Apple Intelligence can be switched on with ease in the latest iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 betas — here's how

Apple Intelligence Siri on iPhone 15 Pro Max

(Image credit: Future / Apple)

With the latest beta releases of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 on August 29, Apple Intelligence can now be enabled with just one toggle in the Settings app.

Apple Intelligence was first introduced at WWDC in June, Apple's yearly developer conference. This is the company's endeavor to enhance its software suite with AI-powered features, such as a redesigned Siri that can also summon OpenAI's ChatGPT assistant for help, as well as tools like 'Clean Up' that can erase objects in photos.

When the betas for iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia were made available to test in early July, Apple Intelligence was notably absent. It wasn't until the betas for iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 were rolled out at the end of July that Apple Intelligence was made available for users to try out. However, these AI features could only be enabled by switching the language and region to the United States. With the latest betas, this has now been reduced to a single toggle.

Apple says iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 will arrive later this year. Apple Intelligence will come as part of these updates for U.S. users to start with.

How to enable Apple Intelligence

Summarize Apple Intelligence feature in iPadOS 18.1 — (Image credit: Future)

As long as you're running iOS 18.1 beta 3, iPadOS 18.1 beta 3, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 beta 3, you can switch on Apple Intelligence with one simple change — here's how:

Go to Settings app > Apple Intelligence & Siri
Press 'Language', then change this to English (United States)
Go back, then select 'Join Waitlist' towards the top for Apple Intelligence
You should receive a notification soon after that you can now use Apple Intelligence

And just like that, you can now use Apple Intelligence on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Apple is regularly rolling out new AI features throughout the beta process — for example, 'Clean Up' is a way of removing objects in a photo, which was made available in this very beta release.

If you're participating in the beta, give Apple Intelligence a try and let us know your thoughts in the iMore Forums.

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Daryl is iMore's Features Editor, overseeing long-form and in-depth articles and op-eds. Daryl loves using his experience as both a journalist and Apple fan to tell stories about Apple's products and its community, from the apps we use every day to the products that have been long forgotten in the Cupertino archives.

Previously Software & Downloads Writer at TechRadar, and Deputy Editor at StealthOptional, he's also written a book, 'The Making of Tomb Raider', which tells the story of the beginnings of Lara Croft and the series' early development. His second book, '50 Years of Boss Fights', came out in June 2024, and has a monthly newsletter called 'Springboard'. He's also written for many other publications including WIRED, MacFormat, Bloody Disgusting, VGC, GamesRadar, Nintendo Life, VRV Blog, The Loop Magazine, SUPER JUMP, Gizmodo, Film Stories, TopTenReviews, Miketendo64, and Daily Star.