Key Points
- iOS 18.1 beta introduces Apple Intelligence features, including improved Siri and writing tools.
- To access Apple Intelligence, set your iPhone region and Siri language to US English and join a short waitlist
- Apple Intelligence is not available in the EU or China and requires iPhone 15/16 models.
On the same day that the new iPhone 16 models released, Apple dropped another surprise. The iOS 18.1 public beta is now available to download and includes the first Apple Intelligence Features for iPhone. These features were already available for testing in the developer beta, but this is the first public beta with Apple Intelligence included.
There are still a lot of core features missing, with many Apple Intelligence features rolling out over the coming months, but there are some useful additions in the iOS 18.1 beta. If you’re interested in trying out the new features in iOS 18.1 beta (which you should do with caution, as even the release of software disconnect your device), read here how to install the beta version and activate Apple Intelligence.
How do I install the iOS 18.1 beta?
You must have signed up for the beta program
Before you can access any of the iOS public betas, you must have signed up for the Apple Beta Software Program. This is quick and easy to do, and will give you access to all the public betas as they are released. All you need to do is go to beta.apple.com and sign in with your Apple ID. Follow the instructions to enroll your device in the public beta program and you’re in.
Once you’ve opted in, you can see which public beta builds are currently available in the Software Update section of your iPhone’s settings.
- Open the Institutions app on your iPhone.
- Crane General.
- Select Software update.
- Crane Beta updates, This is only visible if you have registered for the Apple Beta Software Program.
- Select iOS 18 Public Beta.
- Go back and you should see the iOS 18.1 beta update, ready to install.
- Back up your iPhone and then tap Install Now to install the iOS 18.1 beta.
Beta software may contain bugs that can cause you to lose data or make your device inoperable. You install beta software at your own risk, so always make a full backup before you begin.
How to Install Apple Intelligence Features in iOS 18.1
There is a waiting list to join, but it is incredibly short
You might think that installing iOS 18.1 would be enough to gain access to the new Apple Intelligence features, but there are still a few hurdles to jump through, including joining a waitlist. Don’t panic, though, as the wait is very short. I only had to wait about ten minutes after joining the waitlist before the Apple Intelligence features were available.
There’s one other thing you should check first. In the iOS 18.1 beta, Apple Intelligence features will only work if your iPhone region and Siri language are both set to US English. Even if you’re not physically in the US, changing those settings to US English is enough to enable Apple Intelligence features.
- Open the Institutions app and tap General.
- Scroll down and tap Language & Region.
- Crane Region.
- Make sure that United States is selected.
- Return to main page Institutions page and tap Apple Intelligence & Siri.
- Under Siri requests crane Language.
- Select English (United States).
- Once your region and Siri language are both set to US English, go back to the Apple Intelligence & Siri page.
- Crane Join the Apple Intelligence waitlist.
- Crane Join the waiting list to confirm.
- Wait a minute. I only had to wait 10 minutes, but others have had to wait longer.
- When your waiting is over, you will see Enable Apple Intelligence at the top of the Apple Intelligence & Siri settings page.
- Crane Enable Apple Intelligence to activate the functions.
- Crane Continue to confirm.
- You will see a welcome screen that guides you through some of the features of Apple Intelligence.
- Apple Intelligence is now ready to use.
Apple Intelligence is not available in the EU or China
You will also need an iPhone 15 Pro model or iPhone 16
Apple
Unfortunately, if you live in the EU or China, you are will have to wait a while to try out Apple Intelligence. The iOS 18.1 beta update page confirms that Apple Intelligence is not currently available in either region. However, Tim Cook confirmed during an investor call that Apple is in discussions with regulators in China and the EU in the hopes of eventually bringing Apple Intelligence to those regions.
The AI features in iOS 18 require a significant amount of memory, and the only iPhone models with enough RAM to support them are the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and all new iPhone 16 models.
If you’re currently using an older iPhone, you won’t be able to try out Apple’s new Intelligence features either. The AI features in iOS 18 require a significant amount of memory, and the only iPhone models with enough RAM to support them are the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Maxand all new iPhone 16 models.
Which Apple Intelligence features are included in the iOS 18.1 beta?
Many of Apple’s most anticipated Intelligence features aren’t expected until later this year or later, but iOS 18.1 does add some handy new AI features you can use right away.
A slightly better Siri, but the best is yet to come
A a much improved version of Siri is comingwith the ability to have more control over apps and integration with ChatGPT. In iOS 18.1, however, Siri only gets a few minor improvements. You get the new Siri animation that places a colorful glow around the edge of your screen instead of the previous Siri bubble at the bottom of the screen.
Siri can finally have a conversation of sorts. You can ask Siri a series of questions and she will understand the context of previous answers. Siri is definitely smarter than she has ever been, but hopefully there is much more to come.
AI writing tools where you need them most
Apple Intelligence brings some handy writing tools to the iPhone. If you’ve used AI chatbots like ChatGPTthen you have probably already tried to have a text rewritten for you, so that it would sound more professional or less cumbersome.
In iOS 18.1, these writing tools are now built into apps. For example, you can select text when composing an email in Mail and see options like Proofread and Rewrite, as well as an Apple Intelligence icon that opens the full suite of tools, such as rewriting in a professional tone, a friendly tone, or a more concise one. You can also summarize text, extract the main points, or convert text into a list or table.
Smart replies for quick responses to messages
Smart replies are a quick way to respond to certain types of messages you might receive. For example, if someone messages you saying they can’t talk right now but will be free in a few minutes, suggested responses like “Sure, no problem!” and “Okay, I’ll wait” will appear above the keyboard for you to use with a single tap. Smart replies won’t appear for all messages, but they’re a quick way to respond to the ones where they’re available.
Call recordings saved in Notes with full transcription
When you’re on a phone call, you can now tap the Record Call icon to record the call. An audio message will play during the call, letting both you and the person you’re calling know that the call is being recorded.
At the end of the call, the recording is saved to the Notes app, where you can play it back at any time. The Apple Intelligence part is that you’ll also find a written transcript of your call, which seems to work pretty well.
A new cleanup tool for Photos
AI photo editing tools are far from new, with companies like Google getting into the swing of things. promoting these features on their phones. Apple has finally jumped on board with a new Clean Up tool in iOS 18.1 that lets you remove unwanted objects from your photos with just a few taps.
It doesn’t work great, but with a little patience you can get the results you want.
Summarize collections of notifications
If you get a lot of notifications from the same app, it can be tricky to wade through the pile and read them all. In iOS 18.1, Apple Intelligence can summarize your notifications for you, giving you a sense of what the giant pile of notifications is about. It’s a bit of a luck of the draw, but it can be useful if you get a lot of notifications.