People who are new to Apple products or who just haven’t used Siri yet on their own device might need some help learning how to turn on Siri. Today, Siri is available on more devices than ever. The virtual assistant is available on the iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV. For this article, we will explain how to turn on Siri for each of these devices. Then, you can move on to the advanced lesson and learn Siri hacks.
How To Turn On Siri for iPhone
Although Siri usually comes enabled already on the iPhone, some users may have a used phone or may have turned off Siri. To check if Siri is enabled, hold down the home button. Siri will pop up as a text will ask, “What can I help you with?” with some suggestions of what to ask. If Siri doesn’t pop up and you don’t have an extremely old iOS version or phone (iPhone 3 or 4), here is what you can do to turn on the assistant:
- Go to the Settings app
- Select ‘Siri’ from the list of options (near the top)
- Toggle Siri on to turn on the assistant
Another recent feature of the iPhone is the ability for the virtual assistant to answer questions across the room when users say “Hey Siri”. The feature is only available on the iPhone 6 and 7, with iOS update 9 or newer and the phone needs to be plugged into a power outlet. If you have ‘Hey Siri’ on your phone, under the ‘Siri’ tab in settings, you will see an additional toggle option to turn on the option. If this is your first time setting up Hey Siri, you will need to say some phrases to your phone for recognize your voice.
Additionally, Siri will work much better if location services are turned on for the assistant. For instance, she can help to find a local restaurant or tell you the weather near your location. To turn on location services:
- Go to the Settings app
- Select ‘Privacy’ from the list of options (a few rows down from ‘Siri’)
- Select ‘Location Services’ at the top of the list
- Make sure ‘Location Services’ is turned on
- Select ‘Siri and Dictation’ from the list
- Choose ‘While Using the App’
How To Turn On Siri for iPad and iPod Touch
Setting up Siri on the iPad and iPod Touch is very similar to the iPhone. The only difference is the device will need to be connected to the internet to use Siri.
- Go to the Settings app
- Select ‘Siri’ from the list of options (near the top)
- Toggle Siri on to turn on the assistant
Siri can be modified on the iPad, iPod Touch, and iPhone to restrict access on the locked screen. To disallow use of Siri on the lock screen:
- Go to the Settings app
- Choose “Passcode Lock” and enter your password
- Toggle Siri access to off (or on if already off)
How To Turn On Siri For Mac
Recently, Mac owners have been able to use Siri to send messages, search the internet, or find files. Users will need macOS Sierra (released in late 2016) in order to utilize the virtual assistant. When updating to macOS Sierra, most systems will ask users if they want to activate Siri. If you initially said no but want to change your mind, this is how to turn on Siri on a Mac:
- Go to System Preferences (same symbol as the Settings app on iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad)
- Find the Siri option
- Check the box “Enable Siri”
- On this same page, you can adjust Siri’s settings (e.g., language, mic input)
From here, you can add Siri to your dock for easy access. Siri will also be available on menu bar at the top of the screen. Just click the icon and ask a question. You can also hold down the command key and space bar until Siri pops up.
Siri For Apple Watch
The Apple Watch has two steps to make sure Siri is turned on. First, Siri needs to be activated on the paired iPhone (see above for steps). Second, Siri needs to be activated on the watch itself:
- On the watch, go to settings
- Then tap General
- Tap Siri
- Toggle ‘Hey Siri’ to make sure it is on
To use Siri on the Apple Watch, users can either hold down the digital crown, speak, and then release the crown, or say “Hey Siri” and give a command.
Siri For Apple TV
Siri should already be active on the Apple TV and can be accessed via the remote. Just press down the microphone symbol on the remote and tell Siri what you need.