Step-by-Step: Disable Apple Intelligence on iPhone and Mac
Apple launched new software updates on Monday, including iOS 18.3, which by default enrolls users in Apple Intelligence, particularly for newer devices.
Contrary to what the tech industry appears to believe, not everyone desires generative AI features to be automatically enabled on their devices.
You might prefer to disable the new AI functionalities due to concerns about the environmental effects of the AI sector.
The political viewpoints of influential figures in the industry, or simply because you feel that the technology does not perform well at the moment—something that has been evidenced by the existence of an entire subreddit focused on the shortcomings of Apple Intelligence.
We are here to assist you in disabling Apple Intelligence on your devices, a relatively simple process applicable to iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
Start by navigating to Settings on iOS or System Settings on your Mac, then select Apple Intelligence.
On the Mac, if it’s enabled, turn it off by clicking the toggle. It may also be a good idea to disable Siri here as well. You’ll need to confirm your decision to stop using Apple Intelligence in a prompt that appears once you click on the toggle.
On iOS, open the Settings app, scroll down to Apple Intelligence & Siri, and toggle it off. You may wish to disable Siri here too, which we recommend for reasons of privacy and security, particularly concerning Siri on the lock screen.
It’s important to mention that Apple has structured its AI functionalities with privacy in mind, utilizing a system and framework referred to as Private Cloud Computer. Practically, this means that no personal information ever interacts with the Apple Intelligence servers.
