Apple released iOS 18.2 in December, more than a month after the tech company released iOS 18.1. The latest update brings a handful of new features to all iPhones, like a redesigned Mail app and the ability to Share Airtag information With airline workers. It also introduces more Apple intelligence features to the iPhone 16 lineup, as well as the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. And if you have one of these iPhones, creating photos gets even easier with a new app called Playground.
Read more: iOS 18 cheat sheet
This app uses Apple Intelligence to create custom photos on your device. You can choose from a list of suggested prompts, or you can enter your own description of the image and the iPhone will create the image.
Here’s what you need to know about Photo Playground on iOS 18.2. Note that before using Apple Intelligence, you must order it for your iPhone. To do this, go to Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri And search Get apple smart.
Where is the photo playground on my iPhone?
If you have an iPhone compatible with iOS 18.2, Photo Playground will be a new app on your home screen. The icon looks like a kitten in a soap bubble.
You can also access the photo playground in messages. Here’s how.
1. Open messages.
2. Click on chat.
3. Press Plus (+) icon next to your text box.
4. handle Photo playground.
How does Photo Playground work?
Playground uses Apple Intelligence on your iPhone and works like other AI image generators. Once you open the app, you can type a description of the image you want to create in the text box, or you can choose suggestions. (Check out CNET’s guide to taking an expert photo.)
But you can’t use too many suggested prompts or descriptors. You can only use up to six suggestions and descriptors at one time. If you try to use more, Playground starts replacing the older suggestions with the newer ones. If you have too many suggestions or descriptors, you may receive a message saying, “Try fewer concepts.” You can add or remove these suggested prompts and descriptors at any time in the creation process as well.
You can also create an image based on a photo in your library. Press Plus (+) icon in the lower right corner of the application and then choose Choose the picture. This will allow you to use one of your own photos as inspiration for your photo playground. You can also take a photo by tapping Take the photo Your new photo will be used.
If you click the plus (+) icon in the lower right corner of the application, you can also choose the style in which your image will be created. There are two styles to choose from: default animation, which looks like a 3D image; And illustration, which is more flat and cartoony. Apple may add more styles in the future.
There is also an option to insert a created person into these images. Click on the silhouette of a person in the lower right corner of the photo field, click appearance Twice, and you can generate people to insert your photos.
Once you are satisfied with the image, click finished in the upper right corner of the application and the image will be saved on the application.
The next time you open Photo Playground, you’ll see all your saved photos in one place. Press Plus (+) icon across the bottom of the screen to create a new image.
Can I use my own photos in Photo Playground?
You can use your own photos as the basis for an AI generated image, yes. When you create a new photo in the Photo Playground, click Plus (+) icon in the lower right corner of the page, then press Choose the picture To select an image from your library or Take the photo To use the camera to take a new photo. Then you can describe the image or specify a prompt. You can scroll through the generated images until you find one you like, then click finished in the upper right corner of the application and the image will be saved on the application.
Can I edit photos created in Photo Playground after saving them?
After creating an image in the app, you can go back and edit it further. Open the application and click on the photo you want to edit, and click Edit In the lower right corner of your screen. You can choose more suggestions, enter another descriptor, or change the art style.
Will a photo playground always make a photo?
In a very artistic sense, yes, you will always make a picture. Whether that’s what you’re looking for is another story. I entered the “Chef,” “Bowtie,” and “Volcano” prompts and got a picture of a kitchen that had a volcano growing on its countertop. Sadly, there was no chef or potty in sight – perhaps the volcano got it?
Apple will likely continue to make improvements to the photo playground in the future, so hopefully the photos will more closely match your descriptors. In the meantime, we have kitchen volcanoes.
For more on iOS 18, here’s what to know about iOS 18.2, how to create custom emoji with Genmoji and what to know about Mail categories. You can also view our iOS 18 cheat sheet.
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