October DealsAmazon USOctober deal check: compare before you payAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsClean PCRecommendedOne scan can reveal what keeps slowing WindowsLook for cleanup and repair opportunities.Run ScanOctober DealsAmazon USDeal season is back - check today's better picksAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.See Picks×
Skip to content
Cupertino desk4 min

How to Use Visual Intelligence on iPhone—and What Mac Users Can Do

Use Visual Intelligence on iPhone to look up the world around you or work with a screenshot. Here’s how both workflows differ, plus current iPhone and Mac availability.
Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Apple’s documented Visual Intelligence workflows run on iPhone, not Mac: use the camera to understand something in front of you, or take a screenshot to work with content already on your screen. Compatible Macs support other Apple Intelligence features, but Apple’s current Mac availability information does not document Visual Intelligence as a Mac feature.

What Visual Intelligence does

Visual Intelligence uses images as the starting point for actions and information. With the iPhone camera, it can help you search for similar items, look up a business, identify a plant or animal, interact with text, or create a calendar event. Depending on the business, its results may include details such as hours, menus, services, reservations, or delivery options. Apple’s iPhone guide to Visual Intelligence describes the camera-based workflow.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

For material already displayed on your phone, take a screenshot and choose one of the tools made available for that image. Those tools can include visual search, asking a question about the image, opening a relevant website, summarizing or reading text aloud, identifying plants or animals, and creating a calendar event from a flyer or invitation. The available actions vary with the screenshot. Apple’s guide to using Visual Intelligence with onscreen content covers this workflow.

What’s actually slowing this PC down?

Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Camera view or screenshot: which should you use?

Workflow What it uses How you start Best suited to
Camera-based Visual Intelligence A live view of something around you Open Visual Intelligence using a supported control Looking up a real-world object, business, plant, animal, or text
Visual Intelligence for onscreen content A screenshot of what is currently on your iPhone Press the side button and volume-up button to take a screenshot, then select an available tool Searching, asking about, summarizing, or acting on content displayed on the phone

How do I use Visual Intelligence on iPhone?

Point the camera at something

  1. Open Visual Intelligence using Camera Control, a customized Action button, a Lock Screen control, or Control Center, where available.
  2. Point the iPhone camera at the subject you want to understand.
  3. Choose an available action, such as visual search, business information, text interaction, or identification. The options depend on what the camera sees.

If your iPhone does not have Camera Control, Apple lists the Action button, Lock Screen, and Control Center as alternate entry points on supported models. Apple’s camera workflow instructions list these options.

#1 Best Overall
Apple iPhone 14, 128GB, Midnight - Unlocked (Renewed)
  • This phone is unlocked and compatible with any carrier of choice on GSM and CDMA networks (e.g. AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, US Cellular, Cricket, Metro, Tracfone, Mint Mobile, etc.).
  • Please check with your carrier to verify compatibility.
  • The device does not come with headphones or a SIM card. It does include a generic (Mfi certified) charging cable.
  • Tested for battery health and guaranteed to have a minimum battery capacity of 80%.

Work with something already on your screen

  1. Display the image, flyer, text, or other content you want to use.
  2. Press the side button and volume-up button together to take a screenshot.
  3. Choose an available Visual Intelligence tool for the screenshot. Depending on its content, you may be able to search for an object, ask a question, open a related website, summarize or listen to text, identify a plant or animal, or create a calendar event.

For a flyer or invitation, the calendar option can turn the event details in the screenshot into a calendar event. For other screenshots, the available actions may differ. See Apple’s instructions for onscreen Visual Intelligence.

Can Visual Intelligence identify a plant or translate text?

Apple documents identifying plants and animals, as well as interacting with text, as possible camera-based actions. Its onscreen workflow can also identify plants or animals in a screenshot and offer text actions such as summarizing or reading text aloud. The available tools depend on the image and the actions shown for it; the reviewed guides do not establish that every text interaction is a translation feature.

Rank #2
Sale
Apple iPhone 16, 128GB, Pink - Unlocked (Renewed)
  • 6.1" Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1000nits (typ), 2000nits (HBM), 2556x1179px at 460ppi, 3561mAh Battery
  • 128GB 8GB RAM, Apple A18 (3nm), Hexa-core (2x4.04 GHz + 4x2.20 GHz), Apple GPU 5-core, 16‑core Neural Engine
  • Rear camera: 48MP, f/1.6, wide + 12MP, f/2.2, ultrawide, Front Camera: 12MP, f/1.9, wide, iOS 18, upgradable to iOS 18.5
  • 4G LTE: 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/14/17/18/19/20/25/26/28/29/30/32/34/38/39/40/41/42/48/53/66/71, 5G: n1/2/3/5/7/8/12/14/20/25/26/28/29/30/38/40/41/48/53/66/70/71/75/76/77/78/79 - Dual eSIM
  • Unlocked for freedom to choose your carrier. Compatible with both GSM & CDMA networks. The phone is unlocked to work with all GSM Carriers & CDMA Carriers Including AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint., Etc.

