Apple Intelligence Requirements in 2025: Compatible Devices, OS Versions, Languages & How to Enable

Last updated: October 16, 2025.

Apple Intelligence requirements runs on-device only on recent Apple silicon:

• iPhone: iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max and all iPhone 16 models or newer
• iPad: M-series iPad Air/Pro or iPad mini (A17 Pro)
• Mac: Any Mac with M1 or later
• OS: iOS/iPadOS 18.1+, macOS Sequoia 15.1+ (newer is better)
• Other: ~7GB free storage, device language & Siri language set to the same supported language
  Some heavier tasks use Private Cloud Compute with strong privacy protections.

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Supported Devices (2025)

iPhone

• iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max (A17 Pro)
• All iPhone 16 models or newer

Note: iPhone 15/15 Plus and older models are not supported.

iPad

• iPad Air (M1 or later)
• iPad Pro (M1 or later)
• iPad mini with A17 Pro

Mac

• Any Mac with Apple Silicon (M1 or later)
  • MacBook Air/Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, Mac Pro

Vision Pro

• Supported on visionOS 2.4+ (feature coverage may vary)

Apple Watch (paired features)

• No native Apple Intelligence on watch; some experiences appear when paired to a supported iPhone (watchOS 11+)

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Required OS Versions

• iPhone/iPad: iOS/iPadOS 18.1 or later
• Mac: macOS Sequoia 15.1 or later
• Vision Pro: visionOS 2.4 or later

From iOS/iPadOS 18.3 and macOS 15.3, Apple Intelligence is enabled by default on eligible devices (you can turn it off).

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Storage, Language & Region

• Free storage: Keep ≈7GB available for on-device models and assets
• Language requirements: Device Language and Siri Language must match a supported language
• Languages/regions (2025): Expanded beyond English to include major languages such as French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and Simplified Chinese, plus more regional rollouts through iOS/iPadOS 18.4 and macOS 15.4 and later

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Privacy Model: On-Device First, Then Private Cloud Compute

Apple Intelligence prioritizes on-device processing. For tasks that need extra compute, it uses Private Cloud Compute (PCC)—Apple-controlled servers running Apple silicon and a locked-down, verifiable OS. Requests are designed not to be stored, and researchers can audit system images. The goal: generative features with useful results and strong privacy.

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Compatibility Cheat-Sheet (2025)

Category	Minimum Requirement	Notes
iPhone	15 Pro / 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16+	iOS 18.1+; enabled by default from 18.3
iPad	M1 or later (Air/Pro) or iPad mini (A17 Pro)	iPadOS 18.1+; Siri + device language must match
Mac	Any Mac with M1 or later	macOS Sequoia 15.1+
Vision Pro	visionOS 2.4+	Feature set varies by app/region
Storage	~7GB free	For on-device models
Languages	Major languages incl. EN, FR, DE, IT, PT-BR, ES, JA, KO, ZH-Hans	Availability expanding by region/OS updates

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How to Turn Apple Intelligence On

1. Update your OS
   • iPhone/iPad: Settings → General → Software Update → install latest 18.x
   • Mac: System Settings → General → Software Update → install latest 15.x
2. Match language settings
   • Settings/System Settings → General → Language & Region: set a supported Device Language
   • Siri & Search → Language: set the same language as above
3. Ensure free space
   • Aim for ≥7GB free storage so models can download/install
4. Find the toggle
   • Apple Intelligence & Siri (on iPhone/iPad/Mac): make sure Apple Intelligence is On
   • On supported OS versions (18.3/15.3+), it’s On by default—you can disable/re-enable anytime

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Using ChatGPT Inside Apple Intelligence (Optional)

Apple integrates ChatGPT into Siri, Writing Tools, Image Playground, and more. You can:

• Use ChatGPT free without an OpenAI account, or
• Link your ChatGPT account (free or paid) for extra features and history syncing
  Find it in Settings/System Settings → Apple Intelligence & Siri → ChatGPT.

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Troubleshooting Checklist

• Device unsupported?
  Only iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max, iPhone 16+, M-series iPads, and M1+ Macs qualify.
• Menu missing?
  Update to the latest iOS/iPadOS 18.x / macOS 15.x and ensure Siri language matches Device language.
• Not enough space?
  Free up 7GB+ to allow on-device model downloads.
• Privacy concerns?
  Remember: on-device first; heavy tasks may use Private Cloud Compute with non-retained requests.

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FAQ

Does Apple Intelligence run on Apple Watch?

Not natively. Some features appear when a supported iPhone is paired with Apple Watch (watchOS 11+).

Is there a RAM requirement?

Apple lists chip-based requirements (A17 Pro/M-series). Practically, supported devices ship with 8GB+ RAM, which helps keep models resident.

Which languages are available now?

By early 2025, Apple expanded beyond English to multiple major languages and more regions via the 18.4/15.4 updates. Check Apple Intelligence & Siri settings for your region.

Do my prompts get stored in the cloud?

Apple says on-device by default; when cloud compute is needed, PCC processes requests without storing them and uses verifiable server images.

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What to Expect Next (Forward-Looking)

• More languages & regions rolling out via point releases (18.x / 15.x)
• Deeper app integrations (Mail, Notes, Pages, third-party) leveraging on-device models
• Improved reliability & speed as Apple tunes model sizes and PCC capacity

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Bottom Line

If you own iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max or any iPhone 16, an M-series iPad, or any M1+ Mac, keep your device on the latest iOS/iPadOS 18.x or macOS 15.x, ensure ≈7GB free, and match your Device & Siri language. You’ll get Apple’s AI features with privacy-first on-device processing and Private Cloud Compute for heavier tasks.