Getting started with LabelAI

LabelAI labels AI-generated and AI-modified images for Article 50 of the EU AI Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689), whose transparency obligations apply since 2 August 2026. The app follows the European Commission's Code of Practice on marking and labelling of AI-generated content. It adds a visible label and writes matching machine-readable information into the file.

This guide walks through one complete labelling: import, classification, placement, the options of LabelAI Pro, export and verification.

Availability: LabelAI 1.0 is on the App Store for iPhone, iPad and Mac: https://apps.apple.com/app/id6814166427. The app is free; LabelAI Pro is an optional one-time in-app purchase with no subscription.

LabelAI is not a service of the European Union, and neither the app nor this guide is legal advice.

What you need

an iPhone or iPad with iOS 26 or iPadOS 26 or later, or a Mac with macOS 26 or later
on the Mac, Apple silicon or Intel
the images you want to label

No account is required. Images are processed on your device.

1. Import images

Open the Label section. You can add images in several ways:

choose files from Files or a whole folder
pick images from the Photos library through the system picker
drag and drop images into the app

You can work on a single image or on a batch. Every export creates a new file, unless you choose "Replace Originals": then, after a confirmation, the labelled version takes the place of the original file. For images from the Photos library, the labelled version is saved as an edit in Photos, which keeps the original so you can revert to it.

2. Choose the classification

Every image needs one of two classifications:

AI generated for images created by an AI system
AI modified for images that were changed with an AI system

If an image already carries AI hints, LabelAI presets the classification. It looks for an IPTC Digital Source Type, the presence of a C2PA manifest and known generator names in the metadata. The preset is a suggestion. Check it and change it if it does not fit; the decision is yours.

If you are unsure, the labelling assistant asks three questions and suggests a classification. The Knowledge section explains the legal background in plain language.

Optionally enter the AI system, its version and prompt information. These are written into the file only if you enter them, and they travel with the file when you share it. You can also add alt text for screen readers.

3. Place the label

The app uses the official EU icons AI GENERATED, AI MODIFIED or the basic AI icon, drawn from the Commission's original vector files. Their proportions are never changed.

In the free version the label uses the standard size and position: top right, 6 % of the image height, 3 % distance. This matches the example in the Code of Practice.

The app handles contrast and legibility for you:

it chooses the black or white variant automatically for the best contrast
it warns when the contrast falls below 4.5:1
it keeps a minimum size so the label stays legible

Under Appearance you can add the short note What was modified? under the icon.

Custom labels

Instead of the EU icon you can use your own label after confirming a liability notice. Custom labels are used at your own risk, without liability of the provider. The app checks that the label contains the acronym AI, and it checks contrast and text length.

4. Options with LabelAI Pro

LabelAI Pro is one non-consumable in-app purchase for iPhone, iPad and Mac, with Family Sharing and no subscription. It adds:

free size, distance and position of the AI label
margin mode, which places the label in a band next to the image, useful for evidently artistic works
moving the label by dragging
your own watermark as text or logo
an adjustable label background opacity from 30 to 100 %

Your own watermark is always kept clear of the AI label. If the two would overlap, the watermark is moved automatically or left out.

5. Export

Choose where the labelled images go:

to a folder
to the Photos library, for which the app asks only for permission to add images
through the share sheet

When exporting you can remove location data. Other existing camera metadata is kept. The exported file contains:

the visible label
the IPTC Digital Source Type, trainedAlgorithmicMedia for generated or compositeWithTrainedAlgorithmicMedia for modified images
the AI system, version and prompt information, if you entered them
alt text, if you entered it
an own XMP record with a timestamp and an ECDSA P-256 signature over the image and its marking

If you switch off the visible label, the file carries only this machine-readable marking.

The signature is made with a key stored in your device's keychain. It shows that the image and its marking have not changed since labelling; metadata that apps such as Photos add later does not affect it. It does not prove who made the image and is not a C2PA certificate.

LabelAI does not add an invisible watermark and does not write C2PA manifests. If an image already has a C2PA manifest, changing its pixels makes that manifest invalid. The app warns you about this.

Each labelling is recorded in the Log, which is stored only on your device. You can export the log as CSV or JSON for your internal documentation.

6. Verify

Open the Verify section and add any image, labelled by LabelAI or not. The app shows:

the marking found in the file
the signature status
whether a C2PA manifest is present

If the signature no longer matches, the image or its marking was changed after labelling. Label the current version again if needed.

Save your settings as presets

Presets holds ready-made settings that you apply in one step. With LabelAI Pro you can also save your own classification and appearance as a preset and apply it to the next batch.

Privacy when asking for support

Images are processed on your device. LabelAI has no account and no Corebird server and contacts Apple only for purchases through StoreKit.

For a technical support request, include:

device, system version and LabelAI version
which section is affected: Label, Verify, Presets, Log or Knowledge
the image format and whether the problem also occurs with a neutral test image
the exact message or visible result

Do not send confidential images, prompts or logs unless they are necessary and you are authorised to share them.

[Open a support ticket] [LabelAI privacy policy]