How to turn off Siri on iPhone

Fast fix

• Open Settings. Tap Siri & Search to find your voice assistant controls.
• Turn off “Hey Siri.” Toggle Listen for “Hey Siri” to stop voice activation.
• Disable Siri entirely. Switch off Press Side Button for Siri and Allow Siri When Locked.
• Want privacy? Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements, then turn off Improve Siri & Dictation.

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When you think about iPhone® features, Siri’s melodic voice is probably one of the first that comes to mind. However, accidentally triggering it during conversations can become tiresome. You might also feel wary about having your phone constantly listening to everything you say, or want to use plain old text search.

At Asurion, our experts can help make your phone work better for you. If you’re curious about Siri shortcuts or need to set up a new iPhone, we’ve got the answers you’re looking for.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to turn off Siri. And don’t worry—if you miss your handy assistant, you can always switch it back on later.

Turn off “Hey Siri” voice activation

Apple®’s voice assistant settings can be useful when your hands are occupied. Instead of stopping in the middle of a fast cooking session, for instance, you can ask, “Hey Siri, how many sticks of butter are in a cup?”

However, sometimes you may want to stop Siri from listening to everything you say. Maybe it won’t stop chiming in when you’re chatting with your friend, or you’re concerned about Apple eavesdropping on your private conversations.

Here’s how to customize Siri settings:

1. Open Settings and tap Siri & Search.
2. Under Ask Siri, turn off Listen for “Hey Siri.” The button will turn gray when it’s switched off.

Siri will still be active on your phone, but it won’t respond to your voice commands anymore.

Disable Siri access completely

Perhaps you’d prefer to learn how to completely disable Siri.

Follow these steps to disable the Siri voice assistant:

1. Go to Settings > Siri & Search. On newer iOS devices, this option might be called Apple Intelligence & Siri.
2. Toggle off Listen for “Hey Siri,” Press Side Button for Siri, and Allow Siri When Locked.
3. If a confirmation pop-up appears, tap Turn Off Siri to save your changes.

This process completely disables Siri on your iPhone. That means you won’t be able to ask the assistant to set alarms or look up the name of Canada’s prime minister. Instead, you’ll need to handle tasks like these manually.

Turn off Siri on the Lock screen and in suggestions

You might like some of Siri’s features, but you’re not a fan of all of them. Luckily, it’s not an all-or-nothing situation. With a few taps, you can adjust the voice assistant control on your iPhone.

Are you annoyed that Siri keeps talking to you when you’re not even using your phone? You can disable Siri on the Lock screen by tapping Siri & Search, then turning off Allow Siri When Locked. No more robotic voice piping up when your phone isn’t active.

Siri may also pop up to give you suggestions when you’re using other apps. Open an email about a company brunch, for instance, and Siri may ask if you want to add it to your calendar. Or it might offer to give you directions home when you’re leaving an event. Some people love these alerts, but others find them annoying.

Follow these steps to turn off Siri suggestions:

1. After you tap Siri & Search, find Siri Suggestions.
2. Turn off Suggestions in Search, Suggestions in Look Up, and Suggestions on Lock Screen.

If you don’t mind some suggestions, you can disable the assistant for certain apps. For example, you can turn off Siri on AirPods® or disable Siri's reading of messages.

What happens when you turn off Siri on iPhone

Switching off Siri disables voice commands and Siri Shortcuts. Instead of telling your digital assistant to send a quick text to your boss or FaceTime a friend, you’ll need to do everything manually.

Will disabling Siri affect other iPhone features?

Turning off Siri can impact other iPhone® features that rely on voice input. For example, dictation tools may stop working, meaning you’ll need to type your messages or notes manually. Some shortcuts, voice commands, or hands-free functions may also be limited without Siri enabled.

Can I change Siri privacy settings on iPhone?

One of the best iPhone privacy tips is to manage Siri permissions.

1. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security.
2. Tap Analytics & Improvements.
3. Turn off Improve Siri & Dictation.

Can I turn Siri back on later?

Unlike a human assistant, Siri won’t go find another job if you switch it off. You can always switch it back on in the Settings app.