Use visual intelligence with the camera or screen, check supported controls and hardware, and understand search and ChatGPT privacy limits.
Visual intelligence can help you investigate what is in front of the camera or on your iPhone screen. The available controls depend on the model, software, language and region. Generated answers can be wrong, so check important details.
Correction, September 5, 2026: updated the instructions and removed unsupported guarantees, release assumptions and testing claims. This guide follows the linked documentation.
Use the control your model provides
Apple’s visual intelligence guide explains pressing and holding Camera Control on models that have it. It also documents Action button, Lock Screen and Control Center alternatives for iPhone 17e, 16e and 15 Pro models. An “iPhone 17 series” label does not mean every model has the same physical button.
Check Apple Intelligence requirements and the guide matching your installed software. Do not infer compatibility from a guessed minimum RAM number or assume the standard iPhone 15 supports it.
Camera and screen actions
The guide covers learning about objects or businesses, working with text, visual searches and questions. For on-screen content, use the screenshot controls described for supported software, then choose the relevant action. Inspect the selected content before sending it elsewhere.
A suggested calendar event should be checked for date, time and location before saving. A visual match is a candidate result, not proof of the exact product or a guarantee that business details are current.
Search and Ask are different paths
Visual search is subject to the search provider’s terms. The ChatGPT option sends selected information to that service. The feature does not support the blanket claim that all simple identification or summaries stay on-device and work offline.
Apple’s extension privacy notice distinguishes use without an account from use with a connected ChatGPT account. Review the applicable controls rather than assuming every request has identical retention rules. Our privacy guide explains the difference.
Use results with appropriate care
Check translations against the original context and verify generated explanations. Do not decide whether a plant is safe to eat, a pet has been poisoned, or electrical equipment is safe from an image-based answer. Seek the appropriate expert or authoritative source for consequential decisions.
A clear, well-framed image can make the task easier, but it cannot guarantee recognition. No firsthand accuracy benchmark or battery-runtime measurement supports this article.
If the feature is unavailable
Confirm the exact model, software, language, region and Apple Intelligence setup. Check the selected service and network connection when a search or third-party request fails. Follow the matching Apple guide rather than assuming every missing button can be fixed by changing one Camera setting.
For Siri availability, see the Siri feature guide. Visual intelligence does not prove that every separately announced cross-app Siri action is available.
