Apple is introducing a new Reference Image feature as part of the new iPhone 18 Pro, which digitally authenticates that the image you took with the camera has not been altered later by AI. If edits have been made, users can see the ‘digital negative’ original and compare the differences.

This is Apple’s answer to the rise of synthetic AI-generated imagery. Reference Image ensures that people looking at your photos know if it reflects the true reality or not.

Reference Image incorporates Apple Private Cloud Compute to sends some details about the photo you take with the iPhone 18 Pro lenses, essentially creating a cryptographic signature.

The Reference Image indicators are not just limited to showing on the phone you took them with. You can also share the signed images with other people, including the reference signatures for later authentication.

Apple Reference Image will not be available in the European Union or China.

For Apple’s image generation features, including Image Playgrounds or the new Apple Intelligence editing tools like Extend and Spatial Reframe, the generated images will include SynthID markers.