Concerns Arise Over Apple Intelligence Feature Re-Enabling
Recent reports indicate that after Apple’s latest software updates, some users are finding that the Apple Intelligence features have been silently reactivated despite their previous decision to disable them.
On a related note, Apple rolled out macOS Sequoia 15.3.1 and iOS/iPadOS 18.3.1 on Monday, which include critical security enhancements deemed necessary for all users. Shortly after these updates were released, software engineer Will Dormann compiled various complaints from users regarding this unexpected behavior. Notably, devices displaying a Welcome screen following the update appear to be particularly prone to having the Apple Intelligence feature turned back on automatically.
Testing Reveals Inconsistent Behavior Across Devices
MacRumors conducted tests confirming these user reports on specific devices. Our examination involved an M4 Pro Mac mini, as well as iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro models alongside an M4 iPad Pro—all of which had the Apple Intelligence feature disabled in prior versions (iOS/iPadOS 18.3 and macOS 15.3). The results highlighted that while both the iPhones and iPad retained their settings after updating to iOS/iPadOS 18.3.1, the Mac mini’s setting reverted automatically after it upgraded.
The presence of a Welcome screen indicating the new features appears to be pivotal in this transition back to enabling default settings—a situation we encountered specifically with our M4 Pro Mac mini post-update but not present on either of the mobile devices or tablet.
The Impact of Forced Activation
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This automatic reactivation raises significant questions surrounding user autonomy—especially since enabling Apple Intelligence can consume up to 7GB of storage space per device due to its requirement for downloading and sustaining local AI models aimed at privacy-centric processing solutions by Apple.
In a controversial move within macOS Sequoia version 15.3 as well as in iOS/iPadOS version 18.3, Apple’s strategy switched from an opt-in model for Apple Intelligence features to making them opt-out instead; hence they enable automatically unless otherwise managed by users themselves.
User Recommendations Post-Update
If you wish to keep your device free from Apple’s AI functionalities following these recent updates, it’s recommended that you double-check your options immediately afterward:
- For iPhone or iPad: Navigate through Settings → Apple Intelligence & Siri and ensure that toggling is set off.
- For Mac Users:: Access System Settings → Apple Intelligence & Siri for verification purposes.
If you’ve recently updated your device(s) with either macOS Sequoia version 15.3 or iSO/iPADOS version 18.3**, feel free to share your experiences in the comments section below—we would love your insights!
