Turn off Siri announcements in AirPods settings

Siri reads your notifications aloud through AirPods when you have announcement features turned on. You can stop this in two places: directly in your AirPods settings, or by turning off the specific announcement feature for each app. The fastest route is the AirPods settings in your phone.

Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad, then tap Bluetooth. Find your AirPods in the list and tap the info icon (the small circle with an "i"). Scroll down until you see "Announce Notifications" or "Announce Messages" — the exact name depends on your device and iOS version. Toggle this off. Siri will stop announcing notifications immediately.

If you do not see this option, your AirPods model may not support announcement features, or the feature is already off. AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, and AirPods (3rd generation) support announcements. Older AirPods models do not.

Key Takeaways

  • Siri announcements turn on automatically on newer AirPods models when you first connect them, but you can disable them in Bluetooth settings.
  • The toggle is called "Announce Notifications" or "Announce Messages" in your AirPods info page, and turning it off stops all announcements immediately.
  • You can also control which apps are allowed to announce by going to Settings > Notifications and turning off "Critical Alerts" for specific apps.
  • If you want announcements for some apps but not others, you do not have to turn off the feature entirely — instead disable announcements in each app's notification settings.

Disable announcements for specific apps instead of all notifications

If you want Siri to announce some notifications but not others, you can turn off announcements per app instead of globally. This takes longer but gives you more control. Go to Settings > Notifications, then tap the app you want to change.

Look for an option called "Announce Notifications" or "Announce Messages" within that app's notification settings. Toggle it off. Repeat for each app where you do not want announcements. This way, your calendar reminders might still announce, but text messages will not.

Not every app has this option — it depends on whether the developer built announcement support into their app. Mail, Messages, Calendar, and Reminders usually have it. Smaller apps often do not.

Check if announcements are on during specific activities

AirPods announcements only work when you are actively using your AirPods and your phone is unlocked, or when you are in the car with CarPlay. Siri will not announce notifications if your phone is locked and you are not wearing your AirPods. This is a safety feature — Apple does not want Siri reading your messages to everyone in the room.

If you are hearing announcements only in certain situations, check whether you have Focus modes turned on. Focus modes (like Do Not Disturb or Work) can override announcement settings. Go to Settings > Focus and tap the mode you use most often. Make sure "Allow Notifications" is set the way you want it.

Restart your AirPods if announcements keep happening

Sometimes the announcement setting does not stick after you turn it off. If Siri is still announcing notifications even though you toggled the setting off, restart your AirPods. Put them back in their case for 15 seconds, then take them out and reconnect them to your phone.

If that does not work, forget the AirPods entirely and pair them again. Go to Settings > Bluetooth, tap the info icon next to your AirPods, and select "Forget This Device". Then put your AirPods in pairing mode (hold the button on the back of the case until the light flashes white) and pair them as if they were new. When you reconnect, make sure to turn off announcements immediately in the AirPods settings.

Understand when Siri will and will not announce

Siri announcements have specific conditions. Your AirPods must be in your ears and connected to your phone. Your phone screen must be unlocked, or you must be using CarPlay. If your phone is locked and in your pocket, Siri will not announce anything — the notification will just arrive silently.

This means if you are wearing your AirPods while working at your desk with your phone unlocked, you will hear announcements. If you are wearing them while driving with CarPlay on, you will hear announcements. If you are wearing them while your phone is locked, you will not. This is by design.

Use Do Not Disturb to silence announcements temporarily

If you want to stop announcements for a short time without changing your settings permanently, turn on Do Not Disturb. Swipe down from the top right of your screen (or up from the bottom on older iPhones) to open Control Center, then tap the Do Not Disturb icon — it looks like a moon. Siri will not announce notifications while this is on.

You can also set Do Not Disturb to turn on automatically at certain times. Go to Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb, tap "Scheduled", and set the times you want it active. This is useful if you want announcements during the day but not at night.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Siri start announcing my notifications without me turning it on?

Announcement features turn on automatically when you first connect newer AirPods models to your iPhone. This is Apple's default setting. You did not enable it yourself — it came that way. Turning it off in Bluetooth settings will stop it.

Can I turn off announcements just for text messages but keep them for calendar reminders?

Yes. Go to Settings > Notifications, tap Messages, and toggle off "Announce Notifications". Then go to Settings > Notifications > Calendar and leave "Announce Notifications" on. Each app's announcement setting works independently.

My AirPods are not announcing anything even though the setting is on. What is wrong?

Check that your phone screen is unlocked when you receive the notification. Siri only announces when your phone is unlocked or you are using CarPlay. If your screen is locked, announcements will not play. Also make sure your AirPods are actually in your ears and connected.

Will turning off announcements affect other AirPods features like Siri voice commands?

No. Turning off "Announce Notifications" only stops Siri from reading your messages and reminders aloud. You can still use Siri voice commands normally by saying "Hey Siri" and asking questions or giving commands.

Do all AirPods models support announcement features?

No. AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, and AirPods (3rd generation) support announcements. AirPods (2nd generation) and the original AirPods do not have this feature, so you will not see the announcement setting in their Bluetooth info page.