Apple Intelligence is failing across devices, with users reporting that on-device features like Writing Tools and Visual Intelligence have vanished. Instead, they’re seeing the old Siri interface. The glitch has affected users running the latest developer betas of iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, macOS, and visionOS.
The root cause seems tied to a failed backend update from Apple. Apple Intelligence is designed to run locally, but regular updates still rely on Apple servers. If the server push malfunctions, users may lose access until the model downloads properly again.
According to AppleInsider, the issue began spreading early Thursday. So far, Apple hasn’t acknowledged the issue on its system status page, and there’s no dedicated section for Apple Intelligence to track service status.
Developer Beta Installs Seem Most Affected
The issue is widespread but may be confined to users on the latest developer beta builds. Posts from iPhone 16 Pro Max users running iOS 26 Developer Beta 1 describe Apple Intelligence disappearing post-install, despite having worked days prior. Reboots and standard troubleshooting have failed to resolve the issue.
Reddit users in the r/iOSBeta thread shared similar experiences, reporting issues with both iPhones and iPads. Comments confirm the same pattern: the feature was enabled, then vanished without notice. In some cases, users left devices charging overnight and woke to find Apple Intelligence disabled.
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Reports on the issue were first discussed in a Reddit thread titled “[iOS 26 DB1] Apple Intelligence uninstalled automatically on iPhone 16 Pro Max” and further confirmed on the Apple Developer Forums. Federico Viticci of MacStories also highlighted the issue on Mastodon, linking to both sources. As of now, Apple’s system status page lists no related outages, and there’s no official statement from the company.
The disruption highlights a significant flaw in the hybrid update model of Apple Intelligence. Even though features are designed to operate locally, their reliance on Apple’s servers for routine updates makes them vulnerable to backend errors. Apple will likely patch the problem soon, but for now, beta users are stuck with outdated interfaces and missing features.