Enable Apple Intelligence on Older iPhones
Get Apple's AI features on unsupported iPhones using Nugget's AI Enabler.
⚠️ Important Limitations
- iOS Version: Only works on iOS 18.1 - 18.1.1
- Not available on iOS 18.2+ due to exploit patches
- Performance may vary on older devices with less RAM
- Some features may not work properly on unsupported hardware
What is Apple Intelligence?
Apple Intelligence is Apple's suite of AI-powered features introduced in iOS 18.1. It includes:
- •Writing Tools: Proofread, rewrite, and summarize text across apps
- •Smart Replies: AI-suggested responses in Messages and Mail
- •Notification Summaries: AI-condensed notifications
- •Clean Up in Photos: AI-powered object removal
- •Siri Improvements: More natural language understanding
Officially Supported Devices
Apple officially supports Apple Intelligence only on:
iPhones
- iPhone 15 Pro / Pro Max
- iPhone 16 / 16 Plus
- iPhone 16 Pro / Pro Max
iPads & Macs
- iPads with M1 chip or later
- Macs with M1 chip or later
With Nugget, you can enable Apple Intelligence on devices that aren't officially supported, like iPhone 12, 13, and 14 series.
Requirements
- ✓iOS Version: 18.1 or 18.1.1 (NOT 18.2 or later)
- ✓Device: iPhone with A12 chip or later (iPhone XS and newer)
- ✓Storage: At least 4GB free for AI models
- ✓Language: Device set to supported language (English US recommended)
- ✓Siri: Siri must be enabled
Step-by-Step Guide
Verify iOS Version
Go to Settings → General → About and confirm you're on iOS 18.1 or 18.1.1. If you're on 18.2 or later, AI Enabler won't work.
Set Up Prerequisites
Before enabling AI features:
- Set device language to English (US)
- Set Siri language to English (US)
- Enable Siri in Settings → Siri & Search
- Sign in to iCloud
Open AI Enabler in Nugget
Connect your device to Nugget and navigate to the "AI Enabler" or "Apple Intelligence" section.
Enable Apple Intelligence
Toggle on the Apple Intelligence option. This modifies eligibility flags to make your device appear compatible.
Apply and Wait
Click Apply. After your device resprings, go to Settings → Apple Intelligence & Siri to complete setup.
Join Waitlist & Download
You'll need to join the Apple Intelligence waitlist in Settings. Once approved (usually instant), the AI models will download (requires Wi-Fi).
What Works
✓ Usually Works Well
- Writing Tools (rewrite, proofread)
- Notification Summaries
- Mail summaries and smart replies
- Messages summaries
- Basic Siri improvements
⚠ May Have Issues
- Image Playground (may be slow)
- Genmoji (varies by device)
- Clean Up in Photos (memory intensive)
- Advanced Siri features
Performance Expectations
Apple Intelligence performance varies by device:
iPhone 14 Series
Best experience on unsupported devices. 6GB RAM handles most features well. Minor slowdowns on intensive tasks.
iPhone 13 Series
Good experience overall. Base models (4GB RAM) may struggle with image generation. Pro models (6GB) perform better.
iPhone 12 Series
Basic features work. Text-based AI features are fine. Image features may be slow or unavailable due to 4GB RAM limit.
iPhone XS/11 Series
Limited functionality. Some features may not work at all. Expect frequent app crashes during AI tasks.
Troubleshooting
Apple Intelligence Not Appearing in Settings
- Make sure you're on iOS 18.1 or 18.1.1
- Verify device language is English (US)
- Ensure Siri is enabled
- Try reapplying the setting in Nugget
Stuck on Waitlist
If approval takes more than a few minutes, try toggling the setting off and on in Nugget, then reapply.
Features Crashing
Your device may not have enough RAM for certain features. Try closing other apps before using AI features, or stick to text-based features.
AI Models Not Downloading
Ensure you're on Wi-Fi with at least 4GB free storage. The download happens in the background and may take 15-30 minutes.
Reverting Changes
To disable Apple Intelligence:
- Go to Settings → Apple Intelligence & Siri
- Toggle off Apple Intelligence
- Optionally, use Nugget to disable the AI Enabler setting