What the entry is telling you
Open the entry and look under the title. The line you see there points to the cause.
| You see | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Summarizing on this device | It's working on it now | Wait a few moments |
| Summarize this entry | You have Plus, but this entry wasn't summarized yet | Tap it. If nothing happens, check the language below |
| Summarize with Plus | Your free first summary is used | Summaries for later entries are part of Plus |
| Not summarized automatically. Your words are all here. | Apple's model turned this entry down | Add a title and tags yourself |
| Writing this down. The recording is safe. | The words are still being written down | The summary comes after the words |
| No button and no message | Apple Intelligence isn't available on this device, or it's off | Check the steps below |
Check Apple Intelligence
- Use a supported device, such as iPhone 15 Pro or later, iPhone Air, iPad mini (A17 Pro) or an iPad with M1 or later
- Open Settings, tap Apple Intelligence & Siri and turn on Apple Intelligence
- Set your device language and Siri language to the same supported language
- Wait for the download. Until then, Dawn Light says Apple Intelligence is still getting ready, and entries are organized as soon as it's done
Check the language you spoke
Summaries work only in the languages Apple Intelligence supports. In October 2026 that includes English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and several more. An entry in another language is saved with every word, just without a summary. The recording language is in Dawn Light's Settings under Recording.
Check Plus
Your first entry is summarized free. After that, summaries are part of Plus. When you start Plus, entries from the last week are summarized for you. For anything older, open the entry and tap Summarize this entry. If Plus ended, summaries you already have stay, and new entries are saved without one. If you bought Plus and it isn't showing, tap Restore purchases in Settings under Plus.
When Apple's model says no
Apple's model declines some entries about very hard subjects. Dawn Light doesn't ask it again. The entry stays saved with every word, and you can tap the title to name it yourself. If you're thinking about harming yourself or you're in danger, contact local emergency services or a crisis line now. In the US, call or text 988.
Questions about summaries
Does a summary change what I said?
No. The summary sits above your entry, and the Your words row opens the full text exactly as you said it.
Can I get summaries on an older iPhone?
No. Summaries need Apple's on-device model, which runs only on devices that support Apple Intelligence. Recording, transcripts, search and sync all work on older devices with iOS 26.
Can I summarize entries I imported from another app?
Yes, with Plus. Entries from the last week are summarized after an import. For older ones, open the entry and tap Summarize this entry.
Every entry at a glance
With Plus, Dawn Light lays out each entry as what happened, how it felt and what's next, on your device. Your first entry is summarized free.
Get help with Dawn Light