Apple’s new photo feature captures more data than you may want– here’s how to turn it off

Apple recently launched Enhanced Visual Search (EVS), a photo recognition feature in iOS 18 that has sparked privacy concerns due to its default-enabled data sharing with Apple’s servers.

Key functionality: Enhanced Visual Search uses on-device AI to identify landmarks and points of interest in photos, creating mathematical fingerprints that are sent to Apple’s servers for matching.

• The system generates “vector embeddings” for detected points of interest in photos
• Data is transmitted through a privacy relay system that includes fake queries to mask genuine requests
• Matches are returned to users in encrypted form

Privacy concerns: Developer Jeff Johnson has highlighted that this feature was implemented without explicit user consent or clear communication about its data-sharing implications.

• The feature was quietly introduced with iOS 18 and macOS 15 in September 2024
• Apple’s initial feature overview did not clearly explain the server-side data transmission
• Technical documentation about the feature’s privacy implications was only released in October 2024
• Many users remain unaware their photo data is being shared with Apple’s servers

Technical documentation: Apple has provided limited official information about EVS’s privacy implications.

• A technical document on machine learning and homomorphic encryption briefly mentions EVS
• Additional details are buried in legal documentation
• Most users don’t access or understand these technical explanations

How to disable EVS: Users can turn off Enhanced Visual Search through their device settings.

• On iPhone: Navigate to Settings > Apps > Photos and scroll to the bottom to find the EVS toggle
• On Mac: Open Photos app > Settings > General tab to locate the EVS toggle
• The feature can be re-enabled using the same steps if needed for specific searches

Looking ahead: Apple faces mounting pressure to address the default data-sharing nature of Enhanced Visual Search.

While Apple maintains that photo privacy is preserved through encryption and relay systems, the lack of transparent communication about EVS’s server-side components raises legitimate concerns about user privacy and consent in AI-powered features.