Over the weekend, we learned Apple Intelligence, Apple's brand-name for its generative AI features, would not be shipping with iOS 18 after all, and would instead arrive with iOS 18.1. While Apple won't officially roll out Apple Intelligence until sometime later this fall, that doesn't mean these AI features will be totally absent until then. In fact, you can try them out right now—with some big caveats.
On Monday, Apple dropped the first developer beta for iOS 18.1. This version of the beta is meant for registered developers, so they can test out the new software with their apps and services and make sure there are no critical issues with it. While that used to cost $99 per year, in recent years, Apple has opened up the developer beta to anyone interested, meaning you can install the iOS 18.1 developer beta on your iPhone, even if you're not an iOS developer.
Some caveats: Apple Intelligence is only available on iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, or iPads with an M1 chip or newer. If you have an iPhone 15 or older, or an iPad without the M-series chip, you're out of luck. In addition, installing the iOS 18.1 beta isn't enough to access Apple Intelligence. The company requires you to sign up for a waitlist for the service first before you can experiment with these AI features. There's no set time for how long Apple keeps you on the waitlist, and Redditors on r/iosbeta had varying experiences: Some were approved instantly, while others had to wait 30 minutes.
As you might expect, this version of Apple Intelligence is in its initial stages of testing, which means it won't come with all the features Apple advertised earlier this year. While features like Genmoji, Image Playground, and ChatGPT integration aren't live yet, some key features are. If you install the update, you'll be able to try Apple's AI writing tools, new AI features in apps like Mail and Photos, and some AI upgrades to Siri.
It's also important to note that because iOS 18.1 is in beta, it's risky to install on your device right now. Beta software is in testing, and unfinished, which means there could be bugs and other issues that would interfere with your normal device use. If you don't have a spare Apple device to install betas on, make sure to back up your iPhone or iPad if you choose to install iOS 18.1.
Assuming you have a compatible iPhone or iPad, open Settings, then head to General > Software Update. Allow the page to load a moment, then choose Beta Updates. Here, choose iOS 18 Developer Beta, then hit Back. Once this page loads again, you should see Upgrade to iOS 18 under "ALSO AVAILABLE." Tap this, which should take you to the iOS 18.1 update screen. From here, hit Update Now, then follow the on-screen instructions to install the update.
Once you're running iOS 18.1, head back to Settings. You should now have an Apple Intelligence option. Tap this, choose Join the Apple Intelligence Waitlist, then hit Join Waitlist on the pop-up.
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