Use visual intelligence on iPhone
On all iPhone 16 models, you can use visual intelligence to quickly learn more about the places and objects around you. With supported iPhone 16 models, just click and hold the Camera Control (shown below) to do things like look up details about a restaurant or business; have text translated, summarized, or read aloud; identify plants and animals; and more. Visual intelligence is also available on iPhone 16e by customizing the Action button or Lock Screen, or opening Control Center. See Use visual intelligence on iPhone 16e.

Note: Visual intelligence is available in iOS 18.2 or later on iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max, and iOS 18.3 or later on iPhone 16e. Apple Intelligence must be on to use visual intelligence. Apple Intelligence is not available on iPhone and iPad if you’re in the EU and if your Apple Account country or region is also in the EU. To check whether Apple Intelligence is available for your device and language, see the Apple Support article Apple Intelligence requirements.
Use visual intelligence on iPhone 16e
You can choose any of the following options to activate visual intelligence on iPhone 16e:
Action button: Customize the Action button on the left side of your iPhone 16e to use visual intelligence. See Use visual intelligence with the Action button.
Lock Screen: Add a visual intelligence control to the bottom of your Lock Screen to use visual intelligence. See Change the controls at the bottom of the Lock Screen.
Control Center: Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen to open Control Center, then tap
to use visual intelligence.
Get information about a place
You can use visual intelligence to get details about a business in front of you, such as hours of operation, available services, and contact information. Depending on the business, you can also view reviews and ratings, make a reservation, or place an order for delivery. (Available in the U.S. only.)
Click and hold the Camera Control on supported models, or use other available options on iPhone 16e.
Point your iPhone camera at the business in front of you.
Click the Camera Control again or tap the name of the business at the top of the screen, then depending on the business, do any of the following:
View the hours of operation: Tap Schedule.
Place an order for delivery: Tap Order.
View the menu or services offered: Tap Menu.
Make a reservation: Tap Reserve.
Call the business, view its website, and more: Tap
.
Tap
or swipe up from the bottom of the screen to close visual intelligence.
Get information about animals and plants
You can use visual intelligence to identify animals and plants.
Click and hold the Camera Control on supported models, or use other available options on iPhone 16e.
Point your iPhone camera at an animal or plant in front of you.
Tap the result at the top of the screen.
Tap
to close the results, then swipe up from the bottom of the screen to close visual intelligence.
Interact with text
You can use visual intelligence to interact with text around you in a variety of ways. For example, you can have visual intelligence summarize and translate text or read it aloud. Visual intelligence can also identify contact information in text such as phone numbers and email addresses, websites, and take action depending on the type of text.
Click and hold the Camera Control on supported models, or use other available options on iPhone 16e.
Point your iPhone camera at text in front of you.
Click the Camera Control again or tap the circle at the bottom of the screen to analyze the text.
Depending on the text, do any of the following:
Read a short summary of the text: Tap Summarize at the bottom of the screen.
Translate text: Tap Translate at the bottom of the screen.
Hear the text read aloud: Tap Read Aloud at the bottom of the screen.
Call a phone number, start an email, create a calendar event, or go to a website: Tap the phone number, email address, date, or website at the bottom of the screen. Tap
to see all of the available options.
Tap
to close the text results, then swipe up from the bottom of the screen to close visual intelligence.
Create a calendar event from details on a poster or flyer
You can use visual intelligence to create an event in the Calendar app when you see an event on a poster or flyer.
Click and hold the Camera Control on supported models, or use other available options on iPhone 16e.
Point your iPhone camera at a poster or flyer that contains a date in the future.
Tap Create Event at the top of the screen, then tap Schedule.
To make changes to the event details, tap Edit, make changes, then tap Add.
The event is automatically added to your Calendar app.
Tap
to close the event details, then swipe up from the bottom of the screen to close visual intelligence.
Ask ChatGPT for information
You can use visual intelligence to ask ChatGPT** for information about things around you.
Note: You have the option to use a ChatGPT account within this feature. See Use ChatGPT with Apple Intelligence.
Click and hold the Camera Control on supported models, or use other available options on iPhone 16e.
Point your iPhone camera at an object in front of you.
Tap
to ask ChatGPT about the object.
After you tap
, you can type or dictate a follow-up question in the text field at the bottom of the screen.
Tap
to close the ChatGPT results, then swipe up from the bottom of the screen to close visual intelligence.
Search Google for similar items
You can use visual intelligence to search Google for items similar to those around you.
Click and hold the Camera Control on supported models, or use other available options on iPhone 16e.
Point your iPhone camera at an object in front of you.
Tap
to search Google for similar images.
Tap
to close Google results, then swipe up from the bottom of the screen to close visual intelligence.
Note: Subject to Google’s terms of use and data privacy policies.