Your Mac running macOS Tahoe has powerful AI writing assistance built right in. Writing Tools can proofread your emails, rewrite awkward sentences, summarize long documents, and transform text in ways that save hours each week. The best part? They work everywhere text appears on your Mac.

I'm going to walk you through everything you need to know about Writing Tools, from basic proofreading to advanced text transformations. You'll learn practical ways to integrate these features into your daily workflow, whether you're drafting emails, writing reports, or editing creative work.

What Writing Tools Can Actually Do

Writing Tools aren't just another spell checker. They're powered by on-device AI that understands context and meaning. When you select text anywhere on your Mac, you can instantly access proofreading, multiple rewriting styles, summarization, key point extraction, table creation, and text formatting options.

The proofreading feature goes beyond basic spelling and grammar. It catches subtle errors like incorrect word usage, awkward phrasing, and punctuation issues. Unlike traditional grammar checkers that flag every potential issue, Writing Tools focus on actual problems that affect clarity and readability.

Rewriting options let you adjust tone and style. You can make text friendlier for casual communication, more professional for business contexts, or more concise when brevity matters. Each rewrite maintains your original meaning while adjusting the presentation.

Summarization works on everything from long email threads to research documents. You can generate brief summaries or detailed overviews depending on your needs. The key points feature extracts main ideas into a bulleted list, perfect for quick reference or meeting prep.

Accessing Writing Tools Across Your Mac

Select any text in any app, then right-click and choose Writing Tools from the context menu. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Command + Shift + W to bring up the Writing Tools panel instantly. This works in Mail, Messages, Notes, Pages, and virtually every third-party app that handles text.

The Writing Tools panel appears as a floating window that stays on top of your other windows. This design lets you see your original text and the suggested changes side by side. You can accept changes, reject them, or try different options until you get the result you want.

For quick proofreading without opening the full panel, you can enable inline suggestions. These appear directly in your text as you type, similar to autocorrect but smarter. You can accept suggestions with a single tap or ignore them completely.

Writing Tools remember your preferences. If you consistently choose professional tone rewrites, the system learns this pattern. Over time, the suggestions become more aligned with how you actually write and communicate.

Making Email Writing Faster

Email takes up a huge chunk of most people's workday. Writing Tools can cut that time significantly. When you're drafting a response in Mail, select your text and choose "Make Professional" to instantly polish your language. This is especially helpful when you're writing quickly and want to make sure you sound polished.

The concise option shrinks wordy emails without losing meaning. This matters more than you might think. Shorter emails get read and responded to faster. People appreciate when you respect their time by getting to the point.

For long email threads, use the summarize function to extract the key information. This creates a brief overview you can reference without scrolling through dozens of messages. You can paste this summary at the top of your reply to show you understood the thread before responding.

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Better Tools for Better Writing

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The keyboard's smart backlighting automatically adjusts as your hands approach, and you can customize lighting through the Logi Options+ app to match your workflow. It connects seamlessly to up to three Mac devices, so you can switch between your MacBook, iMac, and iPad without missing a beat.

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Long writing sessions can strain your wrist, especially when you're constantly selecting text and navigating Writing Tools. The Logitech MX Vertical mouse addresses this with a 57-degree vertical angle that keeps your hand in a natural handshake position.

This ergonomic design reduces wrist pressure and muscular strain by 10% compared to standard mice. The 4000 DPI sensor means you can navigate with minimal hand movement, which cuts down on fatigue during extended editing sessions. Where you can purchase the Logitech MX Vertical (Amazon Affiliate Link): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FNJB8TT?tag=nextlevelmac-20

Rewriting with Different Tones

The tone options in Writing Tools adapt your message to different situations. Friendly tone adds warmth and approachability, perfect for customer service emails or team communications. Professional tone removes casual language and tightens structure for formal contexts.

Concise mode strips unnecessary words while keeping your core message intact. This works especially well for reports, documentation, or any situation where clarity beats personality. The result feels direct without being cold.

You can chain these tools together. Start with a friendly rewrite, then make it concise if the result feels too chatty. Or go professional first, then add back some personality with friendly. The system handles multiple passes without degrading quality.

For creative writing, the rewrite options can help you break through stuck moments. If a paragraph isn't working, let Writing Tools take a pass. You might not use the exact suggestion, but seeing your words rearranged often sparks new ideas.

Summarizing Documents and Research

Summarization shines when you're dealing with long documents, research papers, or meeting notes. Select the full text, choose Writing Tools, and pick either summary or key points. The summary option creates a paragraph-style overview, while key points gives you a bulleted list.

These summaries capture main ideas without including every detail. This makes them useful for quick review before meetings or when deciding whether a longer document deserves your full attention. You can save these summaries in Notes for future reference.

The key points extraction works particularly well with structured content like reports or articles. It identifies the main arguments and supporting evidence, presenting them in a scannable format. This gives you the shape of an argument without reading every word.

For research and learning, try summarizing sections of longer texts as you read them. This active engagement helps retention and creates useful study materials. The summaries become reference points you can return to later.

Creating Tables from Text

The table creation feature converts unstructured text into organized tables. This works when you have information that naturally fits a tabular format but wasn't originally presented that way. Select the text, choose Writing Tools, and pick "Make Table."

The system analyzes the content and determines appropriate columns and rows. You can then copy this table into Pages, Numbers, or any other app that supports tables. This saves the manual work of setting up table structure and populating cells.

