The buzz around iOS 18’s custom emoji feature has many iPhone users excited, but there’s a catch: not every iOS 18-compatible device can access this cool new function. Let’s break down what you need to know about “Genmoji” and which devices can actually use it.
What’s Genmoji all about?
Genmoji is Apple’s fancy name for their new emoji creator in iOS 18. It’s pretty nifty - you type in a description, and boom! You get a custom emoji-style sticker. Imagine typing “Corgi surfing on a rainbow” and getting exactly that as an emoji. Pretty cool, right?
The Apple Intelligence connection
Here’s the thing: Genmoji isn’t just a standalone feature. It’s part of a bigger system called Apple Intelligence that comes with iOS 18. This is crucial because not all iOS 18 devices support Apple Intelligence. So even if your iPhone can run iOS 18, you might be out of luck when it comes to Genmoji and other AI-powered goodies.
Which devices can actually use Genmoji?
Apple Intelligence (and by extension, Genmoji) only works on these devices:
- iPhone 15 Pro
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
- All iPhone 16 models
- iPad and Mac models with M1 chip or later
Oh, and one more thing - you need at least 4GB of free storage to use Apple Intelligence features, including Genmoji.
Other Apple Intelligence exclusive features
Genmoji isn’t the only special feature for these devices. Here’s what else you’re missing if your iPhone isn’t on the list:
- Writing Tools: Found in Mail, Notes, and Safari. Summarize text, proofread, and change writing tones.
- Enhanced Siri: More natural responses and better understanding of your device.
- Smart Mail features: Priority Messages and email summaries.
- Intelligent Messages: Smart Reply feature.
- Advanced Photos search: Use natural language to find specific photos or video segments.
- Photo Clean Up tool: Remove unwanted background objects from images.
- Image Playground: Create original images from descriptions in Messages and Notes.
- ChatGPT integration: Access ChatGPT through Siri or Writing Tools.
- Advanced device-wide search: Search across all your device info, including messages.
How to check if your iPhone supports Genmoji
Want to know if your device can use Genmoji? Here’s how to check:
- Open Settings
- Tap on “Apple Intelligence & Siri”
- Look for an option to join the Apple Intelligence Waitlist
If you don’t see this option, your device probably doesn’t support Apple Intelligence or Genmoji.
While iOS 18 brings a lot of new features to many iPhones, the coolest AI stuff (including Genmoji) is only for the latest models. If you’re really keen on making custom emojis or using other Apple Intelligence features, you might need to think about upgrading.
Keep in mind that Apple Intelligence is still in beta, so things might change before the final release. For the most up-to-date info on which devices can use these features, check out the Apple Intelligence website.