Apple’s latest software updates may be having an unexpected consequence on some devices, it’s reported. When iOS 18.3.1, iPad 18.3.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.3.1 were released on Monday, Feb. 10, it seems there’s been a surprising result: previously disabled Apple Intelligence options have sprung back to life.
With the previous iPhone software release, iOS 18.3, Apple automatically turned Apple Intelligence on, but it was a straightforward move to disable this. However, you’d have expected it to stay disabled when a new update was installed, right?
Some devices (Macs, iPads or iPhones) have been displaying a Welcome screen after updating to the latest software, with Apple Intelligence being re-enabled, according to software developer Jeff Johnson.
“Some people who had previously disabled Apple Intelligence in macOS 15.3 and iOS 18.3 saw it re-enabled after updating to macOS 15.3.1 and iOS 18.3.1 today,” Johnson claimed.
“In fact I personally have two different Apple silicon Macs running macOS Sequoia, and after I updated both Macs to 15.3.1, Apple Intelligence was re-enabled on my MacBook Pro but not on my Mac mini. The difference in behavior appears to depend on whether the Setup Assistant and welcome screen is displayed after the update. On my MacBook Pro, but not my Mac mini, I saw the Setup Assistant,” Johnson went on.
It’s not clear at this point if this situation is widespread, especially on iPhones, and it seems most likely that it’s a bug, rather than a deliberate move by Apple to re-enable something you’ve deliberately turned off.
Johnson refers to this move as “user-hostile and annoying,” though it’s probably the case that the bug, as that’s surely what it is, will be quickly fixed.
And turning it off (again) is a simple action, with a couple of clicks in Settings on the iPhone or iPad, or in System Settings on the Mac—so I’d still recommend updating to the new software.
It hasn’t happened everywhere: MacRumors reports that a Mac turned Apple Intelligence back on, but two iPhones and an iPad did not.
More as we have it.
