Get Apple Intelligence features early

You can get the Apple Intelligence beta right now on your iPhone, iPad or Mac. Not all features are available yet, but you can try out the new Siri, writing tools, Mail features and more by requesting early access.

It’s compatible with the latest iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Unfortunately, older devices, or even the current iPhone 15, don’t have enough RAM to support Apple’s Foundation models. Luckily, you can try it out if you have an iPad or Mac with an M-series chip.

To install it, you must update to the iOS 18.1 beta or macOS Sequoia 15.1 beta and join the Apple Intelligence waitlist. I’ll show you how — and explain why you may not want to if you plan on buying an iPhone 16.

How to get Apple Intelligence

Table of Contents:

1. Compatible devices
2. Update to the iOS 18.1 or Sequoia 15.1 beta
3. Enable Apple Intelligence
4. What features are available
5. What features are missing

Devices compatible with Apple Intelligence

Because Apple Intelligence runs using an on-device Foundation model that requires a lot of memory and neural processing power, the features are only available on the latest iPhones and relatively new iPads and Macs. Apple Intelligence runs on:

• iPhone
  • iPhone 15 Pro
  • iPhone 15 Pro Max
• iPad
  • iPad Air (5th generation)
  • iPad Pro 11-inch (4th generation)
  • iPad Pro 12.9-inch (6th generation)
  • iPad Air (M2)
  • iPad Pro (M4)
• MacBook Air
  • MacBook Air (M1, 2020)
  • MacBook Air (M2, 2022)
  • MacBook Air (M3, 2024)
• MacBook Pro
  • MacBook Pro (M1, 2020)
  • MacBook Pro (14- and 16-inch, 2021)
  • MacBook Pro (M2, 2022)
  • MacBook Pro (14- and 16-inch, 2023)
  • MacBook Pro (M3, 2023)
• iMac
  • iMac (M1, 2021)
  • iMac (M3, 2023)
• Mac mini
  • Mac mini (M1, 2020)
  • Mac mini (M2, 2023)
• Mac Studio (all models)
• Mac Pro (2023)

Update to iOS 18.1 Developer Beta

First, you need to update your device to the iOS 18.1 beta. Of course, you should make sure your device is fully backed up first.

There’s one very important thing to note with this beta in particular. If you plan on upgrading to an iPhone 16 this fall, you may have a hard time transferring data to your new device. That’s because you can’t do a direct device-to-device transfer of data when the old phone is on a newer OS than the new phone. This may be the case when the new iPhones are launched in the fall: The new iPhones will likely ship with iOS 18.0 preinstalled.

You may have to set up your new iPhone as a new device, update it to the iOS 18.1 beta separately, then transfer your data afterwards. (You don’t have to worry about this with the other iOS 18.0 beta because new phones will always come with the latest major version, whereas 18.1 may not ship until later.)

If you’re not buying an iPhone 16 right away, or if you’re trying Apple Intelligence out on an iPad, feel free to install iOS 18.1 now.

To get the beta, go to Settings > General > Software Update. After it checks for updates, tap Beta Updates and tap iOS 18.1 Developer Beta.

Swipe to go back and you’ll see the update available. Tap Update Now to download the iOS beta and Install Now when it’s ready.

On a Mac, you can install the macOS Sequoia 15.1 Developer Beta from System Settings. Open System Settings > General > Software Update. Next to Beta Updates, tap the ⓘ button. In the Beta Updates dropdown menu, select macOS Sequoia 15.1 Developer Beta. Click OK then install the update.

Enable Apple Intelligence

To turn on the Apple Intelligence features, open Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri. Tap Join the Apple Intelligence waitlist to reserve your spot in line. The feature is being rolled out gradually, likely to test the impact it will have on Apple servers.

At the moment, the wait time isn’t very long — just a matter of minutes. That may change as more people sign up.

When you’re let in, you’ll get a notification. Downloading the models that power Apple Intelligence may take a while.

Turn it off at any time by unchecking Apple Intelligence in Settings.

What Apple Intelligence features are available

Apple Intelligence is a brand that refers to a whole collection of new features that will be released separately. The following features are available now:

• Improved Siri can better understand natural language if you stumble over your words and stay aware of the context if you ask multiple questions.
• Siri’s Apple product knowledge can answer your questions about Apple products and software features.
• Text to ask Siri by double-tapping the Home Bar at the bottom of the screen. Handy if you don’t want to talk aloud to your iPhone.
• Writing Tools will rewrite text to match a particular style and proofread your work for clarity. Appears automatically above the onscreen keyboard.
• Inbox prioritization will put the important messages on the top of your inbox. It appears automatically at the top of your email.
• Email summaries in the inbox describe the contents of an email rather than show the first two lines.
• Smart Reply will suggest how to reply to a text message or email and make sure every question is answered.
• Reduce Interruptions is a new Focus mode that intelligently chooses which notifications to let through.
• Search for photos and videos and create memory movies in the Photos app by using natural language prompts.
• Create transcripts of audio recordings and phone calls in Notes and Voice Memos.
• Summarize an article from Safari Reader Mode.

What Apple Intelligence features are missing

The following features aren’t in the 18.1 beta. They will probably roll out over the course of the year, in iOS 18.2, 18.3, 18.4 and so on.

• Siri personal context for answering questions relevant to you and your life, drawing on information currently on-screen and stored inside apps, messages, contacts, mail and more.
• Siri app integration for taking action inside third-party apps on your behalf.
• Image Playground generated images, emojis and personal Genmoji.
• Removing objects from photos by circling them.
• Integration with ChatGPT for asking Siri general knowledge questions.
• Support in European Union countries, as Apple is in an ongoing legal battle with the European Commission regarding the company’s anticompetitive business practices.
• Other languages, as Apple Intelligence is only available in U.S. English.
• Support on other devices, like Vision Pro, Apple Watch, HomePod and Apple TV.