Apple executives all the time describe new {hardware} and software program because the “greatest” or “greatest” ever, however the supply doesn’t normally stay as much as the hype (see last year’s iPads). Nonetheless, iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 may be deserving of some of these adjectives. The newest model of the working system has the same old diploma of year-over-year quality-of-life enhancements, however Apple Intelligence steals the limelight.
That is Apple’s implementation of artificial-intelligence-powered duties which were sweeping through the tech industry over the previous few years. Even Siri acquired an improve, although we’re nonetheless ready for lots of the promised features to arrive. Listed below are all the brand new iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 options, learn how to obtain the present model, and what precisely you’ll expertise with Apple Intelligence.
Desk of Contents
Up to date Might 2025: We have added particulars about iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5.
Is Your iPhone or iPad Suitable?
Excellent news! Each iPhone that was able to putting in iOS 17 can run iOS 18. Apple didn’t drop any iPhones from the checklist of supported gadgets. When you’ve got the iPhone XR and iPhone XS from 2018 or newer (together with the second- and third-gen iPhone SE), you possibly can obtain and run iOS 18. In case you’re not sure what mannequin iPhone you will have, head to the Settings app, faucet on Common > About and have a look at the Mannequin Title. This doesn’t suggest each function is offered, as some require extra trendy processors. (Apple Intelligence, for instance, is unique to the iPhone 15 Professional and iPhone 16 models; extra on this under.)
It’s a bit extra difficult for iPads, because the naming scheme is determined by the {hardware} era fairly than particular gadget names. Listed below are the generations that help iPadOS 18 (in contrast to iPhones, some iPads are not supported). You may determine which mannequin you will have by following the directions here.
- iPad: seventh gen and later
- iPad Mini: fifth gen and later
- iPad Air: third gen and later (together with M2 and M3)
- iPad Professional 11-inch: 1st gen and later
- iPad Professional 12.9-inch: third gen and later (together with M4)
Try our Best iPhones and Best iPads guides to be taught extra about present fashions.
Earlier than putting in the brand new working system, I extremely suggest you again up your gadgets. You are able to do this by way of iCloud—go to Settings, faucet in your title on the high, and choose iCloud. Then, faucet on iCloud Backup, toggle it on, and faucet Again Up Now to start out a brand new backup. On the earlier iCloud web page, you even have the choice to toggle off sure apps that you do not need to embody within the backup. Haven’t got sufficient iCloud storage, or need to use one other methodology? Try our How to Back Up Your iPhone or iPad information for different choices.
As soon as you have backed up, you are prepared to put in iOS 18. Since this can be a hefty replace, you need to plug your gadgets right into a charger and guarantee they’re related to Wi-Fi earlier than the replace begins. Now go to Settings > Common > Software program Replace. You may see the choice to obtain the replace. Faucet Obtain and Set up and, when the obtain is finished, faucet Set up Now to start out the replace. You’ll know the replace is full when your gadget restarts.
New iOS/iPadOS 18 Model Updates
All the highest options in iOS and iPadOS 18 are highlighted under, however Apple continues to launch extra updates all year long. These embody new options unavailable at launch, bug fixes, and safety patches. To replace your iPhone, go to Settings > Common > Software program Replace and comply with the directions above.
iOS/iPadOS 18.5: This replace consists of help for satellite tv for pc options on all iPhone 13 fashions, Display Time passcode notifications, “Purchase with iPhone” on the Apple TV app by way of a third-party gadget, and CarPlay Ultra (beginning with Aston Martin autos).
iOS/iPadOS 18.4: This update consists of Precedence Notifications inside Apple Intelligence, Visible Intelligence for the iPhone 15 Professional, a stand-alone Imaginative and prescient Professional app, new Emoji, Sketch mode in Picture Playground, recipes in Apple Information+, new group options within the Images app, preauthorized funds in Apple Pockets, lossless audio with AirPods Max, and entry to Apple Intelligence options within the Management Heart.
iOS/iPadOS 18.3: This replace consists of improved notification summaries, upgrades to Visible Intelligence for iPhone 16 fashions, and a minor function added to the Calculator app. Apple Intelligence is now enabled by default (although you can turn it off).
iOS/iPadOS 18.2: This replace introduced Genmoji, Picture Playground, Picture Wand, ChatGPT in Siri, Visible Intelligence, AirTag shared location monitoring in Discover My, new Mail app options, and new settings for Digital camera Management. Additionally, Writing Instruments will get a raise from ChatGPT too, with the power to compose messages. There is no want to affix a waitlist anymore to benefit from Apple Intelligence.
iOS/iPadOS 18.1: Apple formally launched Apple Intelligence on this model. Initially, you needed to head to Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri > Be part of the Waitlist to enroll. The ready checklist took a couple of hours; Apple mentioned it was to make sure there’s ample server capability. Apple Intelligence launched with the next good options: Writing Instruments, Reminiscence Films and Clear Up in Apple Images, Precedence Messages in Mail, Sensible Reply in Messages, Summaries for Transcriptions and Name recordings in Notes, Notification Summaries, and the brand new Cut back Interruptions Focus.
