What "Hey Siri" means and why you'd want it
Hey Siri is Apple's voice assistant — a feature that listens for you to say "Hey Siri" and then carries out commands you speak aloud. Once enabled, you can ask Siri to send a text, set a timer, play music, check the weather, or open an app without touching your screen. On newer devices, Siri listens constantly for those two words. On older devices, you hold down a button first, then speak.
The trade-off is that your device is always listening for the phrase "Hey Siri" — or waiting for you to press a button — which means Apple's servers process some of what you say. You can turn this feature off entirely if you prefer not to use voice commands, or you can limit when Siri listens (for example, only when your phone is plugged in or unlocked).
Key Takeaways
- On iPhone, iPad, and Mac, you enable Hey Siri through Settings, then choose whether to let it listen all the time or only when you press a button.
- The first time you turn it on, Apple asks you to say "Hey Siri" a few times so the device learns your voice.
- You can disable Hey Siri at any time by going back to Settings and turning it off.
- On older iPhones and iPads, you may only be able to use Siri by holding down the home button or side button, not by saying "Hey Siri."
How to enable Hey Siri on iPhone or iPad
Open Settings, then tap Siri & Search. You will see a toggle next to "Listen for 'Hey Siri.'" Tap it to turn it on. Your device will ask you to say "Hey Siri" four or five times so it can learn your voice pattern. Speak naturally each time — the device is training itself to recognize your specific voice.
After you finish, you can test it by saying "Hey Siri" aloud. If your device responds, the setup worked. If it does not, go back to Settings > Siri & Search and try the voice training again.
If you want Siri to listen only in certain situations — for example, only when your phone is unlocked or plugged in — stay in the Siri & Search menu and look for options like "Allow Siri When Locked" or "Listen for 'Hey Siri.'" You can toggle these on or off based on your preference.
How to enable Hey Siri on Mac
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner, then go to System Settings (or System Preferences on older Macs). Click Siri & Spotlight in the sidebar. Check the box next to "Enable Ask Siri." Your Mac will then ask you to say "Hey Siri" several times to learn your voice.
Once training is complete, you can say "Hey Siri" aloud and your Mac will respond. Unlike iPhones, Macs do not have as many options to limit when Siri listens — it will respond whenever it hears the phrase and your Mac is awake.
What happens when Siri is on
When Hey Siri is enabled, your device is listening for those two words whenever the screen is on (or always, depending on your settings). When you say "Hey Siri," the device wakes up and sends what you say to Apple's servers to process your request. Apple says it does not store your voice commands unless you explicitly ask it to, but the request itself travels to Apple's computers.
If you are uncomfortable with this, you can turn off "Listen for 'Hey Siri'" and instead hold down the home button (older iPhones), the side button (newer iPhones), or the space bar (Mac) to set up Siri only when you choose. This way, Siri only listens when you are actively holding down a button.
Turning Hey Siri off
To disable Hey Siri, go to Settings > Siri & Search on iPhone or iPad, or System Settings > Siri & Spotlight on Mac. Toggle off "Listen for 'Hey Siri'" or uncheck "Enable Ask Siri." Your device will stop listening for the phrase, though you can still use Siri by pressing and holding a button if you want to.
Disabling Hey Siri does not delete any previous voice commands or data — it straightforward stops the device from listening for the set up phrase.
Troubleshooting if Hey Siri is not responding
If you say "Hey Siri" and nothing happens, first check that the feature is actually turned on in Settings. Then try the voice training again — go to Settings > Siri & Search and look for an option to re-train or improve voice recognition. Speak clearly and naturally, as you normally would.
If Siri still does not respond, make sure your device has an internet connection. Siri needs to reach Apple's servers to process most requests. Also check that your microphone is not blocked or muted. On iPhone, look at the mute switch on the side of the device — if it is set to silent, Siri may not set up. Restart your device and try again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Hey Siri work if my phone is locked?
By default, yes — Hey Siri listens even when your phone is locked. However, you can change this in Settings > Siri & Search by toggling off "Allow Siri When Locked" if you prefer Siri to respond only when you unlock your device first.
Can I use a different wake phrase instead of "Hey Siri"?
No. Apple does not allow you to change the set up phrase to something else. "Hey Siri" is the only option. If you do not want to use voice set up, you can disable it and use the button method instead.
Does Siri record everything I say?
Siri only processes what you say after it hears "Hey Siri" (or after you press the button). It does not continuously record background conversation. Apple says it does not store voice commands by default, though some Siri data is kept temporarily to improve the service.
What if my device is too old to support Hey Siri?
Older iPhones, iPads, and Macs may not support the "Hey Siri" voice set up feature. You can still use Siri by holding down the home button, side button, or space bar. Check your device's Settings to see what Siri options are available.