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iPhone User Guide

Turn on and activate Siri on iPhone

Siri is an intelligent assistant that’s built into your iPhone to help you get things done.

Note: Siri is designed to protect your information and to let you choose what you share. To learn more, see the Siri, Dictation & Privacy website and the Improve Siri and Dictation & Privacy website.

Turn on Siri

Siri needs to be turned on before you can use it to get information. If you didn’t set up Siri when you first set up your iPhone, do the following:

  1. Go to the Settings app 👁 Image
     on your iPhone.

  2. Tap Siri (or Apple Intelligence & Siri), then tap Talk to Siri.

  3. Choose one of the following:

    • “Siri” or “Hey Siri”: iPhone listens for “Siri” or “Hey Siri” at the beginning of requests.

      Note: The option to say just “Siri” is available on supported iPhone models in some languages and regions. To check whether “Hey Siri” or “Siri” is available for your device and language, see the iOS and iPadOS Feature Availability website.

    • “Hey Siri”: iPhone listens for “Hey Siri” at the beginning of requests.

    To activate Siri with the side button, turn on Press Side Button for Siri.

To change additional Siri settings, see Change Siri settings.

Activate Siri

After you turn on Siri, you need to activate it, then ask a question or make a request.

Note: You must be connected to the internet to use Siri.

  1. Do one of the following:

    • With your voice: Say “Siri” or “Hey Siri.”

    • On an iPhone with Face ID: Press and hold the side button.

    • On an iPhone with a Home button: Press and hold the Home button.

    • With EarPods: Press and hold the center or call button.

    • With CarPlay: Press and hold the voice command button on the steering wheel, or touch and hold the Home button on the CarPlay Home Screen. See Use Siri in your car.

    • With Siri Eyes Free: Press and hold the voice command button on your steering wheel.

  2. Ask a question or make a request—for example, say something like “What’s 18 percent of 225?” or “Set the timer for 3 minutes.”

    Tip: To change how long Siri waits for you to finish speaking, go to the Settings app 👁 Image
    ,     tap Accessibility, tap Siri, then choose Default, Longer, or Longest below Siri Pause Time.

When you activate Siri with a button, Siri responds silently when iPhone is in Silent mode. When Silent mode is off, Siri responds out loud. When you activate Siri with your voice, Siri responds out loud. To change this behavior, see Change how Siri responds.

You can also activate Siri with a touch or your voice on supported AirPods. See Set up Siri in the AirPods User Guide.

Tip: To prevent iPhone from responding to “Siri” or “Hey Siri,” place your iPhone face down, or go to the Settings app 👁 Image
, tap Siri (or Apple Intelligence & Siri), tap Talk to Siri (or Talk & Type to Siri), then choose Off.

Make back-to-back requests

After you activate Siri, you can make follow-up requests without reactivating it (not available in all countries or regions).

  1. Activate Siri, then make a request.

  2. Immediately after you make the request, make another one.

    For example, say “Hey Siri, what’s the weather like in San Francisco? What about Cupertino?”

To override a request, interrupt Siri while Siri is speaking.

Make a correction if Siri misunderstands you

  • While making back-to-back requests: Repeat your request in a different way.

  • If you aren’t making back-to-back requests: Tap 👁 the Listen button
    ,     then repeat your request in a different way.

  • Spell out part of your request: Tap 👁 the Listen button
    ,     then repeat your request by spelling out any words that Siri didn’t understand. For example, say “Call,” then spell the person’s name.

  • Change a message before sending it: Say “Change it.”

  • Edit your request with text: If you see your request onscreen, you can edit it. Tap the request, then use the onscreen keyboard.

Tip: To correct your request without reactivating Siri, make the corrected request immediately after the original one. (Available on supported iPhone models in some countries and regions.)

Type instead of speaking to Siri

If you don’t have Apple Intelligence turned on, you can turn on Type to Siri in Accessibility settings.

  1. Go to the Settings app 👁 Image
     on your iPhone.

  2. Tap Accessibility, tap Siri, then turn on Type to Siri.

  3. To type a request, activate Siri, then use the keyboard and text field to ask a question or make a request.

Note: To type to Siri with Apple Intelligence, see Type to Siri.

Turn off Siri

  1. Go to the Settings app 👁 Image
     on your iPhone.

  2. Tap Siri (or Apple Intelligence & Siri), then tap Talk to Siri (or Talk & Type to Siri).

  3. Tap Off, then turn off Press Side Button for Siri.

If Siri doesn’t work as expected on your iPhone, see the Apple Support article If Siri isn't working on your iPhone or iPad.

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