Introduction
One of the most impressive new features in iOS 16 is the enhanced Visual Lookup system. This allows you to easily isolate subjects in photos on compatible iPhones with just a tap. You can then copy, share, or drag the isolated subject into other apps.
In this 2500+ word guide, I‘ll provide step-by-step instructions on how to use this time-saving capability. I‘ll also discuss the history behind this feature, how it works, tips for success, updating to iOS 16, and answer common questions.
So whether you already have iOS 16 or are looking to upgrade, read on to master subject isolation on your iPhone!
A Brief History of Visual Lookup
Visual Lookup first arrived in iOS 15 as a way to identify objects, landmarks, books, plants, pets, and more in your photos. However, there was no easy way to isolate those subjects from the background.
With iOS 16, Apple takes Visual Lookup to the next level with state-of-the-art machine learning. Now, with a simple tap, your iPhone can separate almost any subject from its background and instantly place it on your clipboard to paste elsewhere.
This works with people, animals, objects, and more with remarkable precision. As this feature has continued improving in developer betas, the results are incredibly impressive. Apple says it will keep enhancing this over future iOS 16 updates too.
Check iPhone Compatibility
The new subject isolation capability requires certain hardware to work properly. Specifically, your iPhone needs to have Apple‘s A12 Bionic chip or newer. Here are the compatible models:
- iPhone XS or newer
- iPhone XR or newer
- iPhone 11 or newer
- iPhone 12 or newer
- iPhone 13 or newer
- iPhone SE (2nd generation and newer)
So if you have an iPhone X or older, you won‘t be able to use this feature unfortunately. You can still identify subjects with regular Visual Lookup though.
Step 1: Update to iOS 16
First things first – make sure your compatible iPhone is updated to iOS 16.
To do this:
- Open the Settings app
- Tap General > Software Update
- Tap "Upgrade to iOS 16"
- Tap "Install"
The update will download and your iPhone will automatically restart once installation completes. This can take 15-30 minutes depending on your model.
It requires at least 5GB of available storage space too. So check this beforehand and free up room if needed.
Step 2: Open a Photo With a Clear Subject
Now you‘re ready to start isolating! Open the Photos app and pick an image with a reasonably clear and defined subject, like a person, pet, object, etc.
Avoid selecting overly complex images for now. The machine learning works best with clear focus on one element you want to isolate. Low light and blurry photos can cause issues too.
Step 3: Long-Press the Chosen Subject
With your photo open, simply long-press your finger on the desired subject. Hold it there firmly.
After a second or two, you‘ll see a white line animate around the detected subject, separating it from the background.
Step 4: Copy, Share, or Drag It
Once selected, a popup menu appears with options:
- Copy: Places the clipped subject on your clipboard to paste into apps
- Share: Gives sharing options like Messages, Mail, Notes, etc.
- Drag: Enables dragging the subject into other apps
Try each of these out! Paste copied subjects into Notes or texts, share via your favorite apps, and manually drag into messaging threads.
Tips for Isolating Subjects
With practice, you‘ll get better at precisely selecting subjects to isolate. But here are some pro tips:
- Adjust your selection area if needed – you can drag the corners of the animated outline after long-pressing
- For people/animals, focus on the full body rather than small sections
- Allow extra margin around subjects to fully clip the edges
- Avoid low-quality images and complex backgrounds
- Experiment with different photos – consistency will improve over time
Using This Feature to Save Time
The key benefit of the new Visual Lookup subject isolation is time savings. No longer do you need to manually cut out subjects in other apps!
Some examples where this saves effort:
- Social media posts – instantly isolate subjects to share
- Group conversations – paste silly images of your friends into chat
- Presentations – remove photo backgrounds for minimalist slides
- Image edits – rapidly clip focal points to manipulate
Anything you used to switch apps for, you can now do right from the Photos app on your iPhone. This allows for greater efficiency and creativity in your work and social media.
Future Improvements
While already very capable, Apple says they will continue expanding on this machine learning feature over time.
We can expect even more accuracy, greater complexity, and faster performance in later iOS 16 updates. More iPhone models added to compatibility lists as well.
So if you don‘t have perfect results yet, stick with it! This technology will see rapid innovation given its popularity so far.
Common Questions
Here I‘ll tackle some frequently asked questions around the new subject isolation capability:
How well does it work on dogs/cats?
Very well! The machine learning was trained on lots of animal subjects. Just make sure you select the whole body.
Can I save edits I make to the clipped photo?
Unfortunately no – changes made after isolating aren‘t saved back to the original photo. You‘ll need a third-party editing app for that.
Does it work with video too?
Yes! You can pause videos at any frame and use the same isolation method on subjects in the still.
Why can‘t my old iPhone do this?
The A12 chip or higher provides specialized machine learning components necessary for subject isolation that older iPhones lack.
Anything else new in iOS 16 for photos?
Lots! There‘s improved iCloud Photo Library management, shared albums via iCloud links, better tagging with downstream Memories effects, and more.
Conclusion
The new subject isolation capability in iOS 16‘s enhanced Visual Lookup takes an already great set of photography features to new heights. With simple taps, you can now rapidly clip subjects to share in creative ways.
I hope this guide gives you great starting points to isolate people, pets, objects, and other subjects on your compatible iPhone. As you practice with different photos and subjects, you‘ll keep improving!
And with Apple continuing advancement of its machine learning, this feature will only get more powerful over time across more models. Exciting times for iPhone photography!
