Apple’s Visual Intelligence feature, introduced last year, has received significant updates in iOS 26, enhancing its utility and competitiveness against similar capabilities on Android devices. One major improvement is the addition of onscreen awareness, allowing Visual Intelligence to function not just with the camera but also with existing content on your device. In iOS 26, users can utilize Visual Intelligence on screenshots.
To do this, capture a screenshot by pressing the volume up button and the side button simultaneously. Following this, you can exit the Markup interface by tapping the pen icon at the top of the display. Once out of Markup, the Visual Intelligence options become available.
A standout feature is “Highlight to Search,” which enables users to draw over objects within a screenshot to conduct a targeted image search. This feature operates similarly to Android’s “Circle to Search” and defaults to using Google Image Search. Apple showcased additional support for apps such as Etsy during their keynote event, indicating a potential for further integrations.
For more general inquiries, users can tap the Ask button to pose questions about their screenshots, with responses generated via ChatGPT. The Search button accesses Google Search for additional information. Notably, if your screenshot contains relevant details like dates or times, these can be directly added to your calendar.
Moreover, Visual Intelligence now supports the quick identification of a wider array of objects, including art, books, landmarks, and sculptures, alongside previously recognized animals and plants. A glowing icon appears when an identifiable object is recognized, allowing users to touch it for more information. Currently, Visual Intelligence is available on compatible devices, specifically iPhone 15 Pro models and iPhone 16 models, with the public launch of iOS 26 expected in September.
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