How to turn off and restrict Apple Intelligence features on Mac

Apple's Mac help documentation sets out how to turn off individual Apple Intelligence features and how to restrict access to them, for the account holder or for a child. The page is published for macOS 27 Golden Gate, and companion versions exist for macOS Tahoe 26 and macOS Sequoia 15. Apple notes that Apple Intelligence on macOS 27 is not available in all languages or regions, and that usage limits may apply.

Turning off Siri AI (Beta)

Siri AI (Beta) is disabled from System Settings: open the app, click Siri in the sidebar and choose Turn Off Siri, then confirm by clicking Turn Off Siri again. Users who prefer the older assistant can follow the same steps and then click Turn On Siri and select Use Siri Classic.

Related suggestions are managed separately. The guide points to the page for customizing which apps Siri has access to, which covers call context cards and how suggestions from apps are displayed.

Summaries in Messages, Mail and Notifications

Summarization features are switched off inside the apps that use them. In Messages, open Messages > Settings and turn off Summarize Messages. In Mail, open Mail > Settings, click Viewing and turn off Summarize Message Previews; personalized Smart Replies are disabled in the same settings window under Composing, by turning off Personalize Smart Replies.

Notification summaries are handled centrally: in System Settings, click Notifications in the sidebar, then Summarize Notifications, and turn the option off.

Phone, Journal and Screen Time

Two further features have their own switches. Voicemail suggestions in Phone are turned off under Phone > Settings > Calls by disabling Suggestions in Voicemail. Writing prompts in Journal are disabled under Journal > Settings > General by turning off Get Writing Prompts.

For stricter control, Screen Time offers restrictions on Apple Intelligence features. Apple's guide links to the Siri restrictions settings in Screen Time for restricting access for yourself, and to the parental-controls documentation for blocking or allowing features and changes on a child's device.