With iOS 27, Visual Intelligence gets its biggest update yet. Apple moves the feature into the Camera app, closely ties it to the new Siri AI, and equips it with a range of additional capabilities. At the same time, Visual Intelligence comes to iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro for the first time – though with one important restriction for the EU.
Visual Intelligence lets AI analyze the camera view or an image on your screen – from identifying a plant to translating a sign. In iOS 27, Apple significantly expands the feature and ties it to the new Siri AI, which won't initially launch on iPhone and iPad in the EU. This overview sums up what exactly changes, which new actions are added, and what matters when it comes to the requirements.
Visual Intelligence Moves Into the Camera App
In iOS 27, Visual Intelligence has moved into the Camera app. Access works through a new Siri Mode that sits alongside the familiar modes like Photo and Video. Swipe to it, take a photo, and Siri sees what you see. After a swipe down, Siri provides details about the captured subject, and follow-up questions are possible right away.
Siri Mode replaces Camera Control as the primary way to reach Visual Intelligence. The previous access via a long press of the Camera Control button remains available. Depending on the subject, Siri Mode suggests relevant actions: for a plant, Siri offers to identify it; for a plate of food, Siri provides nutritional information.
Siri AI Instead of ChatGPT
In iOS 27, Visual Intelligence is connected to Siri AI and can answer questions about the object you're looking at directly. Complex queries were previously handed off to ChatGPT – that's no longer necessary. The fundamentally overhauled Siri generation in iOS 27 handles much of that itself and also pulls information from the web for its answers. Technically, it builds on Apple's third-generation Foundation Models, which give the AI the language and image understanding it needs.
New Features in iOS 27
iOS 27 adds several new actions:
- Nutritional Insights: A photo of a meal or a food item is enough to assess its nutritional value. Siri doesn't give specific calorie counts, but it indicates whether something is nutritious and what's good or bad about it.
- Bill Splitting (U.S. only): From a photo of a restaurant bill, you can break out your own share and pay it via Apple Cash – or calculate and request what each person owes.
- Import Multiple Events: From a schedule or a list, you can import several entries at once into Calendar or Reminders.
- Import Contacts: A photo of a business card becomes a contact.
- Wallet Passes: A photographed barcode from a membership or pass becomes a pass in Wallet.
The bigger leap comes from Siri's web connection. This makes it possible to turn care instructions on laundry labels into clear directions, look up products and find reviews, identify unfamiliar devices or cables and explain what they're for, scale recipes, check ingredient lists for allergens, convert messy notes into text, decipher confusing parking signs, get plant care tips, or solve math problems on a worksheet.
What Visual Intelligence Can Still Do
Many capabilities were already available in earlier iOS versions, and they remain in place. These include identifying plants, animals, insects, landmarks, artworks, sculptures, or books. Events can be added to Calendar from a poster or flyer, and Visual Intelligence finds similar images via Google Image Search. Captured items can be searched in apps like Etsy, Amazon, or Anthropologie, the feature provides details such as opening hours for a business in front of you, and text can be translated, summarized, and read aloud.
History in the Siri App
All of your Visual Intelligence requests to Siri end up in the Siri app and can be revisited later. How long the conversations are kept is adjustable: one month, one year, or indefinitely.
Using It on iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro
Apple has expanded Visual Intelligence beyond the iPhone to iPadOS 27, macOS Golden Gate, and visionOS 27. On the Mac, the Command-Shift-Space keyboard shortcut is enough; you can then select an area of the screen to ask a question about. This requires a Mac with Apple silicon – fitting, since macOS 27 is the first Mac version exclusively for Apple silicon Macs. On the iPad, you open Visual Intelligence via a screenshot or by swiping up from the lower-left corner with the Apple Pencil. On Vision Pro, simply looking at an object is enough, including physical things around you.
Requirements and the EU Restriction
On the iPhone, Visual Intelligence in iOS 27 requires an iPhone 15 Pro or newer. On the Mac, an Apple silicon chip is needed, and on the iPad, an Apple silicon chip or the iPad mini with A17 Pro.
One important restriction applies in the EU: because the expanded Visual Intelligence and the Siri Mode in the camera are part of the new Siri AI features, they won't be available on iPhone and iPad in the European Union at the launch of iOS 27. Apple points to the requirements of the Digital Markets Act, which holds back Siri AI on iPhone and iPad. On the Mac and Vision Pro, however, Siri AI does come to the EU, so the expanded feature set can be used there. The Visual Intelligence basics that were already available are not affected by this restriction.
Visual Intelligence in iOS 27 – Key Points at a Glance
In iOS 27, Visual Intelligence grows from a handy extra into a central AI tool: firmly anchored in the Camera app, closely tied to Siri AI, and expanded with actions ranging from nutritional assessments to business card imports. It's now available on iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro as well. In the EU, though, the expanded part remains unavailable on iPhone and iPad at launch, while Mac and Vision Pro benefit in full.
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Frequently Asked Questions: Visual Intelligence in iOS 27
Through the new Siri Mode in the Camera app. Swipe into that mode, take a photo, and Siri analyzes the subject. Alternatively, access via a long press of the Camera Control button remains available.
The feature now sits in the Camera app, is connected to Siri AI, and answers questions directly with web knowledge – without going through ChatGPT. New additions include Nutritional Insights, Bill Splitting (U.S. only), importing multiple events, importing contacts from business cards, and creating Wallet passes.
An iPhone 15 Pro or newer is required.
Yes. On the Mac (Apple silicon) via Command-Shift-Space with selection of a screen area, on the iPad (Apple silicon or iPad mini with A17 Pro) via a screenshot or an Apple Pencil swipe from the lower left, and on Vision Pro simply by looking at an object.
The expanded Visual Intelligence and the Siri Mode in the camera are part of the Siri AI features and won't be available on iPhone and iPad in the EU at launch. On Mac and Vision Pro, the full scope is available, and the existing basic functions remain usable on all devices.
No. For food items, there are no specific calorie values, but rather an assessment of whether something is nutritious and what's good or bad about it.
Yes, they end up in the Siri app and can be revisited later. Retention can be set to one month, one year, or indefinitely.
