How to Use Visual Intelligence on iPhone

Point your iPhone camera at anything and get instant answers — restaurants, plants, products, signs. A plain-language guide to Apple Visual Intelligence.

5 min read · 7 steps · Checked May 2026

1. Step 1. Make sure Apple Intelligence is turned on

   Open the Settings app. Tap "Apple Intelligence & Siri." If the toggle at the top is off, tap it on. Your iPhone will download the AI models — this takes 5 to 30 minutes depending on your Wi-Fi. While it downloads, you can keep using your phone normally. Once it finishes, you will see a green checkmark next to "Apple Intelligence is ready."

   Warning

   Apple Intelligence requires iPhone 15 Pro or any iPhone 16/17 model. If you have an iPhone 14 or older, this feature does not work and there is no workaround.

2. Step 2. Press and hold the Camera Control button

   On iPhone 16 and 17 models, the Camera Control button is on the lower-right edge of the phone (when you are holding it upright). Press and hold this button for about a second. The screen will dim and a viewfinder will appear. You are now in Visual Intelligence mode. Point your camera at any object. If you have an older iPhone with Apple Intelligence (15 Pro, 15 Pro Max), you can set the Action Button (left side, above the volume buttons) to launch Visual Intelligence in SettingsAction ButtonVisual Intelligence.

   Quick Tip

   Quick Tip: From the Lock Screen, you can also launch Visual Intelligence by holding the Camera Control button — no need to unlock the phone first.

3. Step 3. Try it on a restaurant or store front

   Point your camera at the front of any business — a restaurant, coffee shop, store. Visual Intelligence automatically identifies the place and shows three buttons at the bottom: hours, menu (for restaurants), and reviews. Tap any button. Tap the address to open it in Apple Maps. Tap the phone number to call. This works for nearly every U.S. business listed in Apple Maps.

4. Step 4. Identify plants, animals, and food

   Point your camera at any plant, flower, dog, bird, or piece of food. Tap the green "Search" button at the bottom of the screen — this sends the image to Google Search and brings back what the object is, similar items, and care information (for plants) or breed info (for dogs). For unfamiliar food, it shows recipes. Visual Intelligence is especially good with plants. It will tell you a common name, scientific name, watering needs, and whether it is toxic to pets.

   Quick Tip

   Quick Tip: For wild birds, try to capture a clear side view. Visual Intelligence cross-references the Cornell Lab of Ornithology database and is usually accurate on common North American species.

5. Step 5. Translate signs and printed text in real time

   Point your camera at any printed text in a language you do not read — a restaurant menu in Spanish, a sign in French. Tap the white "Ask" button (which looks like a chat bubble) and type "Translate this" or "What does this say in English?" The text translates instantly. You can also ask "Summarize this menu" or "What are the gluten-free options?" — Visual Intelligence reads the menu and answers.

6. Step 6. Compare prices on a product

   See something at a store and wonder if you can get it cheaper online? Point your camera at the product. Tap "Search." Visual Intelligence pulls up the same item on Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Best Buy with current prices. Tap a result to open the store's website. This is one of the most useful everyday features — many users have saved 20% to 40% on big purchases by comparing in-store prices to online prices in 5 seconds.

   Warning

   The price comparison is best for branded products with a clear label. For generic items (a no-name lamp at a thrift store), results are less accurate.

7. Step 7. Privacy: what gets sent and what stays on your phone

   Apple processes most Visual Intelligence requests on your iPhone itself, so photos do not leave your device. Two specific actions DO send your image to a third-party server: tapping "Search" (sends to Google) or tapping "Ask" (sends to ChatGPT or to Apple's Private Cloud Compute servers). In both cases, Apple anonymizes the request — Google and OpenAI do not see your name, location, or Apple ID. If you would rather not send any image off your phone, just close Visual Intelligence without tapping Search or Ask. The free identification (plants, animals, businesses) is done entirely on-device.