This proves especially useful when extracting data from emails or PDFs where information appears as lists or paragraphs. The table format makes comparison and analysis easier. You can spot patterns and relationships that weren't obvious in the original text format.

For project planning, you can brain-dump ideas as free-flowing text, then convert them into a project table with columns for tasks, owners, and deadlines. This bridges the gap between initial brainstorming and structured planning.

Using Writing Tools in Third-Party Apps

Writing Tools work in Slack, Microsoft Word, Google Chrome, Notion, and virtually every Mac app that handles text. The system-wide integration means you're never stuck using Apple's apps to access these features.

In web-based apps like Gmail or Google Docs, select text in the browser and access Writing Tools the same way you would in a native Mac app. The features work identically, though you might notice slight delays depending on your internet connection.

Some apps integrate Writing Tools more deeply than others. Apps that use standard macOS text fields get full functionality. Apps with custom text editing systems still work but might have minor quirks in how suggestions appear.

The universality of Writing Tools changes how you think about where you do your writing. You don't need to copy text into Notes or Pages to access AI assistance. The tools meet you wherever you're working.

Keyboard Shortcuts Speed Everything Up

Learning a few keyboard shortcuts makes Writing Tools nearly invisible in your workflow. Command + Shift + W opens the full Writing Tools panel. If you want inline proofreading suggestions instead, enable that in System Settings under Keyboard.

For quick rewrites without opening the panel, you can set up custom keyboard shortcuts in System Settings. Assign specific shortcuts to your most-used functions like "Make Professional" or "Make Concise." This turns a three-step process into a single keystroke.

The Escape key closes the Writing Tools panel without making changes. Return accepts the current suggestion. Tab cycles through different options. These simple shortcuts keep your hands on the keyboard and maintain flow.

Power users can combine Writing Tools shortcuts with text expansion apps like TextExpander. Create snippets that automatically trigger Writing Tools on specific text patterns. This level of automation turns routine editing into background processes.

Adjusting Writing Tools Settings

Open System Settings and navigate to Apple Intelligence & Siri to find Writing Tools preferences. Here you can enable or disable specific features, choose whether suggestions appear inline or in a panel, and adjust how aggressive the proofreading should be.

The inline suggestions setting determines whether Writing Tools appear as you type or only when you manually invoke them. Inline works well for casual writing but can feel intrusive during creative work. Experiment to find what suits your style.

You can also control whether Writing Tools learn from your writing patterns. Enabling this improves accuracy over time but shares more data with Apple's AI systems. The learning happens on-device and doesn't send your text to external servers.

For specific apps where you never want Writing Tools to appear, you can add them to an exclusion list. This prevents accidental invocations when you're working in code editors or other specialized tools.

Privacy and How Your Text Gets Processed

All Writing Tools processing happens on your Mac. Your text doesn't leave your device, which means faster performance and complete privacy. This on-device approach distinguishes Apple's implementation from cloud-based AI writing assistants.

The AI models run using the Neural Engine in Apple Silicon chips. This dedicated hardware handles language processing without impacting other tasks. Even long documents process in seconds.

Apple doesn't collect your writing samples or use your text to train models. The system learns patterns locally but never phones home with your content. This makes Writing Tools suitable for sensitive work environments where data privacy matters.

For users concerned about AI assistance generally, Writing Tools offer a middle ground. You get intelligent help without trading your privacy. The features remain optional, so you're never forced into using AI if you prefer traditional writing tools.

Practical Workflows Worth Trying

Start your morning by summarizing overnight emails. This gives you a quick overview without reading every message. You can triage urgent items and defer the rest.

When drafting proposals or pitches, write a rough version first without worrying about polish. Then use Writing Tools to refine tone, tighten language, and improve clarity. This two-pass approach separates idea generation from editing.

For meeting prep, pull key points from agenda documents and previous meeting notes. Combine these into a single reference sheet you can keep open during the meeting. This preparation makes discussions more focused.

After meetings, summarize your notes immediately while they're fresh. The summary becomes the record you'll actually read later. Raw notes often sit unused because they're too detailed to be useful.

When Writing Tools Miss the Mark

No AI is perfect. Writing Tools sometimes suggest changes that sound technically correct but miss your intended meaning. Always read suggestions before accepting them. The tool is there to help, not replace your judgment.

For creative writing, tone adjustments can flatten voice. A professional rewrite might remove the personality that makes your writing yours. Use these features selectively, and don't be afraid to reject suggestions that don't serve your goals.

Highly technical or specialized writing sometimes confuses the AI. Medical, legal, or scientific text may generate suggestions that seem odd to experts in those fields. The tool works best with general-purpose writing.

When suggestions feel wrong, trust your instinct. You understand your audience and purpose better than any AI. Use Writing Tools as a starting point for revision rather than accepting every suggestion blindly.

Making Writing Tools Part of Your Flow

The power of Writing Tools comes from integration rather than occasional use. Make checking for proofreading suggestions a habit when finishing emails. Try different tone options when a message feels off. Summarize long documents before diving into details.

These small habits compound over time. You'll find yourself writing more quickly because you know revision tools are available. First drafts can be messier because cleanup takes seconds. Communication becomes more confident because you can easily polish rough language.

Writing Tools work best when you stop thinking about them as separate features and start seeing them as natural extensions of writing itself. They're not replacements for skill but amplifiers for the writing you already do.