One of the major features of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia is Apple Intelligence. The company’s take on AI arrived significantly later than the competition, but at least it’s here now. Or is it? Many users are struggling to enable Apple Intelligence, so you may be questioning if the feature is even available yet.
Well, the answer is: yes and no. Keep reading for a more thorough explanation and how, if possible, to enable Apple Intelligence on your devices.
Why Isn’t Apple Intelligence Available for Me?
There are a number of reasons Apple Intelligence may not be available for you just yet. It may be due to where you live, your device’s model, the OS version it’s running, and even its language.
Where Has Apple Intelligence Been Released?
As of the initial publication of this article in September 2024, Apple Intelligence is available in most regions. The exceptions are member countries of the European Union and mainland China.
Why Can’t I Use It In Some Regions?
The specific reasons for this vary a bit. However, they’re generally related to different regulations regarding AI.
European Union
In the European Union, the Digital Markets Act (DMA) defines strict rules about user privacy and to prevent unfair competition. Presently, Apple is reviewing, alongside EU specialists, the technical aspects of how its AI treats user data. This is being done to ensure the feature fully complies with the DMA.
China
Similarly, China has regulations regarding AI. In this case, the country requires such tools to be operated by companies that are authorized by the government. Presently, only Chinese companies have gained this authorization. Therefore, Apple will either need to become the first foreign company to get this approval, or partner with a China-based one.
It’s important to note that the above limitations apply even if your device has been purchased in a different country. Apple Intelligence won’t work, for example, if you bought an iPhone in the US and are presently in mainland China.
Other Reasons You May Be Unable To Use Apple Intelligence
The geographic restrictions, however, are far from the only limitations. Below are some of the other reasons Apple Intelligence may not be available to you yet.
Which Devices Support Apple Intelligence?
Apple Intelligence requires specific processors and at least 8GB of RAM to work. That means it’s limited to a handful of devices. Here’s the list:
- iPhones: 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max.
- iPads: iPad Pro and iPad Air with M1 processors or newer.
- Macs: iMacs, Mac Minis, Mac Studios, Mac Pros, MacBook Airs and MacBook Pros with M1 processors or newer.
What OS Version Do I Need?
If you own any of the aforementioned devices, you’ll also need to be running a supported OS version. Apple Intelligence works in iOS 18.1 and later, iPadOS 18.1 and later, or macOS Sequoia 15.1 and later.
As of September 2024, the above OS versions are all still in Beta. If you enroll in Apple’s Beta Program and download a supported version, you’ll be able to use the features.
In Which Languages Can I Use Apple Intelligence?
Lastly, there’s also the language limitation. Presently, Apple Intelligence is only available in US English.
Localized English versions will be released in December for Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. Other languages will be released in 2025.
Which Apple Intelligence Features Have Been Released?
Not all AI features are available, even on the supported beta OS versions. Apple is rolling them out in stages. According to the company’s support pages, these are the ones already available:
- Writing Tools
- Clean Up in Photos
- Create a Memory movie in Photos
- Natural Language Search in Photos
- Notification summaries
- Reduce Interruptions Focus
- Intelligent Breakthrough & Silencing in Focus
- Priority messages in Mail
- Smart Reply in Mail and Messages
- Summaries in Mail and Messages
- Siri enhancements, including product knowledge, more resilient request handling, new look and feel, more natural voice, the ability to type to Siri, and more
It’s understandable that many users are excited about Apple Intelligence, and also that they may be confused regarding its availability. The different requirements, and staged rollout, make it considerably unclear whether you’ll be able to use the feature.
If you want to give it a shot, try the beta versions of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS 15.1. They’re pretty stable at this point and allow you to test Apple Intelligence before the general rollout. If things don’t go smoothly, there’s also the possibility of moving back to the stable release. The procedure can be tricky, though.