Can I use Visual Intelligence on my Mac?

Apple documents Visual Intelligence for the iPhone camera and iPhone screenshots. Its current system requirements page discusses Apple Intelligence on Mac, but does not identify a Mac Visual Intelligence workflow. So a compatible Mac may support other Apple Intelligence capabilities, but you should not expect to follow the iPhone Visual Intelligence steps on macOS. Apple’s current Apple Intelligence requirements and availability page is the place to check the broader Mac feature list.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Which iPhones support Visual Intelligence?

Apple’s current guide says Apple Intelligence on iOS 27 or later is available on an enabled iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or iPhone 16 model or later. Eligibility and feature availability also depend on software, language, and region. Check Apple’s live system requirements for the current supported-device and availability details, and update iOS if needed. The entry controls can differ by model: Camera Control is one route, while supported models without it can use the Action button, Lock Screen, or Control Center.

Rank #3
Apple iPhone 15, 128GB, Black - Unlocked (Renewed)
  • 6.1inch Super Retina XDR display. Aluminum with color-infused glass back. Ring/Silent switch
  • Dynamic Island. A magical way to interact with iPhone. A16 Bionic chip with 5-core GPU
  • Advanced dual-camera system. 48MP Main | Ultra Wide. Super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP). Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control. 4X optical zoom range
  • Emergency SOS via satellite. Crash Detection. Roadside Assistance via satellite
  • Up to 26 hours video playback. USB C, Supports USB 2. Face ID
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

Privacy, optional tools, and accuracy

Apple says visual image search is subject to the search provider’s terms of use and privacy policies. If you want to ask ChatGPT about an object, the ChatGPT extension is optional and must be enabled first. Apple also cautions that generated outputs can vary and should be checked for accuracy. Apple’s Visual Intelligence guide describes these conditions.

Some Apple Intelligence features that use Apple servers have daily usage limits. Apple says limits can vary with request complexity, system demand, and other factors; availability should not be assumed to be unlimited or uniform. Check Apple’s current requirements page for service availability.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1
Apple iPhone 14, 128GB, Midnight - Unlocked (Renewed)
Apple iPhone 14, 128GB, Midnight - Unlocked (Renewed)
Please check with your carrier to verify compatibility.; Tested for battery health and guaranteed to have a minimum battery capacity of 80%.
$300.00
Bestseller No. 3
Apple iPhone 15, 128GB, Black - Unlocked (Renewed)
Apple iPhone 15, 128GB, Black - Unlocked (Renewed)
Dynamic Island. A magical way to interact with iPhone. A16 Bionic chip with 5-core GPU; Emergency SOS via satellite. Crash Detection. Roadside Assistance via satellite
$409.00
Bestseller No. 4
Apple iPhone 13, 128GB, Midnight - Unlocked (Renewed)
Apple iPhone 13, 128GB, Midnight - Unlocked (Renewed)
There will be no visible cosmetic imperfections when held at an arm’s length.; Product may come in generic Box.
$262.00
Best Value
Apple iPhone 16e, 128GB, Black - Unlocked (Renewed)
  • 6.1" Super Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak), 2532x1170px at 460ppi, 4005mAh Battery
  • 8GB RAM, Apple A18 6-core CPU (2 performance + 4 efficiency cores), Apple GPU 4-core, 16‑core Neural Engine
  • Rear camera: 48MP, f/1.6, wide, Front Camera: 12MP, f/1.9, wide, iOS 18.3.1, upgradable to iOS 18.5
  • Connectivity: Global 4G LTE, Sub-6 GHz 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, USB-C, Wireless Charging (7.5W). (does not have mmWave 5G or MagSafe or physical SIM card) - Dual eSIM Only
  • Unlocked for freedom to choose your carrier. Compatible with both GSM & CDMA networks. The phone is unlocked to work with all GSM Carriers & CDMA Carriers Including AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Straight Talk., Etc.
Rank #4
Apple iPhone 13, 128GB, Midnight - Unlocked (Renewed)
  • This pre-owned product is not Apple certified, but has been professionally inspected, tested and cleaned by Amazon-qualified suppliers.
  • There will be no visible cosmetic imperfections when held at an arm’s length.
  • This product is eligible for a replacement or refund within 90 days of receipt if you are not satisfied.
  • Product may come in generic Box.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

More from the Wire

  1. World desk4 min
    How to Spot an AI Voice Scam Before Sending MoneyDon’t rely on how a caller sounds. Pause, call back through a known number, and verify the emergency with another trusted person before sending money.
  2. Mountain View desk4 min
    Google’s SynthID Detector: How to Check AI-Generated Images, Video and AudioGoogle’s SynthID Detector looks for an embedded watermark in supported images, video and audio. Here is what its results do—and do not—show.
  3. Redmond desk20 min
    How to create a link to File or Folder in Windows 11Windows 11 gives you several ways to point to a file or folder without moving or duplicating it. You can create a desktop shortcut,…
Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?Free driver scan
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They SpreadFree repair scan

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.