How to Activate Apple Intelligence on iPhone

If you have a compatible iPhone, activating Apple Intelligence is one of the first things you should do to make the most of your device. Apple’s artificial intelligence features transform Siri, improve your writing, and help you better manage your photos and notifications. Here’s how to activate and configure it in under five minutes.

Table of contents

Before you start: requirements

Before trying to activate Apple Intelligence, make sure you meet all these requirements:

Compatible devices

Only these iPhone models are compatible:

• iPhone 16 (all models)
• iPhone 15 Pro
• iPhone 15 Pro Max

Older models aren’t compatible due to insufficient RAM (8 GB is required).

Software needed

• iOS 18.4 or higher (latest available version recommended).
• To update: Settings → General → Software Update.

Other requirements

• Active Apple ID account.
• System language set to a supported language (Spanish, English, etc.).
• Sufficient storage space (AI models are downloaded).
• Wi-Fi connection recommended for initial download.

Pro-tip: If you don’t see the Apple Intelligence option after updating, restart your iPhone. It sometimes takes a few minutes to appear after an iOS update.

How to activate Apple Intelligence step by step

Step 1: Update iOS

1. Go to Settings → General → Software Update.
2. If an update is available, install it.
3. Make sure you have iOS 18.4 or higher.
4. Wait for the installation to complete and the iPhone to restart.

Step 2: Activate Apple Intelligence

1. Go to Settings → Apple Intelligence & Siri.
2. Turn on the “Apple Intelligence” toggle.
3. The system will download the necessary AI models (may take a few minutes).
4. Wait for the “Apple Intelligence is ready” message to appear.

Step 3: Configure Siri with Apple Intelligence

1. On the same screen, go to Siri.
2. Turn on “Listen for Hey Siri” if not already on.
3. Select your preferred language.
4. Choose the Siri voice you like best.
5. Turn on “Allow Siri when locked” if you want to use it without unlocking.

Step 4: Activate ChatGPT integration

1. Go to Settings → Apple Intelligence & Siri → ChatGPT.
2. Turn on “Use ChatGPT”.
3. If you have a ChatGPT account, sign in for more personalized responses (optional).
4. Siri can now delegate to ChatGPT when Apple Intelligence can’t answer.

How to use Apple Intelligence features

Writing Tools

In any app where you type text (Mail, Notes, Pages, WhatsApp, etc.):

1. Type or select text.
2. Tap “Writing” in the popup menu.
3. Choose an option:
   • Rewrite: Changes the tone or style.
   • Summary: Creates a summary of the text.
   • Proofread: Checks spelling and grammar.
   • List: Converts text to a bullet list.
   • Table: Converts text to a table.

Image Playground

1. Open the Image Playground app (if you don’t have it, download from the App Store).
2. Type a description of the image you want.
3. Choose a style: Animation, Sketch, or Emoji.
4. AI generates the image.
5. Save, share, or use it in your conversations.

Genmoji

1. Open the emoji keyboard in any app.
2. Tap the ”+” icon to create a Genmoji.
3. Describe the emoji you want (e.g., “astronaut cat”).
4. AI generates several options.
5. Pick the one you like and use it like any emoji.

Notification summary

1. Go to Settings → Notifications → Summaries.
2. Turn on “Notification summaries”.
3. Configure which apps you want summarized.
4. Choose the summary frequency.

Photo cleanup

1. Open a photo in the Photos app.
2. Tap “Edit” → “Clean Up”.
3. Point to the object you want to remove.
4. AI erases it and fills in the background.
5. Save changes.

How to configure Siri with Apple Intelligence

Siri is now much more capable. Here’s how to get the most out of it:

Natural conversations

• You no longer need to speak robotically. Talk normally, with pauses and mistakes.
• Siri remembers context. If you say “What about tomorrow?” after asking about today’s weather, it will understand.

ChatGPT delegation

• If Siri can’t answer, it will ask if you want to use ChatGPT.
• You can force ChatGPT use by saying: “Ask ChatGPT…”

App actions

• Siri can now execute actions in third-party apps.
• Examples: “Send a message to mom on WhatsApp saying I’ll be late,” “Play my gym playlist on Spotify.”

Personalization

• Go to Settings → Siri → History to see your conversations.
• You can delete the history if you want.

Troubleshooting

Apple Intelligence option doesn’t appear

• Verify you have iOS 18.4 or higher.
• Check that your model is compatible (iPhone 15 Pro or later).
• Restart the iPhone.
• Switch system language to English and back to Spanish (a trick that sometimes works).

Apple Intelligence download takes too long

• You need a stable Wi-Fi connection.
• Models can take up several GB. Make sure you have enough space.
• Connect the iPhone to power during download.

Siri doesn’t respond well

• Retrain Siri: go to Settings → Siri → “Hey Siri” and set it up again.
• Make sure the microphone isn’t obstructed.
• Try in a quieter location.

Writing tools don’t appear

• You need to select text first to see the writing menu.
• It doesn’t work in all apps. Try with Mail or Notes first.
• Check that Apple Intelligence is enabled in Settings.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions

Can I activate Apple Intelligence on iPhone 14 Pro?

No. The iPhone 14 Pro has 6 GB of RAM and the A16 chip, which aren’t enough for Apple Intelligence. Only the iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, and iPhone 16 models are compatible.

Does Apple Intelligence work in Spanish?

Yes, since iOS 18.4 it’s available in Spanish. Writing tools, Siri, and other features work in Spanish without issues.

Does Apple Intelligence take up a lot of space?

The AI models can take up 2 to 4 GB of storage. If you’re low on space, free some up before activating it.

Can I use only some features and turn off others?

Yes. Go to Settings → Apple Intelligence & Siri and configure each feature separately. For example, activate writing tools but turn off Image Playground.

Does Apple Intelligence drain battery?

On-device features are optimized to not significantly affect battery. Cloud features (like ChatGPT) use more because they require a data connection. Overall, the impact is minimal.

Conclusion

Activating Apple Intelligence on your iPhone is fast, free, and opens up a world of artificial intelligence features. From improving your writing to creating custom emojis, Siri with ChatGPT, and automatic summaries, it’s worth activating if you have a compatible device. Follow the steps in this guide and in under five minutes you’ll have your iPhone powered up with all of Apple’s AI capabilities.