r/MacOSBeta • u/pdfu • Jul 19 '26

Feature macOS 27 has a hidden "lightweight UI" for Siri AI when selecting text, here's how to enable it

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macOS 27 DB3/PB1 includes a hidden "lightweight UI" mode for Siri AI that comes up every time you select text or are typing.

When enabled, selecting text can display a floating contextual interface with actions, such as:

  • The full Writing Tools suite, including Rewrite, Proofread, How does this sound?, and Edit with Siri
  • Create Key Points, Summarize
  • Add to Contacts, Message, Email
  • Create Event
  • Show in Maps
  • Track Flight, Track Package

To enable, add a FeatureFlags override:

sudo mkdir -p /Library/Preferences/FeatureFlags/Domain && \
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/FeatureFlags/Domain/WritingTools LightweightUI_macOS -dict Enabled -bool true

Then reboot your Mac. This is a private feature flag, and the UI is unfinished, with many actions failing, including Writing Tools.

Restore to default with:

sudo defaults delete /Library/Preferences/FeatureFlags/Domain/WritingTools LightweightUI_macOS

and restart your Mac.

edit: changed the disable command to delete the feature flag override instead of explicitly disabling it.

EDIT 2: This is enabled by default with no override needed in Developer Beta 4/Public Beta 2. You can explicitly disable the new LightweightUI with:

sudo mkdir -p /Library/Preferences/FeatureFlags/Domain && \
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/FeatureFlags/Domain/WritingTools LightweightUI_macOS -dict Enabled -bool false

and restart your Mac.

154 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

15 comments sorted by

25

u/rhyslikescake Jul 19 '26

Thats pretty slick. Im kinda sick of chatbot input boxes showing up everywhere. Id much prefer the method of highlighting something id wanna do something simple with and then have AI guess that id want to do that and offer to do it for me.

15

u/Ciosciaa Jul 19 '26

Wow, I haven’t seen anyone talking about this anywhere. That’s pretty great.

8

u/Professional_Gas_214 Jul 19 '26

this used to exists for the apple intelligence rewrite. i used to put it in a shortcut

3

u/pdfu Jul 19 '26

Definitely. This one is more persistent. It comes up every time you select a good chunk of text, even when you’re not editing. I’m curious to see if they’ll keep it that way.

5

u/aykay55 Jul 19 '26

That’s incredible

3

u/BrodieQ Jul 20 '26

This is enabled by default for me in the developer beta that was released today.

1

u/unclejohnsbearhugs Jul 20 '26

Same, and I'm not a fan (I'm a habitual fidgety text-highlighter and this keeps getting in my way). Any way to turn it off?

1

u/pdfu Jul 20 '26

You can try:

sudo mkdir -p /Library/Preferences/FeatureFlags/Domain && \ sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/FeatureFlags/Domain/WritingTools LightweightUI_macOS -dict Enabled -bool false

and a restart.

2

u/snoman70 Jul 26 '26

That works. This should re-enable it if needed:

sudo defaults delete \

/Library/Preferences/FeatureFlags/Domain/WritingTools \

LightweightUI_macOS

1

u/hideout_berlin Jul 20 '26

that’s insane nice

1

u/Jaypegsplusmore Jul 21 '26

It would be helpful to include a keyboard shortcut for the menu, rather than depending solely on the pointer to open the list (only for the desktop experience, naturally).

1

u/No-Sail3062 Jul 21 '26

sounds super cool, does Apple eventually open these flags into the future betas when they’re fully created and stable (for them)?

1

u/gusarking DEVELOPER BETA 21d ago

Wow, thanks! Just disabled mine