iOS 18.1 Public Beta Now Available, Bringing Apple Intelligence to the Masses (Almost)

Apple Intelligence is getting closer to being ready for primetime. Apple has released a public beta of iOS 18.1, which includes some of the major generative AI features the company has been talking about for several months.

We’ll have to wait a few more weeks for the public versions of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 18.1 to bring Apple Intelligence features to all users of compatible devices. The public betas should be more stable and less risky to install than the developer betas, but it’s still definitely a good idea to back up your data to your computer and/or iCloud before installing this build of iOS 18.1 on your iPhone.

Currently, the only iPhones that support Apple Intelligence are the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, but that will change on Friday when Apple ships the iPhone 16 line. iPads and M series Macs will also support Apple Intelligence.

For now, you’ll need to set your device language and Siri to US English to access Apple Intelligence tools. If you want to use Apple Intelligence in a language other than English (or a localized version of English), you may have to wait until at least December for public versions of operating systems that support them.

Apple will gradually roll out Apple Intelligence tools over the coming months, so not all of them will be available right away. The first wave of features includes the ability to transcribe phone calls (and audio notes in the Notes app) and get summaries of key details. Writing tools (rewriting, proofreading, and summarizing), email prioritization and smart replies, notification summaries, and photo cleanup features are also on the roadmap. You’ll be able to create Memories in the revamped Photos apps and check out the first version of the redesigned, shiny Siri (including the ability to type in requests to the assistant).

You’ll have to wait longer for some other features, including ChatGPT integration, Genmoji, Image Playground (aka image generation), and the ability for Siri to better understand personal context. Apple will roll them out in the coming months.

How to Get New Apple Intelligence Features

On your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates and select iOS 18 public beta. When the iOS 18.1 public beta is available for your device, you’ll see it on the Software Update page. You may need to free up some space before installing the beta. To enable Apple Intelligence, go to Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri > Join the Apple Intelligence Waitlist.

The process for installing the public beta is almost identical on the iPad. On a Mac, you’ll need to go to System Settings > General > Software Update. Click the information symbol next to “Beta Updates,” and you should be able to install the iOS 18.1 public beta when it becomes available.