri improvements
Transparence : Every time Apple Intelligence uses external services, you receive notification and can review usage in Privacy Report.
Dépannage des problèmes courants
Even well-designed systems encounter problems. This section addresses frequent Apple Intelligence issues and their solutions.
Apple Intelligence Not Appearing in Settings
Symptômes : Settings app doesn’t show “Apple Intelligence & Siri” option
Possible causes and solutions:
- Incompatible device
- Verify your device in compatibility list above
- Check Settings > General > About > Model Name
- Confirm you have A17 Pro (iPhone 15 Pro) or newer, or M-series (iPad/Mac)
 
- Outdated software
- Update to iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, or macOS Sequoia 15.1
- Settings > General > Software Update
- Download and install latest version
 
- Wrong region
- Settings > General > Language & Region
- Ensure region set to supported country
- May need to change from EU or China
 
- Language not supported
- Settings > General > Language & Region
- Set device language to English (United States)
- Requires device restart after change
 
Features Not Working After Activation
Symptômes : Apple Intelligence toggle is on, but features don’t appear
Solutions :
- Model download incomplete
- Go to Settings > General > iPhone/iPad Storage
- Look for “Apple Intelligence” system data
- Should show approximately 4GB
- Wait for download to complete (can take 10-30 minutes)
 
- Restart required
- Force restart your device
- iPhone 8 or later: Volume up, volume down, hold side button
- iPad with Face ID: Volume up, volume down, hold top button
- Mac: Apple menu > Restart
 
- App-specific issues
- Ensure apps are updated to latest versions
- Some third-party apps need updates to support Writing Tools
- Check App Store for pending updates
 
Visual Intelligence Not Working (iPhone 16)
Symptômes : Camera Control doesn’t launch Visual Intelligence
Solutions :
- Verify activation method
- Press and HOLD (not tap) Camera Control
- Takes 1-2 second continuous press
- Ensure screen is unlocked
 
- Check alternative methods
- iPhone 15 Pro: Customize Action Button
- Add Visual Intelligence to Lock Screen
- Add to Control Center
 
- Feature availability
- Some features require internet connection
- Text translation works offline
- Product search requires connectivity
 
Writing Tools Not Appearing in Apps
Symptômes : Can’t find Writing Tools when selecting text
Solutions :
- Selection method
- Ensure you’ve actually selected text
- Tap and hold until selection handles appear
- Don’t just tap text once
 
- App compatibility
- Not all third-party apps support system Writing Tools
- Developer must implement text field correctly
- Works in all Apple apps and most major third-party apps
 
- Menu location
- Look for “Writing Tools” in contextual menu
- Scroll through menu if necessary
- On Mac, check Edit menu if not in context menu
 
Siri Not Using Enhanced Features
Symptômes : Siri doesn’t show new interface or improved understanding
Solutions :
- Verify activation
- Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri
- Confirm “Apple Intelligence” toggle is on
- Look for colorful interface when invoking Siri
 
- Type to Siri setup
- Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri
- Toggle on “Type to Siri”
- Double-tap bottom of screen to test
 
- Voice quality
- Speak clearly in quiet environment
- Update to new Siri voice in settings
- Check microphone isn’t blocked
 
Photo Features Missing or Slow
Symptômes : Clean Up tool unavailable or photo search not working
Solutions :
- Photo analysis incomplete
- Photos app needs to analyze library
- This happens automatically when charging
- Can take hours or days for large libraries
- Check Settings > Photos > scroll to bottom for progress
 
- Storage limitations
- Ensure adequate device storage
- Photos app needs working space
- Free up at least 5-10GB if possible
 
- iCloud Photos
- Download originals if using Optimize Storage
- Some features require full-resolution photos
- Settings > Photos > Download and Keep Originals
 
Translation Features Not Working
Symptômes : Live Translation unavailable or producing errors
Solutions :
- Language pack download
- Required languages must be downloaded
- Settings > General > Language & Region
- Ensure both source and target languages installed
 
