Hey Siri is off by default on most Apple devices — you turn it on in Settings
Hey Siri is Apple's voice assistant that listens for the phrase "Hey Siri" and then responds to your commands. On iPhones, iPads, and Macs, it's disabled until you turn it on yourself. The steps differ slightly depending on which device you own, but the setting lives in the same place on all of them: the Settings or System Preferences app.
Once enabled, Hey Siri works whenever your device is unlocked and the screen is on. You can ask it to send messages, set reminders, play music, check the weather, or control smart home devices. On HomePods and Apple Watches, Hey Siri is already on by default, so you don't need to enable it separately.
Key Takeaways
- On iPhone and iPad, open Settings, tap Siri & Search, and toggle on "Listen for 'Hey Siri'".
- On Mac, open System Preferences, click Siri, and check the box next to "Enable Ask Siri".
- After you enable it, Apple will ask you to say "Hey Siri" a few times so your device learns your voice.
- Hey Siri only listens when your device is unlocked and the screen is on, unless you change additional settings.
- You can disable Hey Siri at any time by returning to the same setting and toggling it off.
Enable Hey Siri on iPhone or iPad
Open the Settings app and scroll down to find Siri & Search. Tap it to open the Siri settings page. At the top, you'll see an option that says "Listen for 'Hey Siri'"—tap the toggle switch next to it to turn it on. The switch will turn green when it's active.
Your device will then ask you to train it to recognize your voice. Say "Hey Siri" when prompted, and repeat the phrase several times as the device listens. This training takes about a minute and helps Siri recognize your voice in the future. Once training is complete, Hey Siri is ready to use.
While you're in the Siri & Search settings, you can also toggle on "Press Side Button for Siri" if you want to activate Siri by holding down the side button instead of saying the phrase. You can use both methods at the same time.
Enable Hey Siri on Mac
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen and select System Preferences (on newer Macs running macOS Monterey or later, it's called System Settings). Search for "Siri" using the search box at the top, or scroll down and click Siri directly.
Check the box next to "Enable Ask Siri". Your Mac will then ask you to say "Hey Siri" several times to train voice recognition. Speak clearly when prompted, and repeat the phrase as many times as your Mac requests. Once training is done, you can say "Hey Siri" to your Mac and it will respond.
On Mac, you can also enable "Keyboard Shortcut" to activate Siri by pressing a key combination instead of speaking. This is useful if you're in a quiet environment or prefer not to use voice commands.
What happens after you enable it
Once Hey Siri is on, your device listens for the phrase whenever the screen is on and the device is unlocked. When it hears "Hey Siri", the Siri interface appears on your screen and waits for your command. You can ask Siri to do things like send a text message, set a timer, look up information, or control HomeKit devices.
By default, Hey Siri does not work when your device is locked or the screen is off. If you want Siri to respond even when your device is locked, you can change this in the Siri settings. On iPhone and iPad, look for "Allow Siri When Locked" in the Siri & Search menu. On Mac, this option is called "Allow Siri when locked" in the Siri settings pane.
Turn off Hey Siri if you don't want it
If you change your mind and want to disable Hey Siri, the process is simple. Go back to the same settings where you turned it on: Settings > Siri & Search on iPhone and iPad, or System Preferences > Siri on Mac. Toggle off "Listen for 'Hey Siri'" or uncheck "Enable Ask Siri", and the feature will stop listening for the phrase.
Disabling Hey Siri does not delete your voice data or affect other Siri features. You can still use Siri by pressing the side button on iPhone, the Home button on older iPhones, or the keyboard shortcut on Mac. You can re-enable Hey Siri at any time by returning to the same setting and turning it back on.
Troubleshooting if Hey Siri isn't responding
If you've enabled Hey Siri but it's not responding when you say the phrase, check a few things first. Make sure your device's screen is on and unlocked, because Hey Siri does not listen when the device is locked (unless you've changed that setting). Also check that your device has a working microphone—try using another voice feature like Voice Memos to confirm the microphone works.
If your device still doesn't respond, try disabling and re-enabling Hey Siri. Go back to the Siri settings, toggle it off, wait a few seconds, and toggle it back on. You'll need to retrain your voice, but this often fixes recognition problems. If the issue continues, restart your device and try again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Hey Siri on a locked iPhone?
By default, no—Hey Siri only listens when your iPhone is unlocked and the screen is on. You can change this by going to Settings > Siri & Search and toggling on "Allow Siri When Locked". This lets Siri respond to voice commands even when your phone is locked, though some commands (like sending messages) may still require you to unlock the phone first.
Does Hey Siri work on Apple Watch?
Yes. Hey Siri is on by default on Apple Watch and listens whenever the watch is on your wrist. You don't need to enable it separately. If you want to turn it off, open the Watch app on your iPhone, go to Siri, and toggle off "Listen for 'Hey Siri'".
What if Siri doesn't recognize my voice?
Siri may not recognize you if there's background noise, if you're speaking too quietly, or if your voice has changed. Try retraining it by disabling and re-enabling Hey Siri in your settings. Speak clearly and at a normal volume during training. If the problem persists, make sure your device's microphone is clean and working properly.
Can multiple people use Hey Siri on the same device?
Hey Siri is trained to recognize one person's voice. If multiple people use the same device, only the person whose voice was trained during setup will have Siri respond to "Hey Siri". Other users can still activate Siri by pressing the side button or using a keyboard shortcut, but voice activation won't work for them.
Does enabling Hey Siri drain my battery?
Hey Siri uses very little battery power because it only listens when your screen is on and your device is unlocked. The microphone is not constantly recording—it's listening for the specific phrase "Hey Siri" and only activates Siri when it hears it. You should not notice a significant difference in battery life after enabling it.