Edit Memory Movie Text in iOS 18 Photos

Apple Intelligence in iOS 18 allows users to create custom Memory Movies in the Photos app simply by typing a description. While the system automatically structures the video into chapters with a curated narrative arc and title, user control over the generated text itself is limited. This guide explains what text elements you can edit in iOS 18 Memory Movies and how to adjust the overall story structure.

Editing the Title

You can directly edit the primary title text generated for a Memory Movie. While playing or viewing the generated movie, tap the screen to bring up the playback controls, select the three dots (More menu) or the Edit button, and tap the title card. From there, you can replace the AI-generated title with any custom text of your choice.

Limitations on Narrative Text Editing

Apple Intelligence crafts the narrative structure behind the scenes, using contextual chapters to sequence your photos and video clips chronologically or thematically. However, iOS 18 does not provide a dedicated text editor to rewrite chapter descriptions or underlying narrative script cards line by line. Any narrative text displayed during transitions or chapter headers is dynamically generated based on the media selected and the original prompt.

Altering the Narrative Through Scene Controls

Even though you cannot rewrite the generated narrative text directly, you can alter the narrative flow through manual adjustments:

  • Add or Remove Media: Open the movie editor to deselect irrelevant clips or add photos and videos that better represent your story.
  • Reorder Chapters: Reorganizing the sequence of scenes will adjust the pacing and visual flow of the narrative.
  • Change the Music: Modifying the soundtrack alters the pacing and mood, which directly affects how the narrative is presented.

Refining the Narrative with Better Prompts

If the generated narrative fails to capture the story you intended, the most effective solution is to regenerate the movie using a more specific prompt. Including explicit details—such as specific names, locations, seasons, activities, and tones—guides Apple Intelligence to generate a more accurate narrative and relevant chapter structure.