You can disable Siri on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, but the steps differ by device and what you want to turn off
Siri is Apple's voice assistant, and it's turned on by default. You can disable it entirely, or just turn off the specific ways it activates — like responding to "Hey Siri" or the side button. Most people want to stop Siri from listening all the time rather than delete it completely, which is why Apple lets you pick which activation methods to keep.
The reason to disable Siri usually comes down to privacy or accidental activation. If you don't use voice commands, or if Siri keeps activating when you don't mean it to, turning it off stops Apple's servers from processing what you say. This guide covers how to do that on each device type.
Key Takeaways
- On iPhone and iPad, go to Settings > Siri & Search and toggle off "Listen for 'Hey Siri'" and "Press Side Button for Siri" to stop Siri from activating.
- On Mac, open System Settings > Siri & Spotlight and uncheck "Enable Ask Siri" to turn off voice activation entirely.
- Disabling Siri does not delete it — you can turn it back on the same way if you change your mind.
- If you only want to stop "Hey Siri" listening but keep the button activation, you can toggle those settings separately.
Disable Siri on iPhone and iPad
On iPhone and iPad, Siri can activate in two ways: by saying "Hey Siri" or by pressing and holding the side button (or home button on older models). You can turn off either one or both.
To turn off "Hey Siri": Open Settings, tap Siri & Search, then toggle off Listen for "Hey Siri". Your device will ask you to confirm. After this, saying "Hey Siri" will not activate the assistant.
To turn off the side button: In the same Siri & Search menu, toggle off Press Side Button for Siri. Now holding the side button will not open Siri. (On older iPhones with a home button, this setting is called Press Home for Siri.)
If you turn off both, Siri will not respond to voice or button activation, but the app still exists on your device. You can re-enable it anytime by going back to Settings and toggling these options back on.
Disable Siri on Mac
On Mac, Siri activates when you click the Siri icon in the menu bar, press Command+Space, or say "Hey Siri" if that's turned on. To disable voice activation entirely, open System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions), then click Siri & Spotlight.
Uncheck the box next to Enable Ask Siri. This turns off all voice activation and removes the Siri icon from your menu bar. The Siri app itself remains on your Mac, but it will not listen for voice commands or respond to the keyboard shortcut.
If you want to keep Siri but just stop it from listening to "Hey Siri", uncheck Listen for "Hey Siri" instead. This keeps the menu bar icon and Command+Space shortcut active, but Siri will not respond to voice.
What happens when you disable Siri
When you turn off Siri's activation methods, your device stops sending audio to Apple's servers for processing. This means Apple does not receive or store recordings of what you say. If you were concerned about privacy or data collection, disabling Siri addresses that directly.
Disabling Siri does not affect other Apple features. Spotlight search, dictation, and other voice features on your device continue to work normally. You can still use Siri in specific apps that have their own voice controls — for example, Maps or Music — because those apps handle voice input separately.
Turn Siri back on if you change your mind
Disabling Siri is completely reversible. Go back to the same settings menu where you turned it off, and toggle the options back on. There is no waiting period or re-setup required — Siri will be active again immediately.
If you want to test whether Siri is truly off, try saying "Hey Siri" or pressing the side button. If nothing happens, the setting worked. If Siri still responds, double-check that you toggled the correct option in Settings.
Troubleshooting: Siri still activates after you disabled it
If Siri keeps responding even after you turned it off, the most common cause is that you toggled the wrong setting. Go back to Settings > Siri & Search (iPhone/iPad) or System Settings > Siri & Spotlight (Mac) and verify that both activation methods are actually toggled off. Sometimes the change takes a few seconds to register.
On iPhone and iPad, also check Settings > Accessibility > Siri to make sure Siri is not enabled there as a separate accessibility feature. On Mac, if you use an Apple Watch paired to your Mac, Siri might still activate through the watch even if it is disabled on the Mac itself — you would need to disable it on the watch too.
If you recently updated your device, settings sometimes reset. After a major iOS, iPadOS, or macOS update, check your Siri settings again to confirm they are still the way you left them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does disabling Siri delete it from my device?
No. Disabling Siri turns off its activation methods, but the app remains on your device. You can turn it back on anytime through the same settings menu. If you want to fully remove Siri, that is not possible on most Apple devices — it is a built-in system feature.
Will disabling Siri affect Spotlight search?
No. Spotlight search works independently of Siri. Turning off Siri does not change how Spotlight functions or how you search your device.
Can I disable "Hey Siri" but keep the button activation?
Yes. In Siri & Search settings, toggle off only Listen for "Hey Siri" and leave Press Side Button for Siri on. Now you can still activate Siri by holding the side button, but voice activation is off.
Does Apple still collect data if Siri is disabled?
When Siri's activation methods are off, your device does not send audio to Apple's servers for Siri processing. However, other data collection (like app usage, location, or iCloud activity) continues normally depending on your other privacy settings.
What if I disabled Siri and forgot how to turn it back on?
Open Settings > Siri & Search on iPhone or iPad, or System Settings > Siri & Spotlight on Mac. Toggle Listen for "Hey Siri" or Enable Ask Siri back on. If you cannot find these menus, search for "Siri" in Settings and it will take you directly to the right page.