Skip to main content

Apple’s forcing your iPhone to turn Apple Intelligence on again

Apple Intelligence & Siri screen on an iPhone 16 Pro
Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends

If you had previously disabled Apple Intelligence,  you might want to double-check your settings. The latest iOS update looks to have re-enabled the service for many users, just like previous updates — a bug that has bothered Apple users since it began.

Disabling Apple Intelligence can clear up as much as 7GB of data on your iPhone, and for users with less storage capacity, that’s nothing to scoff at. Suddenly losing that much storage to an optional feature is an annoyance, but you can disable it again. You just have to repeat the process in your settings.

Recommended Videos

The update to iOS 18.3.2 was a necessity, as it contained a security fix that left your phone vulnerable to intrusion. If you haven’t updated yet, it’s a good idea to do so as soon as possible. Just remember to disable Apple Intelligence after you’re done. It’s as simple as going into SettingsApple Intelligence and flipping the toggle.

Apple's Craig Federighi discussing Apple Intelligence at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024.
Apple

The update also applies to iPads — as does the potential to save space — so if your iPad is compatible with Apple Intelligence, you’ll need to adjust your settings there as well.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

With any luck, Apple will change its update strategy so your device retains the same settings as before the update. It’s also possible that Apple Intelligence has to be reenabled for the update to be properly applied, but again, it seems a relatively trivial matter for the update to remove it after the necessary changes had been made.

The update itself is small in size — barely over 700MB — so it won’t demand much bandwidth.

Patrick Hearn
Patrick Hearn writes about smart home technology like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, smart light bulbs, and more. If it's a…
It looks even more likely the iPhone Fold will release in 2026
Concept render of a foldable iPhone.

Mark Gurman has once more suggested a 2026 release window for the rumored iPhone Fold, adding his own not-insignificant influence to the cascade of other analysts saying the same thing. In his Sunday morning newsletter for Bloomberg, Gurman said he expects the foldable to arrive "next year."

This lines up with predictions made by trusted analyst Jeff Pu. It certainly seems like the rumored device isn't likely to hit shelves anytime soon, and when it does, it could carry the highest price point of any iPhone to date at $2,300.

Read more
iPhone 17 might finally fix Apple’s stingy ways with display upgrades
The Apple iPhone 16 Plus's home screen.

Social media is currently flooded with all kinds of rumors and concept renders purportedly depicting the upcoming iPhone 17 series. A few reliable insiders have also backed the claims of a fresh design. However, there’s another upgrade situation that will matter to users on a day-to-day basis.
According to Bloomberg, the baseline iPhone 17 model could finally get a high refresh rate aka ProMotion display. “The device is likely to get some small enhancements to its rear camera, as well as a ProMotion display, which allows for smoother scrolling and animation,” says the report.
If you’ve been following the competing Android ecosystem, high refresh rate screens are no longer a talking point. Even budget phones that cost as little as $200 will serve you a 90Hz or 120Hz panel. In the Apple ecosystem, you will have to spend at least a thousand dollars to experience that perk on an iPhone, or an iPad.

The “it didn’t matter” argument

Read more
Apple hit with lawsuit over Apple Intelligence delay
Invoking Siri on iPhone.

Apple has been hit with a lawsuit over allegations of false advertising and unfair competition regarding the delayed launch of some of its Apple Intelligence features.

The tech company has made much of its AI-infused Apple Intelligence tools when they were first unveiled at its developer event in June 2024, and while some of the features have made their way to its various devices since then, the company recently revealed that some of the more advanced AI-powered tools -- including for its Siri virtual assistant -- would not be ready until 2026.

Read more