Apple Intelligence did not feature prominently in the release of the new iOS 26 and MacOS Tahoe software, but it’s still a core feature of Apple’s product lineup. I’ve found several features to be helpful on a daily basis, but I acknowledge that the company’s AI efforts can feel limited or intrusive. The good news is that it’s easy to turn Apple Intelligence off entirely or selectively switch off individual features.
See also: Did a well-meaning friend send you a message about Apple Intelligence possibly reading your private information? I explain what’s actually going on.
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Why turn off Apple Intelligence in the first place?
Since the first Apple Intelligence features rolled out last year in iOS 18.1, some people have opted out of the new technology. Tools such as Image Playground, Genmoji and message summaries can use up to 7GB of your device’s internal storage — a sizable chunk, especially if you tend to run against the upper limit of its free space.
Even if storage is not an issue, you just may not be interested in Apple’s set of AI features. A new CNET survey finds that just 19% of US smartphone owners are choosing to upgrade their devices to take advantage of new AI features. And a recent ZDNET/Aberdeen survey reveals that the majority of US adults say they will not use most AI features, and just 8% would consider paying extra for them. Some AI features are more welcome than others, with 58% of respondents saying using AI for photo editing would be valuable.
Or, honestly, you may not want to deal with features that are creating inaccurate summaries or that can be replicated without Apple Intelligence.
(Earlier iOS 18 updates re-enabled Apple Intelligence automatically even if you had turned it off, but as of iOS 18.4, the setting is honored.)
Is Apple Intelligence really ready to be on by default?
I’m not an AI crank — I appreciate features such as notification summaries and the Clean Up tool in the Photos app. And yet, Apple Intelligence is also a work in progress, an evolving set of features that Apple is heavily hyping while gradually developing. I wouldn’t hold it against you if you wanted to not be distracted or feel like you’re doing Apple’s testing for them (that’s what the developer and public betas are for).
Remember that Apple Intelligence works only on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone Air, iPhone 16, iPhone 16E, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro, or M-series Macs and iPads, plus the newest iPad mini.
How to see the amount of storage Apple Intelligence is using
If you’re concerned about the storage requirements of Apple Intelligence, you can find out how much the system is using by going to Settings > General > iPhone (or iPad) Storage > iOS (or iPadOS).
Note that even after turning off Apple Intelligence, that storage still shows up in the iOS Storage list. However, I was able to confirm that if the phone’s storage fills up and the system needs that now-inactive space, iOS reclaims what it needs.
How to turn off Apple Intelligence entirely (iPhone, iPad and Mac)
Open Settings (iPhone or iPad) or System Settings (Mac) and choose Apple Intelligence & Siri. Then turn off the Apple Intelligence option. Confirm your choice in the dialog that appears by tapping Turn Off Apple Intelligence.
Here’s what you lose:
(Curiously, the Clean Up tool in Photos sticks around even when Apple Intelligence is turned off, perhaps because the first time you use it the app downloads resources for it and holds onto them.)
How to turn off individual Apple Intelligence features
Maybe you’re finding some Apple Intelligence features helpful while others are annoying (or just highly amusing). You can turn off specific features in the settings for apps to which they apply.
For example, to disable text summaries in Messages notifications, go to Settings > Apps > Messages and switch off the Summarize Messages option.
Some features are not as app-specific. Writing Tools, which use Apple Intelligence to proof or rewrite text, appear as an option when you select text, regardless of the app. To turn that off, you need to disable Apple Intelligence system-wide.
Also note that nearly every app includes an Apple Intelligence & Siri option in Settings, with a Learn from this App option (turned on by default). That applies just to whether Apple Intelligence and Siri can monitor how you use it to make suggestions; it doesn’t affect any particular Apple Intelligence features. (Did someone forward you a social media post saying that Apple Intelligence is stealing your private data? That’s not what’s happening.)
How to turn off Apple Intelligence features in Screen Time settings
Another option for restricting what Apple Intelligence can do is buried in the Screen Time settings. Screen Time is designed to control which apps and features can run on another device, such as the iPhone used by a child in your household. But it’s also helpful for tracking how much time you’re spending on the device and, in this case, turning off some components of Apple Intelligence.
- Open the Settings app and go to Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions.
- Turn on the Content & Privacy Restrictions option if it’s not already enabled. If this is the first time you’re flipping this switch, don’t worry — everything is allowed by default.
- Tap Intelligence & Siri.
- Tap on the following three features and decide whether to allow or don’t allow their use: Image Creation (such as Image Playground and Genmoji), Writing Tools and the ChatGPT Extension (which uses ChatGPT to process requests that are beyond the built-in Apple Intelligence capabilities).
If you haven’t upgraded to iOS 26 yet, make a good backup first. Then be sure to check out the hidden features you should try right now.
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