macOS Sequoia 15.3 and iOS 18.3 Enable Apple Intelligence Automatically

When installing macOS Sequoia 15.3, iOS 18.3, or iPadOS 18.3, Apple Intelligence will be turned on automatically on compatible devices, Apple says in the developer release notes for the updates.

Apple Intelligence General Feature 2

For users new or upgrading to iOS 18.3, Apple Intelligence will be enabled automatically during iPhone onboarding. Users will have access to Apple Intelligence features after setting up their devices. To disable Apple Intelligence, users will need to navigate to the Apple Intelligence & Siri Settings pane and turn off the Apple Intelligence toggle. This will disable Apple Intelligence features on their device

With macOS Sequoia 15.1, macOS Sequoia 15.2, iOS 18.1, and iOS 18.2, ‌Apple Intelligence‌ was opt-in rather than opt-out, and users who wanted the feature needed to turn it on in the Settings app. Going forward, it will be enabled by default, and Mac, iPhone, and iPad users who do not want to use the feature will need to turn it off.

macOS Sequoia 15.3 also brings Genmoji to the Mac for the first time, so Mac users will be able to create custom emoji characters after installing the update. All three new software updates add tweaks to the Notification summaries feature to make it more clear when a notification contains AI-generated information.

Apple provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate versions of iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, and macOS Sequoia 15.3 today, which means the software updates will see a release in the near future. We are expecting the updates to launch to the public next week.

Related Forum: macOS Sequoia

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Coming Soon With These 8 New Features on Your iPhone

Thursday December 11, 2025 8:49 am PST by
Apple seeded the second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to developers earlier this week, meaning the update will be released to the general public very soon. Apple confirmed iOS 26.2 would be released in December, but it did not provide a specific date. We expect the update to be released by early next week. iOS 26.2 includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, such as a new...
iOS 26

iOS 26.4 and iOS 27 Features Revealed in New Leak

Friday December 12, 2025 10:56 am PST by
Macworld's Filipe Espósito today revealed a handful of features that Apple is allegedly planning for iOS 26.4, iOS 27, and even iOS 28. The report said the features are referenced within the code for a leaked internal build of iOS 26 that is not meant to be seen by the public. However, it appears that Espósito and/or his sources managed to gain access to it, providing us with a sneak peek...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.2 With Alarms for Reminders, Lock Screen Changes, Enhanced Safety Alerts and More

Friday December 12, 2025 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 26.2, the second major update to the iOS 26 operating system that came out in September, iOS 26.2 comes a little over a month after iOS 26.1 launched. ‌iOS 26‌.2 is compatible with the ‌iPhone‌ 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings >...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3

Thursday December 11, 2025 11:28 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3 and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B30, up from 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 firmware is 8B28, up from 8B21. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 are getting expanded support for Live Translation in the European Union in iOS...
macOS Tahoe 26 Thumb

Apple Releases macOS Tahoe 26.2 With Edge Light

Friday December 12, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Apple today released macOS Tahoe 26.2, the second major update to the macOS Tahoe operating system that came out in September. macOS Tahoe 26.2 comes five weeks after Apple released macOS Tahoe 26.1. Mac users can download the macOS Tahoe update by using the Software Update section of System Settings. macOS Tahoe 26.2 includes Edge Light, a feature that illuminates your face with soft...
AirTag 2 Mock Feature

Apple AirTag 2: Four New Features Found in iOS 26 Code

Thursday December 11, 2025 10:31 am PST by
The AirTag 2 will include a handful of new features that will improve tracking capabilities, according to a new report from Macworld. The site says that it was able to access an internal build of iOS 26, which includes references to multiple unreleased products. Here's what's supposedly coming: An improved pairing process, though no details were provided. AirTag pairing is already...
ipados 26 1 slide over

Apple Releases iPadOS 26.2 With Multitasking Improvements

Friday December 12, 2025 10:09 am PST by
Apple today released iPadOS 26.2, the second major update to the iPadOS 26 operating system released in September. iPadOS 26.2 comes a month after iPadOS 26.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. iPadOS 26.2 continues with the multitasking improvements that were added with iPadOS 26.1. You can now drag and...
iphone fold text

'iPhone Fold' Arrival Expected to Cement Book-Style Era for Foldables

Friday December 12, 2025 3:55 am PST by
Foldable smartphone panel shipments are projected to jump 46% year-over-year in 2026, with Apple's entry into the market serving as the main catalyst, according to Counterpoint Research's latest Foldable-Rollable Display Shipment Tracker. "Apple is the key driver as it starts to procure panels for its first foldable iPhone," said Counterpoint's Guillaume Chansin. The research firm expects...

Top Rated Comments

mystery hill Avatar
12 months ago
Apple is becoming the new Microsoft.

This should be opt-in.
Score: 64 Votes (Like | Disagree)
klasma Avatar
12 months ago

Apple Intelligence will be turned on
I wasn’t expecting sexual arousal to be implemented in AI so soon.
Score: 43 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zorinlynx Avatar
12 months ago
iOS 18.3 did this too. This is upsetting; I was previously very happy with Apple for making this opt-in. Seems they're going back on that.

Some of us DO NOT want this. Please respect our wishes.
Score: 38 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GMShadow Avatar
12 months ago

Apple is becoming the new Microsoft.
No, Microsoft wouldn't offer a toggle, you'd need to go into the Registry and remove some keys and have to do that periodically after updates.
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nermal Avatar
12 months ago

But I wonder why they decided to go with automatically turned on this time.
"We spent so much money on this, and people aren't using it!"
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MallardDuck Avatar
12 months ago
Thanks, I'll remember to turn it back off after upgrading. I wish they had more granular permissions - I don't want it on in messages or mail, but don't mind it in Siri.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)