Create custom artwork with Image Playground in iOS 18.2
Apple released iOS 18.2 on December 11, just over a month after the tech company released iOS 18.1. The latest update brings a handful of new features to all iPhones, such as a redesigned Mail app, and also introduces more Apple Intelligence features to the iPhone 16 range, as well as the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. If you have one of those iPhones, you also get a new app called Image Playground.
Read more: Your iOS 18 cheat sheet
This app uses Apple Intelligence to generate custom images on your device. You can choose from a list of suggested prompts, or you can enter your own description of an image and your iPhone will create the image.
Here’s what you need to know about Image Playground on iOS 18.2. Please note: Before using Apple Intelligence, you must request it for your iPhone. To do this, go to Settings > Apple Intelligence and Siri and tap Buy Apple Intelligence.
Where is Image Playground on my iPhone?
If you have a compatible iPhone running iOS 18.2, Image Playground is a new app on your home screen. The icon looks like a kitten in a bubble.
You can also access Image Playground in Messages. Here’s how.
1. Open messages.
2. Use a chat.
3. Tap the plus sign (+) symbol next to your text box.
4. Crane Image Playground.
How does Beeldspeeltuin work?
Image Playground uses Apple Intelligence on your iPhone and works just like other AI image generators. Once you open the app, you can type a description of the image you want to create into the text box, or you can choose suggestions. (Check out CNET’s guide to expert image prompts.)
But you can’t use too many suggested prompts or descriptors. You can use up to six suggestions and descriptors at a time. If you try to use more, Image Playground will start replacing older suggestions with newer ones. If you have too many suggestions or descriptions, you may get a “Try fewer drafts” message. You can also add or remove these suggested prompts and descriptors at any time during the creation process.
You can also create an image from a photo in your library. Tap the plus sign (+) symbol in the bottom right corner of the app and then choose Choose Photo. This allows you to use one of your own images as inspiration for Image Playground. You can also take a photo by tapping Take a photo and your new photo will be used.
If you click the plus sign (+) symbol in the bottom right corner of the app, you can also choose the style in which your image is generated. There are two styles to choose from: the default style, Animation, which resembles a 3D image; and Illustration, which is flatter and more cartoonish. Apple could 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 bottom right corner of Image Playground and tap Appearance twice, and you can generate people to insert into your images.
When you are happy with the image, tap Finished in the top right corner of the app and the image will be saved to the app.
The next time you open Image Playground, you’ll see all your saved images in one place. Tap the plus sign (+) symbol at the bottom of the screen to create a new image.
Can I edit generated images in Image Playground after saving them?
Once you create an image in the app, you can go back and edit it further. Open the app, tap the generated image you want to edit and tap Editing in the bottom right corner of your screen. You can choose more suggestions, enter a different descriptor, or change the art style.
Will Image Playground always create an image?
In a very technical sense, yes, it will always produce an image. Whether it’s what you’re looking for is another story. I typed in the prompts “chef,” “bow tie,” and “volcano” and was presented with an image of a kitchen with a volcano on the counter. Unfortunately, there was no chef or bow tie in sight; maybe the volcano got them?
Apple will likely continue to make improvements to Image Playground in the future, so hopefully images will better match your descriptors. In the meantime, we have kitchen volcanoes.
To learn more about iOS 18, learn what you need to know about iOS 18.2, how to create custom emoji with Genmoji, and what you need to know about email categories. You can also take a look at our iOS 18 cheat sheet.
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