Apple's next iOS and macOS update will turn on Apple Intelligence if your iPhone or Mac can run it

If you're iPhone or Mac can run it, Apple Intelligence will be turned on

· TechRadar

News By Jacob Krol published 22 January 2025

(Image credit: Shutterstock/Qubix Studio)

  • Apple Intelligence has been opt in since it debuted in Oct. 2024, but the next iOS will automatically turn it on.
  • The change is set to rollout with iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, and macOS Sequoia 15.3
  • Anyone can still turn it off in Settings, if you like.

Whether you’ve been waiting for Genmoji, Image Playground, or Notification Summaries – and the ability to turn these on or off on a per-app basis – the next version of iOS and macOS for your Apple Intelligence capable iPhone or Mac will toss you right into the deep end.

As spotted by 9to5Mac in the latest developers' betas of iOS 18.3 and macOS Sequoia 15.3, the latest version of the operating system will automatically enable Apple Intelligence.

This means that if you have an iPhone, Mac, or iPad that can run Apple’s suite of AI features, it’ll be turned on by default…so if you want to opt-out, you’ll need to hop into settings and turn it off.

It won’t be too much of a surprise that Apple Intelligence will be enabled, though, as the onboarding you'll see after you update the device will likely make it clear that it’s being turned on and what you’ll get.

Apple Intelligence currently offers an enhanced Siri – though not the entirely generational leap that is still promised to arrive later in 2025 – writing tools, integration with ChatGPT, Image Playground, Clean Up in Photos, custom Memories in Photos, and Genmoji, among others.

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

Apple writes in the release notes for the latest beta of iOS 18.3, “For users new or upgrading to iOS 18.3, Apple Intelligence will be enabled automatically during iPhone onboarding. Users will have access to Apple Intelligence features after setting up their devices. To disable Apple Intelligence, users will need to navigate to the Apple Intelligence & Siri Settings pane and turn off the Apple Intelligence toggle. This will disable Apple Intelligence features on their device.”

This change to auto-enable the AI suite of features out of the box comes after Apple Intelligence has been out since October 28, 2024, with the release of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1—many of the features are still labeled as beta even in the latest versions of software for testing and Apple encourages folks to share feedback.

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