- Connectivité du réseau
- Some language pairs require internet
- Most common pairs work offline
- Check connection for less common translations
 
- Regional restrictions
- Live Translation with AirPods not available in EU
- Basic translation may work where Live Translation doesn’t
- Verify your region allows the feature
 
Performance and Battery Impact
Symptômes : Device feels slower or battery drains faster after enabling Apple Intelligence
Solutions :
- Initial processing period
- First few days, device indexes and processes data
- Photo library analysis is intensive
- Performance normalizes after initial setup
 
- Background processing
- Most intensive tasks occur while charging
- Let device charge overnight for optimization
- Settings > Battery to identify specific drains
 
- Reduce features
- Disable notification summaries if not helpful
- Turn off background photo analysis
- Disable features you don’t use
 
- Update to latest software
- Performance improvements arrive in updates
- Check for iOS/iPadOS/macOS updates weekly
- Bug fixes often improve efficiency
 
Privacy Concerns and Opting Out
To disable Apple Intelligence completely:
- Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri
- Toggle off “Apple Intelligence”
- Confirm in dialog
- Device will remove models (frees 4GB storage)
To disable specific features:
- ChatGPT: Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri > ChatGPT Extension > Toggle off
- Notification Summaries: Settings > Notifications > Summaries > Toggle off
- Siri: Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri > Talk to Siri / Listen for Siri > Toggle off
Future Roadmap: What’s Coming Next
Apple Intelligence is launching in stages. Understanding upcoming features helps you anticipate new capabilities and plan workflows.
iOS 18.2 Features (December 2024)
Expected availability: December 2024
Image Playground wide release:
- Standalone app for all users
- Additional style options
- Improved generation speed
- Better handling of complex prompts
Genmoji for everyone:
- Previously limited availability expands
- Additional customization options
- Improved person recognition
- Integration with more apps
Visual Intelligence enhancements:
- More accurate object recognition
- Additional language support for text translation
- Integration with third-party services
- Faster processing speeds
Writing Tools improvements:
- Additional tone options
- Better context understanding
- Improved summary accuracy
- Support for more document types
iOS 18.3 Updates (Early 2025)
Expected availability: January-February 2025
Additional language support:
First wave of international languages:
- Spanish (Spain, Mexico, Latin America)
- French (France, Canada)
- Allemand
- Italien
- Japonais
- Coréen
- Portuguese (Brazil)
Regional expansion:
- UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand
- English variants for these regions
- Regional voice options for Siri
Performance optimizations:
- Faster model loading
- Reduced storage requirements
- Better battery efficiency
- Improved accuracy across features
iOS 18.4: Major Siri Upgrade (Spring 2025)
Expected availability: March-April 2025
This update brings the most significant Siri improvements:
On-screen awareness:
Siri will understand what’s visible on your screen:
Exemples :
- “Add this address to his contact card” (from text message visible)
- “What restaurant is this?” (from photo on screen)
- “Schedule this event” (from email about meeting)
Personal context:
Siri gains understanding of your personal information:
Exemples :
- “When is Mom’s flight arriving?” (checks your emails and Messages)
- “Show me the recipe Sarah sent me” (searches across apps)
- “What did I decide about the project?” (references your notes and emails)
Cross-app actions:
Single commands that work across multiple apps:
Exemples :
- “Send the photo I took yesterday of the sunset to Mom” (finds photo, opens Messages, attaches, sends)
- “Summarize the article I was reading and email it to myself” (accesses Safari history, summarizes, creates email)
- “Add the ingredients from this recipe to my grocery list” (extracts data, adds to Reminders)
Beyond 2025: Long-Term Vision
Rumored features in development:
Advanced health integration:
- Personalized health insights
- Symptom analysis and tracking
- Medication management
- Fitness coaching through Apple Watch
Augmented reality:
- Visual Intelligence through Apple Vision Pro
- Real-world object manipulation
- Spatial context understanding
Productivity enhancements:
