What “Write with Siri” Is and Why the New Keyboard Button Matters
Write with Siri in iOS 27 is a system-wide AI writing feature that puts a persistent Siri-powered button above the iPhone keyboard so you can generate, proofread, and rewrite text directly inside apps like Messages, Mail, and Notes without digging into hidden menus.
Think of Write with Siri as the next generation of Apple writing tools, built into the keyboard instead of buried in an edit menu. In earlier iOS versions, Writing Tools lived behind several taps: select text, open the edit menu, tap a pencil icon, then pick an option. It worked, but hardly anyone remembered it was there. Now, iOS 27 Beta 2 moves the keyboard writing button into the suggestion row above the keys, where you normally see autocorrect and emojis. That placement change solves the discoverability problem and turns iPhone AI writing features into something you will see every time you type. The real prerequisite is hardware: full Write with Siri support needs Apple Intelligence-compatible devices like iPhone 15 Pro and later, while standard iPhone 15 and earlier non‑Pro models stay on the older Writing Tools.
How the New Keyboard Writing Button Changes Your Workflow
The big shift with Write with Siri iOS 27 is that the AI is now where you are already typing. Instead of planning your text, writing a rough draft, then remembering to clean it up with old Apple writing tools, the keyboard writing button sits in the same row as predictive text. That means fewer taps, less friction, and faster access to help when you need to write something decent in a hurry. A shortcut for Write with Siri appears on your keyboard, and it can write new text based on instructions, proofread what you typed, and rewrite it in a different tone. Because it is wired into Apple’s rebuilt Siri AI and no longer a standalone Writing Tools interface, it can tie into information from your messages, emails, and documents that Siri AI can see.
Previously, Writing Tools only showed up in compatible apps and only after you selected text. Now, Write with Siri appears as a persistent button above the system keyboard in Notes, Mail, Messages, and any app that uses the iOS 27 keyboard. This system-wide integration means you get a consistent writing helper whether you are drafting a birthday message, a work email, or a note to yourself. The main gotcha is performance expectations: a slow AI button above the keyboard will train you to ignore it, while early reports suggest response speed is faster in Beta 2 than in Beta 1. In other words, this only improves your workflow if Siri responds quickly enough that you keep trusting it.
| Feature | Old Writing Tools | Write with Siri |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Edit menu, multiple taps | Above keyboard, always visible |
| Requires selected text | Yes | No |
| Apps | Only compatible apps | Any app with system keyboard |
| AI engine | Writing Tools AI | Rebuilt Siri AI |
Step-by-Step: Using Write with Siri Above the Keyboard
Using the keyboard writing button feels different from the old Writing Tools flow because you no longer have to start with selected text. Instead, Write with Siri is designed as a fast, one-tap shortcut for creating or reshaping whatever you are working on right now. The key change is that tapping the button opens a dedicated Siri writing interface where you describe what you want and then drop the result straight into your app. That keeps the writing process anchored to the place you were already typing, without turning it into a long back-and-forth conversation.
- Open an app that uses the iOS 27 keyboard—such as Messages, Mail, or Notes—and tap into any text field so the keyboard appears.
- Look at the row above the keys and find the Write with Siri keyboard writing button, which now sits as a persistent icon in that suggestion row.
- Tap the Write with Siri button to open the Siri writing interface, then describe what you want written (for example, a short reply, a formal email paragraph, or a summary). Siri composes the text based on your instructions.
- If you already have text, select it before or after opening Write with Siri, then ask Siri to rework, summarize, proofread, or change the tone of what you drafted; it can proofread and rewrite text instead of only generating new content.
- Review Siri’s suggestion in the interface and insert it back into your message, email, or note, keeping in mind that the feature’s usefulness depends on your device having Apple Intelligence support, which is available on iPhone 15 Pro and later, the iPhone 16 family, and the iPhone 17 family.
Write with Siri does not require text selected before you tap the button, which is a major upgrade over Writing Tools. You can start from a blank field, describe the tone you want, and let Siri handle first drafts, then refine from there. You can also still take the old route: write something yourself, highlight it, and then ask Siri to clean it up or match a different tone. This flexibility is where the new placement enables more writing capabilities than the old tools offered, because the feature is now useful both before and after you type.
Where Write with Siri Works and What to Watch Out For
One of the biggest wins for Write with Siri iOS 27 is that it is system-wide. The keyboard writing button appears above the system keyboard in Notes, Mail, Messages, and any app that uses the iOS 27 keyboard. That consistency matters: you do not have to remember which apps support Apple writing tools anymore. A shortcut for Write with Siri will appear on your keyboard and can write, proofread, and rewrite text wherever that keyboard appears. Because it is fully integrated with Siri, the AI can tap into messages, email, and other documents that Siri AI can access, which helps it keep replies in context.
There is one hard line, though: Write with Siri runs on Apple’s rebuilt Siri AI and requires Apple Intelligence-compatible hardware, starting with iPhone 15 Pro and later, the iPhone 16 family, and the iPhone 17 family. iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 16 family, iPhone 16e, and iPhone 17 family can use Write with Siri, but the standard iPhone 15 and earlier non‑Pro models still rely on the older Writing Tools as their AI writing option. The takeaway is simple: the feature is worth building into your daily workflow if you have the right hardware, but you should still keep an eye on how fast Siri responds and double-check important text before you hit send.
