iOS 17 Photos app deciphers the alien symbols on your clothing tags — here's how

iOS 17 Visual Lookup on clothing tags
(Image credit: Federico Viticci/Mastodon)

Have you ever looked at your clothing tags and scratched your head at the alien-esque symbols on them? I know I have. Is it Cuneiform? Hieroglyphics? 

Well, according to some iOS 17 developer beta screenshots from Federico Viticci, editor of MacStories, the upgraded Visual Look Up perk can now identify and decipher the enigmatic logos that thwart you from understanding how to best wash your clothes.

iOS 17 Visual Look Up gets a useful update

Visual Look Up is getting some cool new features, making it one of the most highly anticipated updates of iOS 17. First introduced in iOS 15, Visual Look Up leverages on-device machine learning to intelligently identify objects in your library, including landmarks, animals, books, works of art, and more.

Last week, thanks to a hawk-eyed Redditor, we discovered that iOS 17 Visual Look Up will allow users to decode the confusing symbols and warning lights that appear on one's car dashboard. 

Now, we're getting more details about iOS 17 Visual Look Up's new capabilities. As mentioned at the outset, you can now use the Photos app to demystify the symbols on your clothing tags.

"This is amazing," Viticci said. "No need for apps that do this; just swipe up on a photo."

iOS 17 Visual Look Up

iOS 17 Visual Look Up (Image credit: Federico Viticci/Mastodon)

The screenshot not only identifies the symbols on the clothing tag, but offers a clear and concise explanation for each one. Thanks to Visual Look Up, Viticci now knows he shouldn't tumble dry nor dry clean, but he's well within his right to iron up to 230 degrees Fahrenheit. Plus, he can wash the article of clothing using a mild process that doesn't exceed 86 degrees Fahrenheit.

According to MacRumors, Visual Look Up taps into the International Organization for Standardization's Online Browsing Platform to regurgitate laundry information for users.

Apple is poised to release iOS 17 to the public at large in September alongside the release of the new iPhone 15 line.

Kimberly Gedeon

Kimberly Gedeon, holding a Master's degree in International Journalism, launched her career as a journalist for MadameNoire's business beat in 2013. She loved translating stuffy stories about the economy, personal finance and investing into digestible, easy-to-understand, entertaining stories for young women of color. During her time on the business beat, she discovered her passion for tech as she dove into articles about tech entrepreneurship, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and the latest tablets. After eight years of freelancing, dabbling in a myriad of beats, she's finally found a home at Laptop Mag that accepts her as the crypto-addicted, virtual reality-loving, investing-focused, tech-fascinated nerd she is. Woot!