Writing Tools is probably the most practical Apple Intelligence feature. Not flashy, not gimmicky—just genuinely useful for the kind of writing everyone does daily. Emails, messages, notes, documents. Stuff that needs to be clear but you don't want to spend forever perfecting.
Here's what makes it different from those browser extensions or separate apps: Writing Tools lives everywhere. System-wide. Every app with a text field gets access automatically, including third-party apps. You're never copying text to another tool, waiting for results, then pasting back. Just select text, tap Writing Tools, done.
I'll walk through exactly how to use each feature with actual examples from my daily use. No theoretical stuff—this is what works in practice.
Writing Tools requires iOS 18.1 (or later), iPadOS 18.1, or macOS 15.1 on compatible devices. That means iPhone 15 Pro or newer, any iPad with M1 chip or newer, or any Mac with Apple Silicon.
If you meet those requirements and don't see Writing Tools, verify your setup with our guide on how to enable Apple Intelligence in Settings.
Accessing Writing Tools
The activation method stays consistent across devices, with minor platform differences.
On iPhone and iPad
Select text by double-tapping a word, then dragging the handles to expand your selection. A menu pops up above the text with options like Copy, Paste, and others. Look for "Writing Tools"—if you don't see it immediately, tap the right arrow to scroll through more options.
Alternatively, after selecting text, the autocomplete bar above your keyboard might show Writing Tools shortcuts directly. This appears mainly when you've selected longer passages.
On Mac
Select text, then either right-click (or Control-click) and choose "Writing Tools" from the context menu, or look for the Writing Tools icon in the toolbar of apps like Notes and Mail. Some apps also respond to keyboard shortcuts, though these vary by application.
On iPhone, tapping the Writing Tools icon in the keyboard's top-right corner (when text is selected) is often faster than navigating the text selection menu. Once you build muscle memory for that icon's location, accessing features becomes almost automatic.
Proofread: Catching Errors You'd Miss
Proofread goes beyond basic spell-check. It catches grammar mistakes, awkward phrasing, misused words, and punctuation errors that your brain glosses over when self-editing. Select your text, open Writing Tools, tap Proofread. A glowing animation flows through the text while Apple Intelligence analyzes it.
Caught three different errors: "should of", "their were", and "they're".
How It Actually Works in Practice
The AI highlights each correction. Tap a highlighted section to see an explanation: why the change was made, what rule it applies, why the original phrasing was problematic. You can accept the change, reject it, or review all changes using navigation arrows at the bottom of the screen.
Rewrite: Finding Better Ways to Say Things
The Rewrite feature generates alternative versions of your text. Same meaning, different phrasing. Useful when you've written something that technically works but doesn't flow right, or when you want to see different ways to express the same idea.
Tone Options: Professional, Friendly, Concise
Instead of generic rewrites, you can specify tone. These options dramatically change how the AI rephrases your text:
- Professional: Formal language, removes casual phrases, structures sentences for business communication.
- Friendly: Warm, conversational tone. Adds personality while keeping meaning clear.
- Concise: Strips excess words, gets straight to the point. Great for cutting through rambling first drafts.
Summarize: Getting the Gist Quickly
Summarize condenses longer text into key points. Select a passage—works best with paragraphs or full documents rather than single sentences—and choose Summarize from Writing Tools.
4 Summary Formats
Summary: Single paragraph overview.
Key Points: Bulleted list of main ideas.
List: Converts text into a structured list.
Table: Organizes data into rows and columns.
Summaries miss nuance by design. If someone's tone or specific word choice matters (sarcasm, careful diplomatic language, emotional context), the summary strips that away. Don't use summaries for critical communications where details matter legally or emotionally.
Practical Workflows
Here's how I've integrated Writing Tools into daily workflows. These aren't theoretical—they're patterns that stuck after weeks of use.
Email Workflow
Draft email quickly without worrying about polish. Don't second-guess word choice or sentence structure—just get ideas down. Then run Professional tone on the entire message before sending.
Message Cleanup
Before sending long texts, I run Concise to see if I'm being unnecessarily wordy. Often cuts messages in half without losing meaning.
Making It a Habit
The features work well, but only if you remember to use them. Here's how to build the habit:
- Start with one feature: Pick Proofread for all your emails for a week.
- Create triggers: "Before sending any work email, run Professional tone."
- Notice patterns: You'll gravitate toward certain features and ignore others. That's fine.
Final Thoughts
Writing Tools isn't going to transform you into a professional writer overnight. What it does—and does well—is handle the annoying polish work that takes disproportionate time relative to value.
Catching typos, adjusting tone, condensing rambling drafts. Small stuff that matters but isn't the creative part of writing. Automating those tasks frees mental energy for actual thinking rather than mechanical editing. Give it a genuine try for a couple weeks. You'll probably find at least one or two features that stick.