Fix Error “Writing Tools Is Unavailable” on iPhone, iPad, or Mac? (Apple Intelligence)

With the release of Apple Intelligence in iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, Apple introduced new AI features like Summarize, Key Points, Make into List, and Convert to Table across apps such as Notes, Safari, and Mail. However, many users have encountered an unexpected issue:

“Writing Tools is unavailable. Certain capabilities are unavailable at this time. Try again later.”

Fix iPhone error “Writing Tools Is Unavailable”

This error has been widely reported by users of iPhone, iPad, and MacBook devices. Here’s what causes the problem — and how to resolve it.

What Is Error “Writing Tools Is Unavailable”?

After enabling Apple Intelligence, users are unable to use AI tools within Notes, Safari, or Mail. When they try, they receive a message saying the feature is unavailable.

Key features affected:

Summarize
Key Points
List/Outline Generation
Table Creation

The issue affects all devices — iPhone 16, iPad Pro, and MacBook running macOS Sequoia — despite the tools being visibly present in the UI.

Why Error “Writing Tools Is Unavailable” Happen?

From the data provided by users and initial support feedback, the issue is usually caused by:

Apple Intelligence failing to fully download required language or AI models
A cellular or VPN connection preventing Apple’s servers from downloading necessary files
Mismatch between Siri and System Language settings
Apple Intelligence features being toggled off, deleting downloaded models
iCloud or Apple ID syncing errors between devices

How to Fix Apple intelligence “Writing Tools Is Unavailable” on iPhone 16, iPad, and Mac

1. Disable and Re-Enable Apple Intelligence

Go to Settings > Siri & Intelligence
Turn off all AI features
Restart the device
Reconnect to a strong Wi-Fi network (not hotspot or VPN)
Turn Apple Intelligence back on

Fix Error “Writing Tools Is Unavailable” on iPhone, iPad, or Mac? (Apple Intelligence)

This triggers Apple’s system to re-download required modules and models.

2. Use a Stable Wi-Fi Connection

If you’re using mobile data or a hotspot, Apple Intelligence may fail to reinitialize properly.

Switch to home or office Wi-Fi
Avoid using VPNs during setup
Let the device stay idle for a few minutes after toggling features on

3. Ensure Language and Siri Match

One of best working fix for the Error “Writing Tools Is Unavailable”, is to change Your device’s language settings and it should match one of Apple Intelligence’s supported options.

On iPhone Go to Settings > General > Language & Region
Set Language and Siri to English (U.S.)
On Mac, visit System Settings > Siri & Spotlight > Language

4. Reset All Settings (Last Resort)

On iPhone/iPad:

Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset All Settings
This will not delete your data, but will reset Wi-Fi, Siri, and keyboard settings — which helps Apple Intelligence reload properly.

On Mac:

Sign out of Apple ID and sign back in
Ensure macOS Sequoia is updated to the latest version
Confirm all AI features are re-enabled in System Settings

Final Thoughts

The “Writing Tools is unavailable” message is a frustrating barrier to using Apple’s powerful new AI features across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Fortunately, most users can fix the problem by reconnecting to stable Wi-Fi, restarting Apple Intelligence, and aligning system language settings.

Apple is expected to roll out a fix in future updates of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, but until then, these manual steps are your best option.