The long-anticipated release ofApple Intelligence– Apple’s eponymous suit of AI features – has arrived. The company’siOS 18.1 updatehas been finalized and released to customers, which means supportediPhonesin the US are capable of downloading and installing the AI-infused update.
Once iOS 18.1 is installed on your iPhone,there’s a waitlistto actually enable the Apple Intelligence feature set. The company rolled out its AI tools in this manner during the beta testing phase, and this same controlled release tactic is being employed for the stable build of the update.
“Apple Intelligence is usually available for activation within a few hours of joining the waitlist, though wait times can vary. You will receive a notification when you’re able to activate it on your device. On-device Apple Intelligence models will begin to download after activation,“says Apple on its support page.
Here’s how to join the Apple Intelligence waitlist, assuming your iPhoneis eligible to enter the queue.
These are all the devices getting the Apple Intelligence treatment
The first wave of Apple Intelligence features are now officially rolling out – here’s every Apple device getting the long-awaited AI treatment.
How to join the iPhone waitlist for Apple Intelligence
Once you have iOS 18.1 installed on your iPhone, these are the steps to enroll in the Apple Intelligence waitlist
to enter into the Apple Intelligence queue, follow these steps:
It’s important to note that Apple Intelligence features will only be released for the iPhone 16 series, as well as last year’s iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max models. If you aren’t using a supported iPhone, then updating to iOS 18.1 won’t net you anyAI goodies.
Once your iPhone is ready for Apple Intelligence, you’ll receive a notification that reads ‘Ready for Apple Intelligence.’ Tapping on this notification will bring up a splash screen with more information pertaining to the new AI-based tools included in the update.
The first Apple Intelligence features are here, but what do they actually do?
iOS 18.1 finally brings Apple Intelligence to the iPhone. Here’s what’s new.
Apple Intelligence is here…sort of
Apple’s suite of AI software tools is being gradually rolled out over time, with availability varying across regions.
While the initial hype surrounding Apple Intelligence will undoubtedly be spurred on by the official release of iOS 18.1, there’s more to the story. Only a handful of AI features are present at launch, with others planned for future iOS 18.x updates in the coming months.
The following Apple Intelligence featuresare available in iOS 18.1:
This leaves plenty of additional Apple Intelligence features on standby for future arrival, including Genmoji, Image Playground,ChatGPTintegration, and Personal Context improvements for Siri.
Additionally, not every territory is receiving Apple Intelligence features on day one.
According to Apple, “Apple Intelligence is free to use and will initially be available in US English.” In other words, if you have your device and Siri languages set to an unsupported tongue, the AI features won’t work. Support for non-US English is slated for this December, with additional languages coming in 2025.
Apple Intelligence is also currently unavailablefor users in the European Unionas well as in mainland China. It’s currently unclear if and when AI will arrive on the iPhone for Chinese customers, butApple has gone ahead and confirmedan April 2025 launch date for the EU market.
Apple Intelligence is coming to more languages in 2025
You’ll definitely have to wait if you’re in China or the EU.
Q: What is Apple Intelligence?
Apple Intelligence is Apple’s first major foray into the world of artificial intelligence (AI). Within its portfolio of supported hardware products, a number of AI tools and features will be made available in the coming weeks and months. These include writing tools, AI-generated images, improvements to Siri, ans more.
Q: Which devices will support Apple Intelligence?
The following Apple products will support Apple Intelligence features upon release:
Q: How do I change my iPhone language to US English in order access Apple Intelligence?
Apple has a dedicated guideon its official site that outlines how to change your iPhone’s system language. In short, you’ll need to navigate toSettings>General>Select Language & region>Add Language> SelectUS English.
