Introduction

Functions are not just repeatable sets of behaviors in your app. They also define your app relative to all the other apps on the App Store. From manipulating photos to sending your favorite order to your local coffee shop to converting one file format to another, your app’s main functions and how you use them are what makes your app unique.

App Intents was introduced in iOS 16 and helps developers expose their app’s entities and functionality, or intents, to other apps on the device. In previous years, App Intents was designed to interface with Shortcuts, Widgets, Search, and more.

With iOS 18, Siri becomes the latest framework to gain access to App Intents. In addition, the newly announced Apple Intelligence framework also gets a hook into the App Intents system, bringing not only the power of your voice but also of Apple Intelligence under the App Intents ecosystem. In this lesson, you’ll:

• Learn what’s new for Siri and App Intents with iOS 18.
• Implement basic App Intents.

By the end of this lesson, you’ll understand exactly what App Intents are and how updates in iOS 18 lay the groundwork for integrating App Intents with Apple Intelligence.