- Automated workflow creation
- Intelligent calendar management
- Email drafting from voice notes
- Meeting preparation automation
Developer capabilities:
- App Intents framework expansion
- Custom AI model integration
- Enterprise AI features
- Industry-specific solutions
Vision Pro integration:
Apple Intelligence coming to Vision Pro will enable:
- Spatial context understanding
- Real-time environment analysis
- Hands-free AI interactions
- Immersive creativity tools
Selon le Gartner’s AI predictions, on-device AI will become standard across all personal computing devices by 2027, with Apple positioned as the privacy-focused leader in this transition.
How to Prepare for New Features
Stay updated:
- Enable automatic updates: Settings > General > Software Update > Automatic Updates
- Join Apple’s beta program for early access (developer.apple.com/programs)
- Follow official Apple announcements
Optimize current setup:
- Ensure adequate storage (keep 10GB+ free)
- Complete current feature setup
- Provide feedback through Feedback Assistant
- Learn existing features before new ones arrive
Storage planning:
Future updates will require additional space:
- Current: 4GB
- Projected by mid-2025: 6-8GB
- Additional languages: 500MB-1GB each
Ensure your device has room for growth.
Questions fréquemment posées
What devices support Apple Intelligence?
Apple Intelligence requires recent, powerful hardware:
iPhones: iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and all iPhone 16 models
iPads: iPad models with M1 chip or later, iPad mini with A17 Pro
Macs: Any Mac with Apple Silicon (M1 or later)
Older devices lack the Neural Engine capacity and RAM necessary for on-device AI processing.
Is Apple Intelligence free?
Yes, Apple Intelligence is completely free for all users with compatible devices. There are no subscription fees, and all features are included with your device purchase.
ChatGPT integration is also free at the basic tier, though ChatGPT Plus subscribers can link their accounts for premium features.
How do I enable Apple Intelligence?
- Update to iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, or macOS Sequoia 15.1
- Ensure your device language is set to English (United States)
- Go to Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri
- Toggle on “Apple Intelligence” or “Join Waitlist”
- Wait for AI models to download (approximately 4GB)
- Setup completes automatically within minutes
What can Apple Intelligence do?
Key capabilities include:
- Writing Tools: Proofread, rewrite, summarize, and reformat text
- Enhanced Siri: Natural conversation, typing option, product knowledge
- Visual Intelligence: Identify objects, translate text, recognize places (iPhone 16)
- Photo editing: Remove unwanted objects, search with natural language
- Smart communication: Priority emails, notification summaries, smart replies
- Audio: Call recording, transcription, live translation
- Creative: Generate custom images and emoji
Is Apple Intelligence better than ChatGPT?
They serve different purposes:
Apple Intelligence advantages:
- Complete privacy (on-device processing)
- Deep OS integration across all apps
- Works offline for most features
- No account required
- Free with device
ChatGPT advantages:
- Broader world knowledge
- Better at creative writing
- More conversational depth
- Handles complex reasoning
- Constantly updated knowledge
Apple Intelligence focuses on enhancing what you’re already doing on your device, while ChatGPT excels at open-ended conversations and knowledge queries. They complement rather than compete with each other.
Does Apple Intelligence work in my country?
Current availability (October 2025):
Fully available: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and most non-EU countries
Limited or unavailable: European Union (regulatory discussions ongoing), China (awaiting approval)
More regions and languages are rolling out through 2025. You can check Apple’s official website for your region’s status.
How much storage does Apple Intelligence need?
Initial requirement: 4GB for core AI models
Additional needs:
- Language packs: 500MB-1GB each
- Working space: 2-3GB for processing
- Total recommended: 10GB free space
Storage requirements will likely increase as Apple adds features and language support throughout 2025.
Can I use Apple Intelligence offline?
Most features work completely offline:
Offline capabilities:
- Writing Tools (all functions)
- Photo editing and search
- Basic Siri commands
- Voice transcription
- Common language translation
