What to know
- Predictions Inline feature suggests portions of a word or sentence before you type them on your iPhone.
- The feature uses machine learning to extract information from the text you typed previously and process it to predict and suggest the rest of the word or words in a sentence.
- Predictions Inline is available on iPhone 12 and newer models but it may also be available on older devices.
- The feature will be enabled automatically as soon as you update your iPhone to iOS 17 or newer versions.
What are Predictions Inline on iPhone?
The Predictions Inline feature will suggest portions of a word or sentence that you’re about to type to make it easier to type faster on your iPhone. The feature uses machine learning algorithms to predict what you’re about to type and it will be available on your iPhone as soon as you update it to iOS 17 or newer versions. Predictions will appear when you start typing and reach a specific part of a sentence from where iOS can determine what you’re going to enter next.
At the time of writing, Predictions Inline can only be used in English; no other languages are supported.
Which devices support Predictions Inline?
Predictions inline requires an iPhone to be running on iOS 17 or newer versions and it will only be available on iPhone 12 and newer models. This means you’ll be able to enter predictive texts on your keyboard when using any of the following devices:
- iPhone 15
- iPhone 15 Plus
- iPhone 15 Pro
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 14
- iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 14 Pro
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 mini
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 mini
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
While the aforementioned devices will be able to leverage the predictions inline feature for typing, there have been instances where the feature has worked on iPhones not mentioned in the above list. Some users were able to use predictions inline on unsupported models like the iPhone XR and we can confirm it also works on the iPhone 11.
Which apps can you use Predictions Inline in?
The Predictions Inline feature exclusively works with the native keyboard on iOS. What this means is that you can use the predictions inline feature on any app as long as you use the Apple keyboard to type on them. In our testing, we found that the iPhone can offer inline predictive text across Apple’s apps like Messages, Notes, Mail, Reminders, and other apps.
Since predictions inline is baked right into the native keyboard on iOS, you can also type using this feature on apps developed by third-party developers as well. We tested whether predictions inline work on apps like WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, and other apps, and we found that the feature worked flawlessly on all of them.
How to use Predictions Inline on iPhone
Before you can use the Predictions Inline feature on your iPhone, you need to make sure that your device has been updated to iOS 17 or newer versions by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
To start using Predictions Inline, open any app on your iPhone where you can type text. The feature works on Apple’s own apps as well as those designed by third-party developers. In this instance, we opened the Notes app and created a new note to type on.
Here, you can start typing some text using the iOS keyboard. As you type, iOS will learn the words you type and generate predictions based on the text you’ve already entered. Midway through a sentence, you may see an inline text in grey that iOS has predicted you would use to complete that portion of the sentence.
Depending on the text you previously entered, predictions inline might suggest the complete word or sentence you want to add as text. To enter the predicted text without typing it manually, tap on the Space key at the bottom.
iOS will then type the rest of the predicted text on the app instantly.
Here’s how the feature works:
I cannot use Predictions Inline on my iPhone. How to fix it?
If you’re unable to use Predictions Inline on your iPhone, it’s possible that predictive text isn’t enabled on your iPhone’s keyboard. To allow predictive text and use Predictions Inline on your device, open the Settings app.
Inside Settings, select General.
On the next screen, scroll down and tap on Keyboard.
On the Keyboards screen, scroll down and turn on the Predictive toggle under “English”.
This should enable the Predictions Inline feature on your device if you weren’t able to use it previously.
In case you’re still not able to use Predictions Inline on your iPhone, it may be happening because:
- Your iPhone hasn’t been updated to iOS 17 or newer versions.
- You don’t own an iPhone 12 or newer device, which are the only models that receive official support for Predictions Inline. Note: There have been instances where the feature has worked on older and unsupported devices like the iPhone XR and iPhone 11 as well.
- You aren’t using the native Apple Keyboard on your iPhone. Predictions Inline won’t work if you’re using a third-party keyboard app.
- You’re using the keyboard in a language other than English. Predictions Inline currently only works with English, so your iPhone won’t be able to offer predictive text for other languages, yet.
That’s all you need to know about Predictions Inline and how to use it on an iPhone.
