Apple is developing Apple Reference Image, a photo provenance system that will verify if an image was captured with an iPhone. The feature appears in a privacy disclosure for iOS 27 beta 5, and a Reference mode option will be added to the Camera app, embedding provenance data in the image’s metadata.

When enabled, the mode will embed sensor signatures, capture time frame, and unique hardware IDs that are sent to Apple’s Private Cloud Compute (PCC) servers. PCC authenticates the photo by confirming the camera source, assigns a unique ID, and returns an authenticated version while the raw image is not transmitted. Apple can refuse authentication for compromised sensors and may revoke past authentications.

Authenticated photos can be viewed on iPhone, iPad, or Mac, and the Reference badge can be tapped on a Mac. The feature targets professional photographers, journalists, and others needing verified images, and may also support video. It provides hardware‑backed evidence that an image came from a physical sensor, a useful countermeasure as AI‑generated images become more common.

Apple’s approach mirrors C2PA Content Credentials used by Leica, Sony, Nikon, and Google’s Pixel 10, which also embed provenance metadata. This system aims to give users confidence in image authenticity amid rising AI‑generated content.