iOS 18.2: How to make custom illustrations with Image Playground
Apple released iOS 18.2 on Dec. 11, more than a month after the tech company went public iOS 18.1. The latest update brings several new features to all iPhones such as a redesigned Mail app and the ability to share information about AirTag with airline workers. It also introduces more Apple Intelligence features for iPhone 16 rangeas well as to iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. And if you have one of those iPhones, you’ll get a new app called Image Playground.
Read more: Your iOS 18 Cheat Sheet
This app uses Apple Intelligence to generate personalized images on your device. You can choose from a list of suggested prompts, or you can enter your own image description and your iPhone will create the image.
Here’s what you need to know about Image Playground on iOS 18.2. Note that before you can use Apple Intelligence, you must claim it for your iPhone. To do this, go to Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri and touch Get Apple Intelligence.
Where is Image Playground on my iPhone?
If you have a compatible iPhone running iOS 18.2, Image 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 Image Playground in Messages. Here’s how.
1. Open Messages.
2. Tap chat.
3. Tap the plus (+) next to your text field.
4. Touch Image Playground.
How does Image Playground work?
Image Playground uses Apple Intelligence on your iPhone and works like the others AI image generators. Once you open the app, you can enter a description of the image you want to create in the text field, or you can choose from suggestions. (See CNET’s guide to expert image prompting.)
But you can’t use too many suggested prompts or descriptors. You can only use up to six offers and descriptors at a time. If you try to use more, Image Playground starts replacing older suggestions with newer ones. If you have too many suggestions or descriptors, you may get a message that says “Try with fewer concepts.” You can also add or remove these suggested prompts and descriptors at any time during the creation process.
You can also create an image based on a photo in your library. Tap the plus (+) in the lower-right corner of the application, and then select Select Photo. This will allow you to use one of your own images as inspiration for the Image Playground. You can also take a photo by tapping Take a photo and your new photo will be used.
If you tap the plus (+) in the lower right corner of the application, you can also choose the style in which your image will be generated. There are two styles to choose from: the default, animation, which is like a 3D image; and an illustration that is flatter and cartoonish. Apple may add more styles in the future.
There is also an option to insert a generated person into these images. Tap the silhouette of a person in the lower right corner of the Image Playground, tap Appearance twice and you can generate people to insert into your images.
Once you’re happy with the image, tap Done in the top right corner of the app and the image will be saved in the app.
The next time you open Image Playground, you’ll see all your saved images in one place. Tap the plus (+) at the bottom of the screen to create a new image.
Can I edit generated images in Image Playground after they are saved?
Once you’ve created an image in the app, you can go back and edit it further. Open the app and tap the generated image you want to edit and tap Editing in the lower right corner of your screen. You can select more suggestions, enter a different descriptor, or change the art style.
Does Image Playground always create an image?
In a very technical sense, yes, it will always create an image. Whether it’s what you’re looking for is another story. I typed in the prompts “chef,” “bow tie,” and “volcano” and got an image of a kitchen that had grown a volcano on its counter. Unfortunately there was no chef or bow tie in sight – maybe the volcano got them?
Apple will likely continue to make improvements to the Image Playground in the future, so hopefully the images will more closely match your descriptors. Meanwhile, we have kitchen volcanoes.
For more on iOS 18, here’s what you need to know iOS 18.2how to create custom emoticons with Genmoji and what to know about Categories of mail. You can also check out ours iOS 18 cheat sheet.
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