Apple Intelligence powers new on‑device and server‑assisted AI features across iPhone, iPad, and Mac — from smarter Siri conversations and message/email summaries to writing tools, image creation, and notification prioritization. If you prefer to limit those features for privacy, storage, battery, or personal reasons, Apple provides multiple controls: a master toggle, per‑feature switches, Screen Time restrictions, and opt‑outs for data‑sharing used to improve models. This guide shows exactly where to go and what each control does, with step‑by‑step instructions for iPhone/iPad and Mac plus tips for checking whether your requests go to Apple’s secure cloud (Private Cloud Compute).
Below are clear step‑by‑step instructions and what to expect after each change.
What this does: disables the built‑in Apple Intelligence features and prevents the system from doing AI‑based summaries, writing tools, image playground features, and many “smart” suggestions. You can still use standard, non‑AI functionality in apps. Apple documents this master switch path for iPhone and iPad. (support.apple.com)
Note: on some versions or devices you may also need to switch off Siri AI separately or revert to “Siri Classic” in the same settings if a separate Siri AI toggle appears. (support.apple.com)
You can also disable Siri AI specifically under Siri settings and turn off per‑app summarization and smart replies inside Mail, Messages, Notifications, and the Phone/Journal apps. Apple documents the Mac paths for each feature. (support.apple.com)
If you like some AI features but not others, disable features individually:
Tip: Apple sometimes organizes controls by app (Mail, Messages, Phone). If you can’t find one setting in the Apple Intelligence pane, open the relevant app’s settings section. (support.apple.com)
This method is useful if you want to enforce a restriction for a child’s device or lock down a device you manage — it prevents users from re‑enabling those features without the Screen Time passcode. Apple documents these Screen Time controls. (support.apple.com)
Apple provides an explicit opt‑out for using your Siri/Dictation/Translate interactions to improve its systems and foundation models. To opt out: - Settings → Privacy & Security → Analytics & Improvements → turn off Improve Siri & Apple Intelligence (or Improve Siri & Dictation on older devices).
Apple’s legal/privacy pages explain that opting out prevents your eligible interactions from being retained for model improvement, though a small subset of interactions may be kept longer in some cases if you had previously opted in. If you want the clearest data‑sharing boundary, turn this toggle off. (apple.com)
Apple gives transparency via the Apple Intelligence Report:
- Settings → Privacy & Security → Apple Intelligence Report → Export Activity.
The exported JSON contains two main sections: modelRequests (all AI requests) and privateCloudComputeRequests (those handled by Apple’s Private Cloud Compute). This is the best way to verify whether particular kinds of requests (e.g., some writing tools) were processed on your device or sent to Apple’s cloud. (security.apple.com)
Why it matters: Apple runs many tasks on‑device, but for larger, more complex requests the system may use Apple’s Private Cloud Compute — a server‑side environment Apple designed to preserve privacy while providing extra compute. If you want zero‑cloud processing, disabling Apple Intelligence entirely is the simplest route; there is no per‑request “never send to cloud” user switch. (security.apple.com)
Conclusion Apple gives multiple ways to control Apple Intelligence: a master off switch, per‑feature controls, parental Screen Time locks, and an explicit opt‑out for sharing interactions to improve models. If your priority is absolute avoidance of cloud‑assisted AI, turn off Apple Intelligence entirely and verify activity with the Apple Intelligence Report. If you prefer a mix (keep on‑device features but block cloud training or specific tools), toggle individual settings and opt out of analytics. For any critical or managed‑device questions, check with your administrator and review Apple’s support and privacy pages linked above. (support.apple.com)
Sources and further reading
- Apple Support — Turn off and restrict access to Apple Intelligence features (iPhone / Mac). (support.apple.com)
- Apple Security blog & documentation — Private Cloud Compute. (security.apple.com)
- Apple legal/privacy — Improve Siri & Apple Intelligence (data use and retention). (apple.com)
- Apple Support & docs — Apple Intelligence Report (export and interpret). (security.apple.com)
If you want, tell me which device and OS version you’re using (for example: iPhone 16 on iOS 27, or MacBook on macOS 27) and I’ll write a precise step‑by‑step checklist you can follow on that device.