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apple Intelligence isn’t as big a success story as Apple may have expected. The suite of artificial intelligence features—introduced late in 2024 in iOS 18.1—has received mixed reactions. Some capabilities, like automatically transcribing voice notes and recordings, creating custom emojis, and proofreading, are handy. Others not so much. Apple came under fire for inaccurate notification summaries, particularly those from news apps, and it has temporarily disabled the feature for news and entertainment apps in iOS 18.3.
When Apple first launched its AI venture, you had to opt in. But now, with iOS 18.3, which just released today, Apple Intelligence is enabled automatically during the onboarding process for new users, and anyone upgrading to iOS 18.3. You can still opt out by following a few steps. Whether you want to enable just certain features or disable the whole thing, here’s how to turn off Apple Intelligence.
For more on Apple Intelligence (and other features), check out our iOS 18 roundup and macOS Sequoia roundup. Also, check out our other Apple guides, including the Best iPhones, Best iPads, and Best MacBooks.
What’s Powered by Apple Intelligence?Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
For a breakdown of Apple Intelligence and how each feature works, read our aforementioned roundup of iOS 18 features and macOS 15 features. Below is a list of all the capabilities you’ll have access to when it’s enabled:
Writing ToolsChatGPT Extension via SiriGenmojiImage PlaygroundImage WandPriority NotificationsSummaries in Mail and MessagesNotification SummariesReduce Interruptions FocusRemember, Apple Intelligence is only available on select devices. For example, even if older iPhones can download iOS 18, only handsets like the iPhone 15 Pro and the entire iPhone 16 range support Apple’s AI capabilities.
How to Disable Apple IntelligenceScreenshot courtesy of Julian Chokkattu
Disabling Apple Intelligence is the same process whether you’re using an iPhone, iPad, or Mac:
Open Settings on your deviceScroll down until you find Apple Intelligence & Siri and tap on itToggle Apple Intelligence offHow to Disable Specific FeaturesYou don’t have to turn off Apple Intelligence completely. You can disable the ChatGPT integration or even turn it off within apps, preventing Siri from making suggestions across all your apps.
Go to Settings > Apple IntelligenceScroll down to AppsSelect the app you want to disable Apple Intelligence from, tap on it, and toggle off “Learn from this App”Screenshot courtesy of Julian Chokkattu
In the Mail app, you can also turn off the email summarization feature (which is part of Apple Intelligence). That way, it will no longer summarize previews of your emails as you scroll through your inbox.
Go to Settings > AppsTap the Mail appScroll down to Message ListToggle off Summarize Message PreviewApple has made it easier to distinguish AI-summarized notifications. They’ll now appear in italics, and you can press and hold the notification and tap Options to turn them off more quickly without diving into a settings menu.
Screenshot courtesy of Julian Chokkattu
You can also turn off the ChatGPT extension, which will keep Siri and other features from using OpenAI’s chatbot to help answer questions.
Go to Settings > Apple IntelligenceScroll down to ChatGPT and select itToggle Use ChatGPT offTurn Apple Intelligence Back OnIf you change your mind, you can always turn Apple Intelligence back on. Follow the same steps you took to turn it off.
Open SettingsScroll down and select Apple Intelligence & SiriToggle Apple Intelligence & Siri onThis enables the feature immediately, though you may have to give your device some time for all the features to load. You can see the loading progress on your screen in real time.
Apple iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus
