Apple Intelligence missing or stuck on downloading for beta testers updating to iOS 18.2 stable

Apple’s latest iOS 18.2 update is a mixed bag of innovation and frustration, and for a small but vocal group of users, the frustration is hitting a whole new level. After weeks of testing the Apple Intelligence suite in the beta version of iOS 18.2, these users updated to the stable release — only to find the much-hyped AI features completely missing. That’s right: Apple Intelligence has ghosted them.

The Apple Intelligence suite, which integrates deeply into Siri, your iPhone, and apps, is the crown jewel of Apple’s AI push. Features like Genmoji, Image Cleanup, and even Image Playground have captivated early adopters. But now, reports are piling up from users who made the leap from beta to stable, only to discover that Apple Intelligence is either stuck in limbo, perpetually “downloading,” or just outright MIA.

The problem appears to exclusively affect those who had Apple Intelligence enabled during the beta phase. These users report that, while the AI tools worked flawlessly in beta, the stable update seems to have locked them out. Non-beta users, meanwhile, seem to be enjoying their Apple Intelligence features without issue.

If that’s not frustrating enough, some affected users say the system is stuck at “downloading 99%,” while others can’t even kick off the download. A handful of unlucky ones are encountering cryptic “Settings Error” messages when trying to toggle AI settings or adjust Siri preferences. Meanwhile, reports of HomeKit devices suddenly going unresponsive after the update are adding insult to injury.

Although Apple hasn’t issued an official statement, there’s chatter that the company is aware of the issue. Speculation suggests a bug in the stable update that specifically affects users transitioning from the beta version. Whether it’s a glitch in the model download process or an oversight in the rollout, one thing’s clear: Apple Intelligence is playing hard to get.

Some users have tried everything short of casting a spell to fix the issue—resetting devices, toggling the AI on and off, restoring their phones, and even changing Siri’s language settings. Yet, the AI remains elusive for many. In one especially baffling case, a user noted they could still access Writing Tools and Image Cleanup, but nothing else. For others, the suite is just…gone.

For now, affected users can only wait. If Apple is indeed aware of the issue, a patch or follow-up update could be on the horizon.

This, however, isn’t the only hiccup accompanying Apple’s recent software updates. macOS 15.2 users are grappling with an external display mirroring glitch. Meanwhile, iOS 18.2’s Image Playground and Genmoji features, which are also part of Apple Intelligence, are inexplicably missing for some users. On the brighter side, Apple’s updates have brought more carriers on board for RCS messaging while the phantom hub issue that has plagued HomeKit setups for years has finally been resolved with HomePod’s 18.2 update.