How to summarize documents, websites, and texts with ease: 8 methods found

Even avid readers can’t help but roll their eyes when faced with recurring walls of text. So, instead of wasting time and energy, I suggest you generate summaries of texts using leading tools designed to summarize articles, emails, and whatever else you need with impressive accuracy and speed. 

If you’re feeling guilty about wanting to summarize long documents, don’t be! With today’s digital age speeding everything up, it’s more important now than ever to optimize operations big and small. Focus on what matters and join me in exploring the best summarize tools on Mac and iPhone. 

How to use the summarize tool on macOS

The built-in summarize feature on Mac has been part of macOS for years. This native tool allows you to extract summaries from large bodies of text with just a few clicks. Here’s how to get started.

Step 1: Enable the Summarize tool

By default, the summarize tool is not visible. To enable it:

1. Open System Settings on your Mac.
2. Scroll down the left-hand side tab and select Keyboard. 
3. Click on Keyboard Shortcuts > Services. 
4. Scroll through the list to find Summarize and select it.

This enables the Summarize option in apps like Safari, TextEdit, and Mail, making it accessible anytime you need it.

Step 2: How to summarize text on Mac

Now that you enable Summarize, follow the next steps:

1. Highlight the text you want to summarize in an app like Safari, Mail, or TextEdit.
2. Right-click or access the menu bar to choose Services > Summarize.
3. A new window will appear, showing a condensed version of the selected text.
4. Use the slider to adjust the summary length to your preference — shorter for key points or longer for more context.

Summarize text on iOS 18.1

In October 2024, Apple introduced Writing Tools, available in iOS 18.1 or later on iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. The tool lets you rewrite, proofread, and summarize text almost anywhere you write, such as in Mail, Notes, Pages, and various third-party applications. When you turn on Apple Intelligence, summary options let you skip the waffle and organize text into tables or bullet points. Here is how you access the Summarize text tool. 

Note: You can use Apple Intelligence if you have iOS 18.1 or later on any of the iPhone 16 models, as well as the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. To check if it works on your device and language, take a look at the Apple Support article about Apple Intelligence requirements.

Once Writing Tools are enabled, summarizing text is simple:

1. Select the text to summarize > Select Writing Tools.
2. Summarize the text in the way you prefer from the options, i.e., summarize, table, list. 
3. A concise summary will appear in a pop-up window.
4. You can copy the summary, replace it (if editable), or share it using the prompts. 

Limitations of Apple Intelligence's summarize tools

Apple Intelligence treats us to some exciting new features like description-based file search, ChatGPT integration, and, of course, Writing Tools, but there are some limitations. First off, Apple Intelligence's summarize option only works in select apps. There’s also no PDF integration, which can be a big blow to those in creative and technical fields who deal with hefty PDFs on a regular basis. 

I should also mention that while Apple Intelligence is still relatively new to the scene, some users have pointed out that the Summarize tool isn’t 100% reliable. Therefore, the Apple summarize tool is best suited for refining already clear and well-structured text. 

Avoid missing important information by putting time aside to read each sentence or using consistent summary generator tools specialized in capturing every last detail, no matter how the text is presented. 

Are there alternatives to summarizing long documents?

While the built-in summarize feature on Mac is helpful, it may not meet everyone’s needs. Fortunately, third-party apps offer more flexibility and functionality. Here’s a comparison of some of the best options:

Let’s compare!	Platform	Superpowers	Best for	Limitations
Summarize (macOS)	iOS, macOS	Quick summaries in various apps, webpages, and documents. Has integration with macOS for easy use.	Quick summaries in Safari or Mail	Not compatible with PDFs or Google Docs; Limited to iOS and device versions
Craft’s AI assistant	macOS, iOS, Web	Multi-platform support with advanced note and summary organization.	Summarizing and organizing notes and docs	Basic for advanced users
BoltAI	macOS	Deep analysis for refining complex insights.	Extracting insights from PDFs and long reports	Limited to Mac
Elephas	macOS, iOS	Cross-platform compatibility; powerful text summarisation across devices.	Cross-platform text summarization; Prompt library	Limited offline functionality
TypingMind	macOS	ChatGPT-powered summaries focus on handling long volumes of text.	Vast customization options	Limited to Mac
Grammarly Summary	Web	Real-time text correction and improvement; accessible through the web for easy use.	Quick and free summaries online	Requires an internet connection
Plus	macOS	Visual data representation integrates well with other macOS apps.	Great for visual summaries	Limited to macOS
Spark Mail’s AI assistant	macOS, iOS	Email-focused AI management and summarizing capabilities.	Quick email summaries	Limited usability outside of emails

Also, check out how to improve focus and minimize distractions with the right writing apps for Mac.

