iOS 27 removes the master Apple Intelligence toggle that existed in earlier versions of iOS, meaning there is no single switch to turn off all AI features at once. That change has frustrated a number of beta testers, and demand for a workaround has been growing.
What you can still do is disable individual Apple Intelligence features one by one, and this tutorial covers every option currently available in iOS 27 Developer Beta 2. You will need an iPhone running iOS 27 beta to follow these steps.
Why the master Apple Intelligence toggle is gone
In iOS 26 and earlier, a single toggle in Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri allowed users to disable Apple Intelligence completely, removing its on-device models and freeing up storage space. That option no longer exists in iOS 27.
Apple has integrated Apple Intelligence much more deeply into the operating system, effectively merging it with Siri at the system level. As a result, there is no longer a master switch that removes all AI features at once. Disabling Siri now turns off Siri itself, but other Apple Intelligence features such as Write with Siri, Image Playground, and some Visual Intelligence functions can still remain available.
While Apple no longer offers a way to disable Apple Intelligence entirely, individual features can still be turned off. The sections below cover all currently available options, including Screen Time restrictions that can be used to limit AI features on shared or child devices.
How to turn off Apple Intelligence features in iOS 27, one by one
Turn Off Mail Message Summaries
- Open Settings.
- Scroll down and tap Mail.
- Turn off Summarize Message Previews.
This stops Apple Intelligence from generating email summaries in your inbox preview.
Turn Off Messages Summaries
- Open Settings.
- Tap Messages.
- Turn off Summarize Messages.
This prevents AI-generated conversation summaries from appearing at the top of message threads.
Prevent Siri From Sending Requests to ChatGPT
- Open Settings.
- Tap on Apple Intelligence & Siri.
- Scroll down and tap ChatGPT under the Extensions section
- Toggle off Use ChatGPT.
This keeps your requests within Apple’s own systems instead of sending them to ChatGPT.
Turn Off Type to Siri
- Open Settings.
- Tap Apple Intelligence & Siri.
- Tap Talk & Type to Siri.
- Turn off Type to Siri.
This removes the ability to type requests to Siri instead of speaking them.
Disable Highlight to Image Search
- Open Settings.
- Tap Apple Intelligence & Siri.
- Tap Visual Intelligence.
- Confirm that Highlight to Image Search is turned off.
This feature is disabled by default in iOS 27 beta 2. Apple notes that enabling it can send images to third parties when searching for similar content.
Reconfigure Action Button
If your iPhone supports the Action button and you have configured it to launch Visual Intelligence, open Settings > Action Button and select a different action.
This does not disable Visual Intelligence entirely, but it prevents it from launching when you press the Action button.
Delete Image Playground
- Press and hold the Image Playground app icon.
- Tap Remove App.
- Tap Delete App to confirm.
Since Image Playground is now a standalone app, it can be removed like any other app.
Restrict Writing Tools Through Screen Time
- Open Settings.
- Tap Screen Time.
- Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.
- Tap Intelligence & Siri.
- Tap Writing Tools.
- Select Don’t Allow.
This blocks access to Write with Siri and related AI writing features throughout iOS.
Restrict Image Creation Features Through Screen Time
- Open Settings.
- Tap Screen Time.
- Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.
- Tap Intelligence & Siri.
- Tap Image Creation.
- Select Don’t Allow.
Regional restrictions also factor in for some users. Siri AI will not be available in the EU at launch, and availability in China will be delayed while Apple works through regulatory requirements, so users in those regions may have fewer AI features to manage from the start. For anyone administering a child’s device, the Screen Time path is the most comprehensive option for turning off Apple Intelligence features, covering both Writing Tools and image creation under a single parental controls location.
Apple has a public beta planned for July and the full iOS 27 release expected in September alongside new iPhones. Some beta testers are hoping the master toggle returns in a later build, but given how deeply Siri AI is integrated into the OS architecture, the individual controls above are likely the realistic set of options going forward.
