Apple is enhancing its AI-powered Image Playground with ChatGPT integration, introducing new styles such as Oil Painting, Vector, Anime, Print, and Watercolor, as well as an "Any Style" option that allows users to describe exactly what they want, addressing previous limitations and positioning the tool as a more competitive AI image generator.
The integration brings five distinct ChatGPT-powered styles to Image Playground in iOS 26: Anime (for manga-style portraits and fan art), Oil Painting (Renaissance-like transformations), Watercolor (ideal for enhancing sketches), Vector (perfect for logos and infographics), and Print (offering a retro or magazine-style look).12 Unlike Apple's default styles which are processed on-device, these ChatGPT options require sending your prompts to OpenAI's servers, with a warning displayed before sharing.1 Free users may be limited to generating only one or two images per day unless they opt for a paid ChatGPT subscription, while Apple's native styles remain unlimited.2
To create images with these new styles, users simply open the Playground app, tap "New Image," select "Style," choose "ChatGPT," and pick from the available options.2 The "Any Style" feature offers even more flexibility, allowing users to add specific descriptors or request realistic images—similar to the open-ended prompting available directly in ChatGPT 4o.34 This significantly expands Image Playground's creative potential beyond the more limited Apple-created Animation, Illustration, and Sketch styles that were previously available.35
Among the new ChatGPT-powered styles in Image Playground, the Oil Painting and Watercolor options stand out for their artistic versatility. The Oil Painting style transforms photos into timeless artwork with rich textures and depth, similar to traditional oil paintings that have been popular on social media platforms.12 This style offers a Renaissance-like quality that adds dramatic flair to portraits and landscapes.
The Watercolor style, meanwhile, provides a softer, more delicate aesthetic with transparent color washes and subtle blending effects.23 Both styles complement Apple's existing offerings while providing significantly different artistic results than the Animation and Illustration options. Users can further customize these styles through the "Any Style" feature, allowing for specific descriptors like "impressionist oil painting" or "Japanese watercolor landscape" to refine the artistic direction of their creations.2
The "Any Style" option represents Image Playground's most flexible feature, allowing users to describe exactly the artistic style they want beyond the preset options. Unlike the fixed styles, this feature lets you create custom prompts like "cyberpunk neon," "pencil sketch," or "stained glass window effect" to guide the AI's output.1 This open-ended approach mirrors the functionality of dedicated AI art platforms while maintaining Apple's user-friendly interface.
When using custom style descriptions, specificity yields better results. For example, instead of simply requesting "realistic," users can specify "photorealistic portrait with dramatic lighting" or "vintage Polaroid photograph."23 The system works best when given a primary subject (typically people or animals) and clear stylistic direction.1 While the feature occasionally produces unexpected results—Apple even acknowledges this with a "Beta: Image Playground may create unexpected results" disclaimer—it significantly expands creative possibilities beyond the app's original limitations.3