Here’s everything iOS 18.1’s writing tools can do with Apple Intelligence

iOS 18.1 is officially here, bringing a host of AI features to users. If you have a compatible device, your notifications are now smarter than ever, the Photos app more powerful, and Siri has learned a few new tricks. Apple Intelligence also introduces new writing tools across iOS 18.1, macOS Sequoia 15.1, and iPadOS 18.1. Here’s how AI is set to improve your writing across all your devices.

Using Apple’s new writing tools

Apple Intelligence writing tools are available in whatever app you’re using across your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. They are not limited to only Apple apps.

As long as the app you’re using employs the standard text input system—which nearly all third-party apps do—you’ll be able to call on Apple Intelligence to help out in a variety of ways.

Let’s say you’re drafting an email, and you feel like it needs some heavy revision. Or you’re working on a speech for work or school, and aren’t pleased with it. Maybe you could use help with something as simple as an Instagram post.

In all these cases, Apple’s writing tools are ready to assist. Here’s what they can do.

Rewrite text using preset styles

Apple Intelligence offers several preset styles that can instantly rewrite your text in a specific tone. You can choose from three options:

• Friendly
• Professional
• Concise

Each preset is designed to make it as quick and easy as possible to have your text rewritten.

You can also just use the generic ‘Rewrite’ button to have your text revised in a way that sounds a lot like your existing writing style, but hopefully better.

Proofread text and offer spelling and grammar advice

Similar to third-party tools like Grammarly, Apple Intelligence also provides proofreading tools that go beyond the standard system spellcheck.

With proofreading, your writing style is kept fully in-tact, but Apple offers suggestions for revisions based on spelling and grammar issues. Think of this option as requiring the least amount of AI infusion.

Analyze and summarize text

Apple Intelligence can also analyze your text and draw out key points.

Apple’s writing tools include two available buttons—Summary and Key Points—that will help you hone in on what the text is all about.

This can come in handy with your own text, as it helps reveal whether you’re actually communicating what you intended. But more likely, it will be employed in situations where you want to get a quick rundown of text that someone else wrote, like an email or article.

Text conversion

Finally, you can also have Apple Intelligence convert your text into a table or list.

Essentially, these features analyze and break down your text into different thoughts or categories of thought. Then they add the appropriate bullet points or table columns to present the information in a new way.

Later this year: Compose text with ChatGPT and ‘Describe your change’

Apple’s home-grown writing tools will not compose text from scratch for you. They can rewrite existing text, but not draft something all-new like some other AI tools can.

Fortunately, this is where Apple Intelligence’s deep ChatGPT integration is a lifesaver. Coming in iOS 18.2 later this December, ChatGPT will be baked right into the existing AI writing tools to do what Apple can’t: compose text entirely from scratch.

This integration is a seamless part of the Apple Intelligence experience. It’s entirely native, with no need to install anything extra, or sign up for an OpenAI account. Text composition tools are part of Apple Intelligence—they’re just powered by ChatGPT rather than Apple.

Also in iOS 18.2, you’ll be able to ‘Describe your change’—essentially, have text rewritten based on your specific instructions. This is an upgrade to the existing rewrite feature and uses Apple’s own AI models, not ChatGPT.

iOS 18.1’s writing tools: Wrap-up

Apple Intelligence writing tools are designed to serve a variety of different use cases, and at various levels of need.

Want something composed from scratch? The system will soon be able to do that for you. How about a revision of what you’ve already drafted? That’s easy too. Just need some proofreading? Not a problem.

By making these tools available at a system level, wherever you write text, Apple is poised to make AI mainstream in a whole new way.

What have been your go-to features with Apple’s writing tools? Let us know in the comments.

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