Can you use AI inside Safari on iPhone?
Yes. Safari on iPhone runs extensions, and an AI extension can read the page you have open and answer questions about it, right there, with no copying and pasting. I make one called ContextFlow. Here's what it does, how to turn it on, and where it falls short.
What it does with the page you're reading
- Tap the ✦ button on any page. It floats at the edge of the screen on iPhone and iPad.
- Pick Summarize, Key takeaways, Explain or Translate, or type your own question: “What's the catch?”, “Is this source reliable?”, “What do I do next?”
- Select a paragraph first, and the answer is about that part only.
- The answer is about the page you're on. You don't copy anything or switch apps.
It keeps what you read, not just what you asked
This is the part I use most. A chat isn't stuck to one page. It carries on as you go from page to page, and it keeps three things together:
- The pages you read in it. Each chat lists its pages; tap one to go back to it.
- The answers you asked for.
- Your own notes. Swipe the send button up or down and it turns into “Save note”. A note stays in the chat next to its page and uses no answers.
So a chat ends up as your notes and your browsing history on one topic, in one place. Pin the chats you come back to, and rename them. Turn on “Sync chats with iCloud” and the same chat is on your iPad and Mac too. More on this in keeping notes while you read.
How to turn it on
On Mac: Safari → Settings → Extensions, tick ContextFlow, then click its icon in the toolbar or press Control-Shift-E.
Where it falls short
- Safari doesn't let extensions read some pages, like the start page and App Store pages. You can still ask general questions there.
- It lives in Safari. If you browse in Chrome on your iPhone, it won't be there.
- Answers come from an AI model online, so it needs a connection. And AI can be wrong: check anything important.
- It's free to start. If you ask a lot, you'll want Pro, which gives you more answers, and deeper ones.
If all you want is the gist of an article, Safari's own summary may be enough. I compared the options honestly in Safari's summary vs ChatGPT vs an extension.
Privacy, briefly
- No account and no sign-up.
- A page is read only when you ask about it. Page text isn't stored on my server.
- Chats stay on your devices. iCloud sync is end-to-end encrypted. Details are in the Privacy Policy.
Questions
Does it work on iPad and Mac too?
Yes. On iPad it's the same floating button as on iPhone. On Mac it's a sidebar that opens from the toolbar or with Control-Shift-E. A subscription works on every device signed in to the same Apple Account.
Do I need an account?
No. There's no sign-up. It works as soon as you turn the extension on in Safari.
Does it work in Chrome on iPhone?
No. ContextFlow is a Safari extension, so it's there when you browse in Safari.
Is it free?
It's free to download and to start, and notes are free. If you ask a lot, Pro gives you more answers, and deeper ones.