How to turn on and activate Siri on iPhone

Siri is an intelligent assistant that’s built into your iPhone to help you get answers, find what you need, and get things done.

Siri needs to be on before you can use it. To ask a question or make a request, you then activate Siri with your voice or with the buttons on iPhone. Siri also needs an internet connection. There’s also Siri AI (Beta) to try, the new version of Siri powered by Apple Intelligence.

Note: Siri is designed to protect your information and to let you choose what you share.

Turn on Siri

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

1. Start the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Tap Siri.
3. Tap Turn On Siri and then follow the onscreen instructions.

Quick tip: Tap Try Siri AI (Beta)* to get Siri AI, the new version of Siri powered by Apple Intelligence on iOS 27 or later.

Activate Siri and make requests

After you turn on Siri, there’s one more step: activate it before you ask a question or make a request.

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

1. Activate Siri by doing one of the following:
   • Use your voice: Say “Siri” or “Hey Siri.” This option is only available if “Siri” or “Hey Siri” is turned on.
   • Use the buttons on iPhone: Press and hold the side button on an iPhone with Face ID, or press and hold the Home button on an iPhone with a Home button.

     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.

   • Use headphones connected to your iPhone: Press and hold the center or call button on your EarPods.

   If you have Siri AI, you can also activate Siri by doing one of the following:

   • Use the Dynamic Island on iPhone: Swipe down from the top of the screen.
   • Use the shortcut menus on iPhone: Touch and hold something on your iPhone screen—a file or a photo, for example—then choose Ask Siri from the pop-up menu.
   • Use Siri mode in Camera on iPhone: Open Camera on your iPhone, tap Siri, then tap the Ask button, or click and hold the Camera Control on your iPhone.
   • Take a screenshot on iPhone: Quickly press and release the side button and the volume up button at the same time to take a screenshot, then tap the Ask button to ask a question, the Search button to search, or an action that appears in the middle.
2. Ask Siri a question or make a request.

Turn off Siri

1. Start the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Tap Siri.
3. Tap Turn Off Siri at the bottom and then tap Turn Off Siri.
4. If you have Siri AI, but want to use the previous version of Siri, tap Turn On Siri. Tap Use Siri Classic.

*Apple Intelligence is available with Siri and device language set to Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, or Vietnamese. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. Some devices may not be available in all regions. Siri AI is available in beta in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27 and requires an Apple Intelligence–enabled device set to a supported language. Available in English to start. Siri AI will not be initially available in the EU on iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS. Certain Apple Intelligence features that rely on server-side models are subject to daily usage limits, including but not limited to Siri AI, Intelligent Photo Editing Tools, Image Playground, and AFM 3 Cloud models in Shortcuts. Daily limits may vary by feature, request complexity, system demand, system policies, and other factors. Expanded access to such features will be available for a fee in the future. Use of these features is subject to the Apple Intelligence Terms and Conditions.