How to Turn On Apple Intelligence on Your iPhone, iPad, and Mac
Reading Time: 3 minutes Apple Intelligence is designed to make everyday tasks easier across your iPhone, iPad, and Mac, offering helpful suggestions and insights tailored just for you. Available in beta for iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1, Apple Intelligence requires that your device and Siri languages are set to a supported language. Currently, it’s available in English (US) in most regions, and in December, support will expand to include English (Australia), English (Canada), English (Ireland), English (New Zealand), English (South Africa), and English (UK). Over the next year, Apple will add more languages, including Chinese, English (India), English (Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese, and more.
In this guide, I’ll show you how to turn on Apple Intelligence step by step so you can start making the most of this feature. Let’s get started!
Apple Intelligence Requirements for iPhone, iPad, and Mac
Before we dive into turning on Apple Intelligence, it’s important to make sure your device meets the necessary requirements. Here’s what you’ll need for each device:
- iPhone and iPad:
- iOS 18.1 or iPadOS 18.1 or later.
- Phone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max; any iPad with A17 Pro or M1 and later.
- At least 4 GB of available storage to support Apple Intelligence features.
- Ensure that your device and Siri languages are set to English (US) or another supported language (see above for the supported languages).
- Apple Intelligence features work best with an internet connection, as they rely on data to provide accurate suggestions and insights.
- Mac:
- macOS Sequoia 15.1 or later.
- Mac with M1 or later.
- At least 4 GB of available storage.
- Device and Siri languages need to be set to a supported language.
- Apple Intelligence on Mac also benefits from an internet connection for optimal performance.
Remember that Apple Intelligence is still in beta, so you may notice updates and improvements as Apple continues to expand its capabilities and language support.
How to Turn On Apple Intelligence
Enabling Apple Intelligence is simple, and the steps are the same for all devices—whether you’re using an iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
- Open Settings: On your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, go to Settings.
- Navigate to Apple Intelligence & Siri: Tap or click on Siri or Apple Intelligence & Siri.
- Join the Waitlist: Tap or click Join the Apple Intelligence Waitlist to get started.
Once you join the waitlist, Apple will notify you when Apple Intelligence becomes available on your device. After it’s activated, you’ll start receiving personalized suggestions and insights that make daily tasks easier.
It may take several hours for activation. You can see the status by going to Settings > Siri or Apple Intelligence & Siri. It may say things like Preparing etc, as you can see below:
For me, it took about 2 hours for activation. After activation, you will need to set it up. Tap or click the notification or open Settings and then click or tap Set Up Apple Intelligence and then follow the onscreen instructions.
Apple Intelligence will not work or be turned on without setting it up.
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