Siri, Apple’s voice assistant, is a handy feature that can assist you with a wide range of tasks on your iPhone.
From setting reminders to sending messages hands-free, Siri offers convenience at your voice command.
However, there are times when you might prefer to disable Siri altogether.
Whether it’s for privacy reasons, preference for manual control, or simply to conserve battery life, turning off Siri is a straightforward process.
Here’s how you can do it:
Step 1: Access Siri & Search Settings
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on Siri & Search.
Step 2: Turn Off Siri
- Toggle off the Listen for “Hey Siri” switch. This disables the feature where Siri activates upon hearing the phrase “Hey Siri.”
- Next, toggle off Press Side Button for Siri to prevent Siri from being activated when you press and hold the side button (or home button on older models).
Note for older versions, these options may differ, but essentially they’re all the same.
Step 3: Confirm the Change
- A pop-up message will appear, asking if you want to turn off Siri. Tap Turn Off Siri to confirm your decision.
Step 4: Disable Suggestions (Optional)
- To further limit Siri’s presence on your iPhone, you can scroll down in the same Siri & Search settings menu and toggle off Suggestions on Lock Screen, Suggestions in Search, and Suggestions in Look Up. This prevents Siri from providing suggestions based on your activity.
Why Turn Off Siri?
There are many reasons to turn off Siri, for some it’s down to Privacy, for others they may have had a bad experience like an accidental call..
Here are some of the key reasons people turn off Siri:
Privacy Concerns
Disabling Siri can enhance your privacy by preventing Apple from storing your voice interactions.
Some users may feel uncomfortable with the idea of their voice commands being recorded and analysed.
Battery Conservation
Siri’s background listening and processing can consume battery power, especially if “Hey Siri” is enabled. Turning off Siri can help extend your iPhone’s battery life.
This is especially helpful for people who already have a non-maximum capacity battery, due to iOS updates or general wear down.
Preference for Manual Control
Some users prefer manual control over their device’s functions and may find Siri’s proactive suggestions intrusive.
This is another one, where you hear some horror stories of Siri accidentally calling because it might have picked up your voice on your mistake.
Ramifications for the Rest of Your iPhone
When you turn off Siri, you’re not just disabling voice commands; you’re also limiting some other features that rely on Siri’s capabilities:
- Voice Control: If Siri is off, Voice Control will be enabled instead. Voice Control allows basic voice commands for navigation and accessibility features.
- App Integration: Many third-party apps integrate with Siri for voice commands. Disabling Siri will disable these voice command functionalities within those apps.
- Personalization: Siri learns from your interactions to provide personalized suggestions and reminders. Turning off Siri means you won’t benefit from these personalized features.
- Apple Carplay: When you disable Siri, you are unable to use Carplay, as it’s a voice controlled system.
From my expereince, it does make it a bit harder to use the iPhone at full functionality when Siri is off, but if you’re okay with this, then switch it off.
That said, with the new Apple Intelligence, which features AI, voice control is a huge feature that I’m sure will be a core feature in the new iPhone 16‘s with iOS 18.
Conclusion
In the end, Siri is there to serve you, not the other way around. Whether you find it a helpful assistant or a privacy concern, you have the power to choose!
Disabling Siri is a simple process, and you can always bring it back if you miss its features. Important to note, you will have to go through the set-up for Siri again though.
