You can disable Siri and other voice features through Settings
Voice commands on iPhone are controlled through a few different settings depending on which feature you want to turn off. Siri is the main voice assistant, but you can also disable voice control on the lock screen, voice feedback, and dictation. Most people disable Siri by turning it off in Settings, though you can also remove it from the home screen or lock screen if you want to keep it installed but harder to access.
The steps differ slightly depending on whether you want to disable Siri entirely, prevent it from working on your lock screen, or just stop it from listening for the "Hey Siri" voice trigger. This guide covers all three approaches.
Key Takeaways
- Open Settings, tap Siri & Search, and toggle off "Listen for 'Hey Siri'" to stop voice activation without fully disabling Siri.
- To disable Siri completely, turn off "Press Side Button for Siri" or "Press Home for Siri" depending on your iPhone model.
- You can prevent Siri from working on your lock screen by opening Settings, tapping Face ID or Touch ID, scrolling to Siri, and toggling it off.
- Dictation (the microphone button on your keyboard) works separately from Siri and can be disabled in Settings under Keyboard.
How to turn off "Hey Siri" voice activation
The quickest way to stop Siri from listening for your voice is to disable the "Hey Siri" trigger. This keeps Siri installed but prevents it from waking up when you say the phrase. Open Settings, scroll down and tap Siri & Search, then toggle off the switch next to "Listen for 'Hey Siri'". You will see a confirmation message asking if you want to turn it off — tap "Turn Off Siri" to confirm.
After you do this, Siri will no longer respond to the "Hey Siri" phrase, but you can still activate it by pressing and holding the side button (on newer iPhones) or the home button (on older models). If you also want to disable those physical button activations, follow the next section.
How to fully disable Siri
To turn off Siri completely, you need to disable both voice activation and button activation. Start in Settings and tap Siri & Search. Toggle off "Listen for 'Hey Siri'" first, then scroll down and toggle off "Press Side Button for Siri" (iPhone X and newer) or "Press Home for Siri" (iPhone 8 and earlier). On some older models, you may see "Press and Hold to Speak" instead.
Once both toggles are off, Siri will not respond to voice commands or button presses. The Siri app will still exist on your phone, but it will not activate. If you want to remove the Siri icon from your home screen entirely, you can do that separately by long-pressing the Siri icon and selecting "Remove App", though this is optional.
How to disable Siri on your lock screen
You may want to keep Siri active on your home screen but prevent it from working when your phone is locked. Open Settings and tap Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode on older models). Scroll down to the section labeled "Allow Access When Locked" and toggle off the switch next to Siri. You will need to enter your passcode to confirm this change.
After this, Siri will not respond to voice commands or button presses while your phone is locked, even if you have enabled it elsewhere in Settings. This is useful if you want to prevent someone from using Siri to access your information without unlocking your phone.
How to turn off dictation on your keyboard
Dictation is the microphone button that appears on your keyboard when you are typing. It works separately from Siri and can be disabled independently. Open Settings, scroll down and tap Keyboard, then toggle off Enable Dictation. The microphone button will disappear from your keyboard immediately.
If you only want to hide the dictation button but keep the feature available, you can toggle off "Dictation" under Settings > Keyboard > Dictation Languages instead. This removes the button from view but keeps the feature active if you need it later.
What happens when you disable voice features
Disabling Siri does not affect other voice features like voice calls, voice memos, or voice messages. You can still make phone calls, record voice memos in the Voice Memos app, and send voice messages through Messages or other apps. Only the Siri voice assistant and dictation keyboard feature are affected by these settings.
If you change your mind later, you can re-enable any of these features by returning to the same Settings screens and toggling the switches back on. There is no penalty for turning features off and on — your data and settings will remain unchanged.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I disable Siri but keep dictation on my keyboard?
Yes. Siri and dictation are controlled in different places. You can turn off Siri in Settings > Siri & Search while leaving dictation enabled in Settings > Keyboard. The microphone button will still appear on your keyboard even if Siri is completely disabled.
Will disabling Siri affect my voice calls or voice memos?
No. Disabling Siri only turns off the voice assistant. You can still make phone calls, record voice memos, and send voice messages through other apps. Voice calling and voice recording features work independently of Siri.
What if I only want to disable "Hey Siri" but keep the button activation?
Open Settings > Siri & Search and toggle off only "Listen for 'Hey Siri'". Leave "Press Side Button for Siri" or "Press Home for Siri" turned on. This way, Siri will only activate when you press the button, not when you say the phrase.
Can I prevent Siri from working on my lock screen but keep it on my home screen?
Yes. Open Settings > Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode), scroll to "Allow Access When Locked", and toggle off Siri. Siri will then only work after you unlock your phone. It will still respond to button presses and voice commands on your home screen.