With Apple Intelligence, you can use Visual Intelligence to quickly learn more about what’s around you with the iPhone camera. When you activate Visual Intelligence, you can search for visually similar images online, look up details about a restaurant or business, translate or summarize text, identify plants and animals, and more.
You can choose how to activate it, too, and you can even use Visual Intelligence to ask ChatGPT for information.
Here’s how to learn about what’s around you with Visual Intelligence on iPhone.
Note: Siri AI is available in beta on iOS 27 or later on an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or iPhone 16 model or later with Siri and device language set to a supported language. Available in English to start. Siri AI will not initially be available in the EU on iOS. Usage limits may apply.
Note: Apple Intelligence on iOS 27 or later is available on an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or iPhone 16 model or later. Apple Intelligence is not available in all languages or regions. Usage limits may apply.*
Choose how to activate Visual Intelligence
- Camera app: If you have Siri AI, open Camera , then tap Siri.
- Camera Control: On supported models, click and hold the Camera Control.
- Action button: Customize the Action button on the left side of your iPhone to use Visual Intelligence.
- Lock Screen: You can add the Visual Intelligence control to the bottom of your Lock Screen to use visual intelligence.
- Control Center: Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen to open Control Center, then tap the Visual Intelligence button to use Visual Intelligence. If you don’t see the Visual Intelligence icon , you may need to add it to Control Center.
Use your iPhone to learn about what’s in front of you
When you activate Visual Intelligence, your iPhone camera can help you learn more about your physical surroundings.
- Activate Visual Intelligence.
- Point your iPhone camera at what’s in front of you. Do any of the following:
- Get information about a place: Click the Camera Control or tap the name of the business at the bottom of the screen. Tap an option to view hours of operation, place an order for delivery, view the menu or services offered, and more.
- Identify plants and animals: Tap the result at the bottom of the screen.
- Create a calendar event: Tap Add to Calendar, then tap Create Event.
- Interact with text: Depending on the text, choose an option at the bottom of the screen.
Search for visually similar images online
To find items similar to those around you, use Visual Intelligence to search.
- Activate Visual Intelligence.
- Point your iPhone camera at an object in front of you.
- Tap the Search button to search for similar images.
- Tap the Close button to close the search results and swipe up from the bottom of the screen to close Visual Intelligence.
Note: Subject to your search provider’s terms of use and data privacy policies.
Use Visual Intelligence to ask ChatGPT for information
With the ChatGPT extension turned on, you can ask ChatGPT about things around you through Visual Intelligence.
- Activate Visual Intelligence.
- Point your iPhone camera at an object in front of you.
- Tap the Ask button to ask ChatGPT about the object. After you tap the Ask button, you can type or dictate a follow-up question in the text field at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap the Close button to close the ChatGPT results and swipe up from the bottom of the screen to close Visual Intelligence.
*Apple Intelligence is available with Siri and device language set to Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, or Vietnamese. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. Some devices may not be available in all regions. Siri AI is available in beta in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27 and requires an Apple Intelligence–enabled device set to a supported language. Available in English to start. Siri AI will not be initially available in the EU on iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS. Certain Apple Intelligence features that rely on server-side models are subject to daily usage limits, including but not limited to Siri AI, Intelligent Photo Editing Tools, Image Playground, and AFM 3 Cloud models in Shortcuts. Daily limits may vary by feature, request complexity, system demand, system policies, and other factors. Expanded access to such features will be available for a fee in the future. Use of these features is subject to the Apple Intelligence Terms and Conditions.