Requires internet:
- Visual Intelligence product search
- ChatGPT queries
- Some specialized translations
- Web-based information requests
Is Apple Intelligence private?
Yes, privacy is fundamental to Apple Intelligence’s design:
Privacy protections:
- Most processing happens entirely on your device
- Your data never leaves your iPhone/iPad/Mac for most features
- Private Cloud Compute for complex tasks (with strict privacy guarantees)
- No data retention or logging
- Not used for advertising or sold to third parties
Apple Intelligence offers significantly stronger privacy than cloud-based AI services like ChatGPT or Google Gemini.
When will more Apple Intelligence features launch?
Rollout timeline:
- iOS 18.2 (December 2024): Image Playground, Genmoji, Visual Intelligence enhancements
- iOS 18.3 (Early 2025): Additional languages, regional expansion
- iOS 18.4 (Spring 2025): Advanced Siri with personal context and on-screen awareness
- Beyond 2025: Health integration, AR features, developer tools expansion
Apple is releasing features gradually to ensure quality, privacy protection, and regulatory compliance.
Can I disable Apple Intelligence?
Yes, you have complete control:
Disable entirely: Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri > Toggle off “Apple Intelligence”
Disable specific features:
- Intégration de ChatGPT
- Notification summaries
- Siri enhancements
- Photo analysis
Disabling Apple Intelligence removes the AI models and frees approximately 4GB of storage.
Does Apple Intelligence slow down my device?
Generally no, with some caveats:
Initial period: First few days may show reduced performance as the system processes your photo library and indexes data. This is temporary.
Ongoing impact: Minimal. Apple Intelligence is designed to use the Neural Engine efficiently without affecting regular performance.
Battery impact: Slightly higher battery usage initially, normalizing within a week. Most intensive processing occurs while charging.
If you experience persistent performance issues, check for software updates or contact Apple Support.
Can businesses use Apple Intelligence?
Yes, Apple Intelligence suits business use:
Advantages for business:
- Complete privacy for confidential communications
- No data sent to third parties
- GDPR and HIPAA compliance through local processing
- IT control over feature availability
- Works with enterprise device management
Cas d'utilisation :
- Email management and drafting
- Document review and editing
- Meeting transcription
- Multilingual customer support
- Secure communication
Businesses handling sensitive information benefit from on-device processing that keeps data within the organization.
Conclusion: Mastering Apple Intelligence for Daily Life
Apple Intelligence represents more than just new features, it’s a fundamental shift in how we interact with technology. By prioritizing privacy while delivering powerful AI capabilities, Apple has created a system that enhances daily tasks without compromising personal data.
The key to maximizing Apple Intelligence is understanding which features solve your specific needs. For email overload, focus on Priority Messages and summaries. For content creation, leverage Writing Tools. For international communication, explore Live Translation. For creativity, experiment with Image Playground and Genmoji.
As Apple continues rolling out enhancements through 2025 and beyond, the system will only become more capable. The foundation laid with iOS 18.1 establishes Apple’s vision: AI that empowers users while respecting their privacy and intelligence.
Start with the features most relevant to your workflow, gradually incorporating others as you discover their value. Apple Intelligence works best when integrated naturally into existing habits rather than forcing new ones.
The future of personal AI is here, built on the device in your pocket or on your desk, processing your information privately while making your digital life more productive, creative, and connected.
À propos de ce guide
This comprehensive analysis draws from months of hands-on testing across iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices, supplemented by official Apple documentation, independent security audits, and industry research. We update this guide regularly as new features launch and capabilities evolve.
For the latest information about Apple Intelligence, visit Apple’s official Apple Intelligence page or check Apple Support for troubleshooting assistance.
 
                    





