If you own an Apple device you’re going to love Apple Intelligence. It’s a family of new features designed to improve how you work, play, and stay organised. It can help you write emails, organise your photos, and even anticipate what you need before you know yourself!

Ready to level up? Let’s get into all you need to know about Apple Intelligence, and how to unlock its full potential.

Key features of Apple Intelligence

Here’s a quick rundown of Apple Intelligence’s best bits:

Advanced writing tools

One of the most impressive areas of Apple Intelligence is its choice of writing tools. From composing emails to jotting down notes, Apple’s Ai-powered text assistance makes it easier than ever to express yourself:

• Autocorrecting with personality. Apple Intelligence learns your writing style and offers suggestions that match your tone. Ultra-professional? Super-chatty? It’ll come up with the style that sounds just like you.

• Predictive text. As you type, Apple Intelligence suggests entire phrases based on context, saving you lots of time and effort.

• Multilingual typing. You can seamlessly switch between languages in a single text without having to know the lingo.

Photos app improvements

Managing your photos couldn’t be easier with Apple Intelligence. You can now search, organise and edit them better than ever on your Photos app:

• Searchable memories. The app can now group images based on events, people, or locations, making it simpler to find what you’re looking for. Want to relive your holiday? You can quickly search using short descriptions like “beach trip” or “summer 2024,” and Photos will do the rest.

• Photo editing assistance. With Ai-powered suggestions, you can edit your photos like a pro with just a tap or two. If it detects a beach scene, Apple Intelligence might suggest adding a warm filter for that perfect sunset glow. Or cropping the photo to highlight the most scenic part of the image.

• Image Playground. You can now create fun, one-of-a-kind images in no time at all with the Image Playground feature. Dream up a whole new picture using just a description, or even a snapshot from your Photos collection.

An even more helpful Siri

Apple Intelligence has given Siri a real boost, transforming it from a helpful assistant into an essential one. Here’s what’s new:

• Contextual actions. Siri now remembers what you’ve asked in previous conversations, allowing for follow-up questions without re-explaining.

• Smart suggestions. Need a playlist for your morning jog or directions to find your favourite food for lunch? Siri can now proactively suggest actions based on your habits.

• Privacy-first approach. All processing is done on-device, which means that your data stays private at all times.

Siri isn’t just smarter. It’s now more human-like, helping you to tackle tasks and get information quickly and intuitively.

Device compatibility and requirements

Before you rush to activate Apple Intelligence, let’s make sure your device is up to the challenge. Apple Intelligence isn’t available on all devices – especially older models that don’t have the necessary hardware. So hopefully, you’ll see your device mentioned below:

• iPhones. Models running iOS 17 or later. Generally, this includes iPhone X and newer models.

• iPads. Devices equipped with iPadOS 17 or later. Most iPad Pro models, the iPad Air (3rd generation and newer), and iPad (8th generation and newer) are compatible.

• Macs. MacBooks and iMacs with macOS Sonoma or later, especially those with Apple Silicon (M1 or M2 chips).

Additional requirements

You’re almost ready, but not quite! Here are just a few things you’ll need to check before you go ahead and activate Apple Intelligence:

• iCloud account. Apple Intelligence relies on iCloud to sync and process data securely. So make sure your account is active and linked to your device.

• Storage space. While Apple Intelligence doesn’t hog storage, a decent amount of free space will make sure everything runs smooth. Aim for at least 5 GB of free space.

• Updates. Check that your device is running the latest OS version. Head to Settings>General>Software Update to confirm this.

Step-by-step activation

Ready to bring Apple Intelligence to life? Follow these steps for your Apple device:

Activating Apple Intelligence on iPhone or iPad

1. Update your device. If your device doesn’t have the latest software update, go to Settings > General > Software Update and install the latest version of iOS or iPadOS.

2. Enable iCloud sync. Navigate to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud, then toggle on relevant options like Notes, Photos, and Siri.

3. Activate Siri. Go to Settings > Siri & Search, turn on “Listen for ‘Hey Siri,’” and follow the prompts to personalise your assistant.

4. Enable Apple Intelligence features. Head to Settings > General > Artificial Intelligence. Toggle on the Apple Intelligence features you want to use.

5. Restart your device. Give your iPhone or iPad a quick reboot so that all the settings are applied properly.

Activating Apple Intelligence on Mac

1. Update macOS. If your device doesn’t have the latest software update, go to Open the Apple Menu > System Preferences > Software Update and install the latest macOS version.

2. Sync iCloud. Go to System Preferences > Apple ID > iCloud and enable syncing for features like Photos, Mail, and Notes.

3. Set up Siri. Open System Preferences > Siri and enable the assistant. Customise voice and language options as needed.

4. Turn on Apple Intelligence. Head to System Preferences > Artificial Intelligence, then toggle on the Apple Intelligence features you want to use.

5. Restart your Mac. A quick reboot will make sure everything is updated properly and it all runs smoothly.

Apple Intelligence is now ready to rock your world. Enjoy it!

Need any more help?

We’ve got lots more advice to help you get the most out of your Apple device.

If you want to give your iPhone even more Ai power, check out how to use Google Gemini on your iPhone. We’ve also got articles on how to find a lost iPhone and how to change the ringtone on your iPhone.

If you’ve got an iPad, we got tips on how to sync your iPad and iPhone and how to change or turn off iPad sounds. And if you need a hand getting your Apple Watch talking to your iPhone, check out our guide on how to connect your smartwatch to your phone.

And finally, if you’re looking for a new Apple device to make the most of all this Apple Intelligence… check out Apple unveils the new iPhone 16 family and more, and then browse our range of Apple tech.