How to Adjust Text Tone in iOS 18 Writing Tools

Apple’s iOS 18 introduces Writing Tools, a core feature of Apple Intelligence that allows users to rewrite, proofread, and alter the tone of selected text across the system. This guide explains how Writing Tools handle tone adjustments, specifically how they transform text to sound more professional, how to access these options, and how to utilize custom instructions for precise results.

Accessing Writing Tools in iOS 18

Writing Tools are integrated directly into system-level text selection menus and the QuickType bar. To use them:

  1. Select any text in supported apps such as Mail, Notes, Messages, or third-party text fields.
  2. Tap the Writing Tools option from the context menu (or tap the Apple Intelligence icon on the keyboard toolbar).
  3. A dedicated panel appears with options to rewrite, summarize, or alter tone.

How the Professional Tone Preset Works

Writing Tools include predefined tone presets to reshape content instantly:

  • Professional: This preset scans the selected text to eliminate casual phrasing, slang, and overly conversational idioms. It replaces informal vocabulary with industry-standard terminology, improves sentence structure, and ensures a polite, authoritative demeanor suitable for workplace communication, cover letters, or formal correspondence.
  • Friendly and Concise: Alongside the Professional option, users can choose "Friendly" to make messages warmer and more approachable, or "Concise" to trim filler words while keeping the core message intact.

Applying Custom Tone Instructions

Beyond the default presets, iOS 18 includes a text prompt field within the Writing Tools interface that allows for custom tone adjustments. If the standard "Professional" preset does not capture the exact nuance required, you can enter custom instructions such as:

  • "Make this sound like a formal resignation letter."
  • "Rewrite this to be polite and persuasive for an executive audience."
  • "Keep it professional, but soften the rejection."

The on-device and private cloud models process these instructions in real time, tailoring the vocabulary and cadence to the specified context.

Reviewing and Applying Changes

Once Writing Tools generates the revised text, the interface allows you to:

  • Compare: View the differences between the original draft and the generated professional version.
  • Replace: Instantly substitute the highlighted text with the new version by tapping Replace.
  • Revert or Copy: Discard the changes or copy the generated text to the clipboard without altering the original passage.