How to turn off voice control on iPhone

Voice Control is a neat accessibility feature that's available on iPhone®. It relies on voice commands rather than physical touch to control software on your phone. But if it activates unintentionally, you might wonder how to turn off Voice Control on iPhone.

Asurion Experts keep your favorite devices running smoothly. Whether you're setting up a new iPhone or checking your iPhone battery life, trust us for clear guidance. Here are a few simple steps to turn Voice Control off on an iPhone.

What is Voice Control on iPhone?

Voice Control responds to your vocal commands to facilitate actions on your iPhone. Using simple phrases, you can open apps, adjust volume, play music, and dictate text without ever touching the iPhone screen.

You may hear people describe Voice Control and Siri® interchangeably. Both tools can do similar things, but Voice Control doesn't require an internet connection. That's different from Siri, which processes voice requests in the cloud.

Also, while Siri only responds when you say "Hey Siri," Voice Control takes action whenever it hears a recognized command. That can be a problem when your iPhone responds to something you say, even if you didn't mean for it to.

How to disable Voice Control via Settings

If you don't want Voice Control on at all, you can disable the feature completely in Settings. Once you do so, Voice Control won't respond to your vocal commands. It also won't turn on when you push the iPhone's side or home button.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Accessibility > Voice Control.
3. Switch the Voice Control button off.

Stop Voice Control from activating with the side or home button

You may like Voice Control but prefer that it not activate when you push the side or home button on your iPhone. To turn off Voice Control on iPhone with buttons, take these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Accessibility > Side Button.
3. For iPhone 8 or earlier, tap Accessibility > Home Button.
4. Locate Press and Hold to Speak. Tap Off.

Troubleshoot if Voice Control keeps turning on

If Voice Control continues to randomly activate after turning it off, take these actions.

Restart your iPhoneA quick restart clears out temporary conflicts and stores the new settings changes you made.

• On the iPhone X or later, press and hold the volume up or down and side button until the slider appears.
• On earlier iPhone models, press and hold the side button until the slider appears.
• Swipe to turn off the iPhone and wait for 30 seconds.
• Press and hold the side button until the Apple® logo appears.

Update iOS to the latest versionCheck for available iOS system updates that fix common issues with Voice Control.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General > Software Update.
3. Follow the on-screen prompts to download and install updates.

Disable "Always listen" featuresSiri and Voice Control are always listening for you to say something they recognize as a command. To turn off listening capabilities, take these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Accessibility > Siri.
3. Switch off Always Listen for Siri and Listen for Atypical Speech.
4. Return to the Settings menu.
5. Tap Siri > Talk to Siri. Tap Off.
6. Switch off Press Side Button for Siri.

Check AccessoriesHeadphones with microphones or remotes may conflict with Voice Control and Siri. Check your headset for signs of visible damage and confirm it's fully plugged into your device. If you spot frayed cables or moisture on your headset, consider replacing it.

FAQ

What's the difference between Voice Control and Siri on iPhone?

Siri is Apple's voice-activated assistant. It can tell you the weather, dictate text messages, and call people in your contacts list on your command. Voice Control offers similar features, but it has a navigational focus for people who prefer or require hands-free control over their device.

How do I stop Voice Control from activating with the side button?

To prevent Voice Control from activating when you push your iPhone's side button, do the following:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Accessibility > Side Button.
3. Locate Press and Hold to Speak. Tap Off.

Will disabling Voice Control affect dictation features?

Disabling Voice Control generally doesn't affect your ability to dictate texts or emails through the keyboard. To verify that the setting is enabled, follow these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General > Keyboard.
3. Switch on Enable Dictation.

If you notice problems dictating texts after turning off Voice Control, check your Dictation mode settings.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Accessibility > Voice Control > Commands.
3. Tap Dictation > Dictation mode.
4. Switch on Enabled.