Lengthy guides, dense news articles, endless product pages: those who read a lot online can quickly lose track of the main points. Apple Intelligence can condense an open webpage in Safari into its key messages in just a few seconds – without an additional app and without leaving the text. With iOS 27, the process for achieving this changes in one aspect, but the most important part remains the same.
The summary feature is part of Apple Intelligence and is integrated directly into Safari – on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Instead of reading a long article from cover to cover, a single tap is all it takes, and the system reduces the page to a compact overview. This requires an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone (iPhone 15 Pro or later), a compatible iPad, or a Mac with Apple Silicon, each with the latest system version and Apple Intelligence enabled. The website summary is available in Germany; an internet connection is only required for more complex requests that are not processed directly on the device.
This is how Safari summarizes an entire website
The most direct way is via the page settings in Safari. Here's how it works on the iPhone:
- Open Safari and load the page. Open Safari and go to the article or page you want to summarize – it doesn't matter if it's a news site, blog, or documentation.
- Access page settings. Tap the page settings button in the address bar (the menu icon to the left of the address).
- Select "Summarize". If Apple Intelligence is active, the "Summarize" entry will appear in the menu. A single tap is all it takes, and the system will create a concise overview of the most important points.
- Switch to Reader mode if needed. Using "Show Reader" in the same menu, you can also view the page without distractions – without ads or unnecessary graphics. "Hide Reader" returns you to the original view.
The summary appears in the language of the website: a German article is summarized in German, an English article in English.
Summarize on Mac and iPad
On a Mac, the process is almost identical: In Safari, click the menu icon in the address bar and select "Summarize"; clicking again returns you to the normal view. For some pages, Safari on a Mac also offers "Highlights," which, in addition to the summary, highlight other key information from the page. The process on the iPad is the same as on the iPhone.
To summarize only a section
If you don't want to condense the entire page, but only a specific section, there's a second method: If you select text on the website, you can choose the "Summarize" option using Apple Intelligence's writing tools. This allows you to selectively highlight the essential points of a single paragraph, a quote, or a longer excerpt.
With iOS 27, this changes: The existing writing tools are integrated into "Write with Siri." Instead of fixed buttons, Siri provides a description of what should happen to the selected text - for example, summarizing it. "Write with Siri" is not available on iPhones and iPads in the EU at the launch of iOS 27 because it is one of the new Siri features that Apple is temporarily withholding from these devices due to the Digital Markets Act. Users who want to summarize a page should continue to use Safari's native "Summarize" function, which remains unaffected. However, "Write with Siri" is available on Macs in the EU.
What summaries can do – and what to look out for
The summaries are intended as a quick reference, not as a replacement for the original source. Because Apple Intelligence relies on generative models, details may be shortened or nuances smoothed out - especially with numbers, dates, names, or legally relevant statements, it's worth consulting the full text. For data privacy, Apple Intelligence processes as much as possible directly on the device; more computationally intensive requests are routed through the Private Cloud Compute, whose contents are neither stored nor used for advertising. For everyday use - quickly assessing whether a long article is worth the reading time or grasping the key points of research - this feature is a practical tool, as long as you verify important facts against the original source.
Use Safari to navigate long texts faster
Website summaries are among the more subtle, yet most useful Apple Intelligence features: with a single tap, a long article is condensed to its essentials. Those who regularly research or study will noticeably save time. Apple Intelligence also uses the same principle to condense longer messages in the Mail app – both features aim to make content easier to grasp without losing any important information.
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Frequently Asked Questions: Summarizing websites with Apple Intelligence
This feature requires an Apple Intelligence-enabled device: iPhone 15 Pro and later, as well as iPhone 16 and iPhone 17 models, and compatible iPad and Mac models with Apple Silicon. A current system version and activated Apple Intelligence are also required.
Yes. Safari's native "Summarize" function is part of Apple Intelligence and is available in Germany. However, the method using selected text will become "Write with Siri" with iOS 27 and is therefore initially unavailable on iPhones and iPads in the EU – though it is available on Macs.
No. "Summarize" can be accessed directly via the page settings. Reader mode is optional and additionally hides ads and distracting elements, but it's not necessary for the summary itself.
In the language of the website: German text is summarized in German, English text in English. Apple Intelligence supports a number of languages in addition to German and English.
Apple Intelligence processes as much as possible directly on the device. More computationally intensive requests are routed through the private cloud Compute, the contents of which are neither stored nor used for advertising.
They are well-suited for a quick overview, but do not replace the original text. Since generative models are used, figures, dates, names, or important statements should be cross-checked against the full article.
Safari's native summary remains unchanged. Only the second method – summarizing selected text using the writing tools – is now integrated into "Write with Siri," where you describe in your own words what you want to happen to the text.