What Is Apple Intelligence?
Each main tech firm has been integrating synthetic intelligence into its {hardware} and software program, from Google and Samsung to Microsoft. Apple Intelligence is Apple’s model, and it is the time period you may see the corporate throw round over the following few years; it powers lots of the new AI options in its gadgets.
It is powered by Apple’s giant language fashions (partly educated via data from the public web, according to Axios’ Ina Fried). It requires Apple silicon, the corporate’s bespoke chips which have a hybrid structure designed to run AI duties. Though the gadgets Apple Intelligence runs on are able to the on-device processing wanted to finish AI duties, typically the duty is just too huge and must be despatched off to the cloud. When a activity requires extra processing, it’s going to be despatched to a safe knowledge middle stacked with computer systems that additionally run Apple silicon. Whereas this methodology of computing is often much less non-public, Apple claims that its Private Cloud Compute platform focuses on making certain knowledge privateness for every consumer. Solely knowledge related to your question is shipped to those servers, and the info is just used in your requests and by no means saved.
Apple Intelligence Suitable Units
Earlier than you get too excited, Apple Intelligence isn’t out there for every device that supports iOS 18. It is solely supported on choose processors (and languages).
What precisely is Apple Intelligence? Apple breaks down its key capabilities into three buckets: Language, Photographs, and Motion.
Apple Intelligence: Language
All through Apple’s {hardware} and software program, you may discover new writing instruments that draw on the ability of generative AI to help your writing. This consists of Rewrite, which can assist change the tone of your textual content to sound extra pleasant or extra skilled (like in an e mail), and Proofread, which kind of does what the title suggests. It’s also possible to summarize chosen textual content with a faucet.
These text-based enhancements transcend writing. It additionally powers Precedence notifications, which seem on the high of your notification checklist and summarize it so that you get a extra digestible abstract at a look. You may flip the function on by going to Settings > Notifications> Prioritize Notifications. Equally, the Mail app presents Precedence messages, which implies necessary emails will float to the highest of your inbox. It’s also possible to get summaries of lengthy emails, and a Sensible Reply perform helps you to shortly reply to emails (even solutions to a number of questions posed in an e mail), not in contrast to what’s available in Gmail.
For now, nevertheless, Apple has paused notification summaries for information apps following a number of situations the place the function failed to summarize articles precisely. Notifications summarized by Apple Intelligence will now seem as italicized textual content.
Within the Notes, Voice Memos, and Telephone app, you possibly can hit the file button (sure, even on a name) to get an audio recording with a transcript, and Apple Intelligence can create a abstract of that transcript. Apple says that in states that require two-party consent for recordings, the particular person on the opposite finish of the road shall be made conscious that the decision is being recorded.
Lastly, there is a new Focus mode known as Cut back Interruptions that may perceive your private context, so whereas it hides incoming stuff that might distract you, it is aware of sufficient about what you have acquired happening to permit a textual content out of your babysitter to come back via.
Apple Intelligence: Photographs
The Apple Intelligence picture options largely revolve round producing new pictures via synthetic intelligence. A lot of this occurs in Picture Playground, an expertise baked into different apps (although it additionally exists as a stand-alone app). You may generate pictures based mostly on an outline, instructed ideas, and even from folks in your Images library. You may have management over the type, and it may be tweaked to match no matter’s occurring within the app you are utilizing it in. It’s also possible to select between totally different types, together with Illustration, Animation, and (most lately) Sketch, which provides pictures a extra pure, hand-drawn look.
Genmoji simply may be essentially the most anticipated function out of the whole lot Apple has introduced. It helps you to generate emojis directly from the keyboard with textual content prompts. It’s also possible to pull an individual’s picture out of your Images library to make an emoji based mostly on their seems to be. You may have to offer an outline first, however then you possibly can modify the outline till it fits what you’re going for.
Picture Wand is one other picture era system that works particularly within the Notes app. Along with your finger or Apple Pencil, you possibly can circle a sketch to have Apple Intelligence create one thing that appears extra refined, however you too can circle an area, and it’ll generate a picture based mostly on the encompassing textual content. It is a straightforward approach so as to add extra visible selection to your notes.
The Images app is getting a couple of AI options. You may make a Reminiscence Film by getting into an outline like “All of the desserts I ate in the course of the summer season final 12 months, set to a pop music,” and Apple’s AI will discover the suitable pictures and video, put them to a music, and craft a shareable film out of it. It will even be simpler to seek for particular pictures—simply describe what you need and it will discover it, even moments in video clips (much like Google’s Ask Photos feature). Lastly, you possibly can erase undesirable objects within the background of your pictures with the brand new Clear Up device within the picture editor, precisely like Magic Eraser on Pixel phones and Samsung’s Object Eraser.
Apple Intelligence: Motion
The ultimate a part of Apple Intelligence is arguably one which may be used essentially the most usually, and it entails Siri. The assistant has a brand new look—when activated, the perimeters of the display will glow—and now you can kind your requests to Siri as an alternative of utilizing your voice (one thing you have been capable of do with Google Assistant for a number of years).
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{Photograph}: Julian Chokkattu