Best AI summarizers for Mac and iOS

With so many tools to choose from, how do you know which one is best? Here is a quick guide on what tool I personally recommend based on the user experience.

Elephas — your AI assistant with summaries

Elephas is an AI-powered assistant that integrates seamlessly across macOS and iOS. It can summarize emails, articles, and even complex documents like PDFs.

Pros: 

• Integrates with popular apps
• Offers customizable summaries.

Cons: 

• May seem limited for advanced users 
• Summaries are on the macOS version only 

Pricing: Available on Setapp from $9.99.

Craft — AI assistant on the go

Craft’s AI Assistant combines note-taking with AI summarization, making it ideal for students and professionals who need to organize their thoughts. With the AI assistant, you can specify how it summarizes, which I find really useful. Instead of a basic summarize tool on Mac, you can customize what to focus on and how it is presented. 

Pros: 

• Supports multiple platforms
• User-friendly interface

Cons: 

• Limited offline capabilities
• Limited in advanced features

Pricing: Available on Setapp from $9.99

BoltAI — summaries for everything 

BoltAI is designed to summarize on Mac, whether it be detailed texts or research papers and PDFs. It’s a favorite among academics and business users.

Pros: 

• Handles complex documents
• Provides key takeaways

Cons: 

• macOS version only
• Dependency on external AI APIs

Pricing: Available on Setapp from $9.99

TypingMind — simple summaries for complex text 

A ChatGPT-based tool, TypingMind, is really useful as a summary generator through conversational AI. It’ll be a good choice for macOS users, particularly those who need powerful, AI-driven text refining on large volumes of text with complex information. 

Pros:

• Intuitive and offers detailed summaries
• Personal prompt library

Cons: 

• OpenAI API key for full functionality
• macOS version only

Pricing: Available on Setapp from $9.99

Grammarly — free online summarizing tool

Grammarly’s free tool is ideal for quick summaries of online articles and text. It’s ideal for students and professionals who often work online and need text summaries directly in their web browser. 

Pros: 

• Accessible on any device
• No app required

Cons: 

• Character cap of 3000
• No advanced options available

Pricing: Free

However, if you want to learn how to summarize an article on Mac, you’re better off using a different tool.

Plus

Plus is a macOS-exclusive app designed to streamline workflows by creating visual summaries and tracking data from multiple sources. This summarize tool for Mac is great for professionals. It makes things easier by pulling out key information and putting it all together in a way that’s simple to understand. Basically, if you’re having a hard time getting the gist of a text, the app will break it down for you.

Pros: 

• Excellent for visual summaries
• Integrates seamlessly with macOS apps.

Cons:

• Limited to Mac users
• May not suit those looking for purely textual summaries

Pricing: Available on Setapp from $9.99

Spark Mail’s AI assistant

Specialized for emails, Spark Mail’s AI assistant helps condense long threads into actionable summaries. Spark Mail can help you create drafts, summarize your ideas, or rephrase your text. Whether you need to make something longer or shorter, proofread drafts, or change the tone to be friendlier or more formal, it’s pretty handy.

Pros: 

• Efficient email summarization
• Integrates well with iOS and macOS

Cons: 

• Focused on email summaries
• Limited function outside of email management

Pricing: Available on Setapp from $9.99

Find the right summarize tool for your needs

From Apple’s built-in summarize tools to advanced third-party apps like Plus, TypingMind, and BoltAI, you can squeeze the important parts of any text document in seconds. 

To generate summaries of texts on the go (as long as they are small chunks), Grammarly’s AI summary tool is a good option. However, complicated documents will need a bit more oomph to digest, so I recommend apps like Craft or Elephas. Or, if you’re like me and spend a lot of time writing and reading emails, Spark Mail is a brilliant tool to have on hand.

All of these powerful apps can be yours with just one subscription. Check out Setapp’s 7-day free trial and have a full reign of over 250 apps that cover everything you could possibly want to make using Apple devices easier and more enjoyable.