A variety of generative AI programs and websites are able to craft images based on your input. But if you have access to Apple Intelligence through an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, one cool tool you can use is the Image Playground.
Available with iOS/iPadOS 18.2 and macOS 15.2, the Image Playground will create animated images or illustrations based on specific concepts, your own descriptions, and photos from your library.
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The tool is accessible as a standalone program, but you can also use it with built-in apps like Messages as well as supported third-party apps. If you’re happy with the final images, you can save them or share them with other people.
To use any of the Apple Intelligence AI features, including Image Playground, you must have the right type of device. That means any iPhone 16 model, an iPhone 15 Pro, an iPhone 15 Pro Max, any iPad model with an M1 chip or later, a 2024 iPad mini with an A17 Pro chip, or a Mac with an M1 chip or later.
First, you’ll need to update iOS or iPadOS to version 18.2 and macOS Sequoia to version 15.2. On your iPhone or iPad, head to Settings, select General, and then tap Software Update. On a Mac, go to System Settings, select General, and then click Software Update. Select the Update Now button to download the latest version.
Next, you’ll need to enable Apple Intelligence. Go to Settings on your iPhone or iPad and System Settings on your Mac. Select the setting for Apple Intelligence & Siri, and turn on the switch for Apple Intelligence if it’s not already on.
Open the Image Playground app. On an iPhone or iPad, you’ll find it on the Home screen. On a Mac, you can open it from the Dock or the Applications window. The first time you launch the app, a message will inform you that support is being downloaded for Image Playground. Once the download is finished, you’re taken to the app’s main screen. From here, you can decide how you want to generate your image.
Under Suggestions are different concepts you can use to create an image. The concepts are organized into themes, costumes, accessories, and places. To see the full range, select the Show More option. Click or tap the left and right arrows to cycle through the various concepts and select the one you want to use. You can choose more than one concept, and Image Playground will incorporate each one. Tap or click the generated image to view it in the center of the screen.
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Image Playground generates several images based on the concepts you chose. With the image in the center of the screen, swipe or click left and right to view each version.
You can then play around with your concept-inspired image. Select the image. To remove a concept, tap or click the minus sign for that concept. To add another concept, select it from the list. To delete the image entirely, tap the minus sign for each concept, allowing you to create a brand new image. When finished, tap Done. The image you created is saved to your gallery, where it’s accessible across any of your compatible devices.
To describe the image you want to generate, return to the main screen. Tap or click the field for Describe an image. Type or speak the description, and then tap the arrow button. Swipe through the generated images to find the one you like best. Tap Done to save it to your gallery.
You can generate an image based on a specific person in your photo library. For this to work, the person must be named in your photo library. On the main screen in the app, tap the icon of the person. Next, choose the person you want to use to create the image. The first time you do this, you’ll be asked if you want to choose a different starting point on which to base the image. If so, swipe through the various images and choose the one you want. Alternatively, tap the button for Choose Other Photo and select a different one. Tap Done.
Back at the main screen, swipe through the generated images to find the one you like the best. When finished, tap Done.
You can also generate a generic image of a person. On the screen to choose a person, select the icon for Appearance. The next screen prompts you to change the appearance. Select one of the small thumbnail icons at the bottom to pick a completely different appearance. You can also change the skin tone by selecting one of the color circles. When you see an image you like, tap Done. Swipe left and right to view the different versions of the image. After you find the one you want to use, tap Done.
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Next, you can cook up an image based on a new or existing photo. On an iPhone, tap the plus icon. On an iPad, tap the Photos icon. To use an existing photo, select Choose Photo and then pick a photo from your library. Back at the main screen, swipe through the different versions until you find one you like, and then tap Done.
To generate an image from a new photo, tap the plus icon in the iPhone app and the Photos icon in the iPad app. Select the option for Take Photo. Snap the picture, then choose to use it or retake it. Swipe through the different versions and tap Done when you find the one you want to keep.
By default, the image is created in a 3D animated style, but you can change this to a flat illustration. To do this, make sure you’ve generated an image. Tap the plus icon in the iPhone app and the Style icon in the iPad app. You can then switch back and forth between Animation and Illustration. After you find the right style, tap Done.
To flesh out an image even further, you can combine multiple elements. For example, you could describe an image or create one based on a photo and then add a theme or another concept to it. To try this, select the first element and then include additional ones to see what type of image is generated. When finished, tap Done.
Next, you can tweak images already stored in your gallery. On the main screen, tap Cancel or Done. The gallery screen pops up with all your stored images. Tap a specific image and then tap Edit. This brings you back to the main screen, where you can revise the image by adding or removing specific elements or writing a description. Tap Done, and you can save your changes to the existing image or create a duplicate with the changes.
Open an image that you want to save or share, and then tap the Share icon. Choose a specific person or app for sharing the image. Select Save Image to save it to your photo library. From the menu, you can also print it, copy it, assign it to a contact, or set it up as a face for your Apple Watch.
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Beyond using the Image Playground tool as its own app, you can generate an image directly within Messages and other programs. Open Messages and start or resume a conversation. Tap the plus icon and select Image Playground from the menu. Create an image using any of the elements built into the app. When finished, tap Done. Then, tap the arrow icon to send your text.