A guide to Writing Tools: How to use Apple Intelligence’s star feature on your iPhone, iPad and Mac
After months of waiting, Apple has finally started rolling out the first wave of Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18.1. These primary AI features aim to familiarise you with artificial intelligence and what it can do, right on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. There are plenty of features (though the best ones will be added in iOS 18.2 later this year), but what caught our eye is the Writing Tools, which allow users to rewrite text or generate summaries of selected text, all built into Apple devices and integrated with apps.
| Feb 7, 2025, 16:29 IST
Apple's Apple Intelligence introduces a suite of advanced features designed to enhance user experience across iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices. One of the notable additions is the Camera Control button, which provides users with quick access to camera functionalities and integrates Visual Intelligence capabilities.
Apple's Writing Tools, introduced with Apple Intelligence, offer powerful features to enhance your writing across various applications on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. These tools are deeply integrated into the system, allowing you to refine text in apps like Mail, Messages, Notes, Pages, and compatible third-party applications.
Key Features of Writing Tools:
1. Rewrite: This feature enables you to choose from different versions of your text and adjust the tone to suit your audience and purpose. Options include making your text more professional, concise, or friendly. For instance, you can rewrite a casual message into a formal email with ease.
2. Proofread: Automatically checks your text for grammar, word choice, and sentence structure. It provides suggestions for corrections, which you can review and accept individually or all at once. Explanations for each suggestion help you understand the changes.
3. Summarize: Select any portion of text and generate a concise summary. You can choose to receive the summary as a paragraph, bulleted key points, a table, or a list, making it easier to grasp essential information quickly.
How to Use Writing Tools:
Accessing Writing Tools:
In any supported app, select the text you want to refine.
A context menu will appear; tap on the "Writing Tools" option.
Using Rewrite:
After selecting "Rewrite", choose the desired tone (e.g., Professional, Friendly, Concise).
The tool will present alternative versions of your text based on your selection.
Using Proofread:
Select "Proofread" from the Writing Tools menu.
Review the highlighted suggestions and tap on each to see explanations.
Accept individual changes or apply all suggestions at once.
Using Summarize:
Choose "Summarize" after selecting the text.
Pick the format for your summary: Paragraph, Key Points, Table, or List.
The summary will be generated in the chosen format for your review.
Compatibility:
Writing Tools are available on devices running iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 or later. Ensure your device is updated to the latest software version to access these features. Additionally, your device language and Siri language should be set to a supported language.
By leveraging these Writing Tools, you can enhance your communication, ensuring clarity and appropriateness across various contexts.