iOS 18.3 isn’t a particularly exciting update, but there are plenty of changes you may want to be aware of. One of those changes is that, per Apple’s release notes, the update will switch on Apple Intelligence by default. However, you can still switch it off afterwards.
The release notes mention that “Apple Intelligence will be enabled automatically during iPhone onboarding. Users will have access to Apple Intelligence features after setting up their devices.“ Previously it was an opt-in service, but that’s now changed with CNBC claiming that this is “a step toward a more complete rollout of the feature.”
If you already have Apple Intelligence switched on, then you won’t notice any difference here. But if you don’t want AI on your iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro, Apple says you’ll need to go to the settings menu to turn it all off. Here’s how you do that.
1. Open the settings menu
Once you've installed the iOS 18.3 update, find the Settings app and tap it to open.
2. Find Apple Intelligence & Siri
The next step is to find the Apple Intelligence & Siri menu. This can be found towards the bottom of the screen when you open the Settings app, between the Action Button and Camera menus
3. Turn off Apple Intelligence
Right at the top of the Apple Intelligence menu is the toggle to switch off Apple Intelligence in its entirety. You'll need to tap the green toggle, and then confirm to Apple that you want Apple Intelligence switched off — and are content not having access to everything it has to offer.
Once you've confirmed, you'll see that the toggle has turned gray. Should you ever change your mind and decide you want to give Apple intelligence a try, you just need to head back and flip that toggle on again.
