Apple’s latest iPhone 17 lineup is being hit with early issues related to its Apple Intelligence features. According to reports, some users who attempt to set up the new iPhones with Apple Intelligence enabled are running into repeated failures. The problem prevents the device from completing setup, forcing users to try again or restore their phones before continuing.
Apple Intelligence is Apple’s on-device and cloud-based AI system that powers features like text rewriting, summarization, image generation, and natural language assistance. It is a one of the selling points of iPhone 17, and Apple has been emphasizing its integration with iOS 26. However, with setup failures tied directly to Apple Intelligence, affected buyers are unable to properly use their new devices without disabling the feature first.
Apple has acknowledged the issue in an internal memo and is reportedly working on a fix. For now, the company advises users to complete the iPhone 17 setup without enabling Apple Intelligence, and then activate it later through Settings. While inconvenient, this workaround ensures that new owners can at least begin using their phones while Apple prepares an update.
This is not the first time Apple has faced launch-related software problems. Past iPhone rollouts have also seen activation bugs, iCloud restore issues, and software glitches that required rapid patches. The difference this year is the centrality of Apple Intelligence to Apple’s marketing and product positioning, which makes the bug stand out more prominently.
The iPhone 17 lineup, which includes the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max, was launched with iOS 26 preinstalled. Apple Intelligence is supported only on these models and select iPads and Macs with M-series chips. Because of this, setup stability is crucial for the first wave of adopters eager to test the new AI capabilities.
Apple has not confirmed when a fix will be rolled out, but given the scale of the problem, it is expected that a software update will arrive soon. Apple is currently beta testing iOS 26.1 which may include a fix. Until then, users setting up a new iPhone 17 are encouraged to leave Apple Intelligence disabled during the process and turn it on after setup is complete.
via MacRumors
