Siri listens for voice commands on your Apple device, and you can disable it entirely in your settings
Siri is Apple's voice assistant — the feature that responds when you say "Hey Siri" or hold down a button and speak. It can search the web, send messages, set reminders, and control your device hands-free. If you don't want Siri listening or responding, you can turn it off completely. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you're using an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch, but the principle is the same: go to settings, find Siri, and toggle it off.
Disabling Siri means your device stops listening for the "Hey Siri" wake phrase and won't respond to the Siri button. This is different from just muting Siri's voice — that's a separate setting. Some people disable Siri for privacy reasons, others because they accidentally trigger it, and some straightforward don't use voice commands.
Key Takeaways
- On iPhone and iPad, go to Settings > Siri & Search and turn off "Listen for 'Hey Siri'" and "Press Side Button for Siri".
- On Mac, go to System Settings > Siri & Spotlight and uncheck "Enable Ask Siri".
- On Apple Watch, go to Settings > Siri and turn off "Enable Siri".
- Disabling Siri stops it from listening for voice commands, but you can still use Siri in some apps unless you disable it completely.
- You can also disable just the "Hey Siri" listening feature while keeping the button-press option, or vice versa.
Disable Siri on iPhone and iPad
Open the Settings app and scroll down to find "Siri & Search". Tap it. You'll see two main toggles: "Listen for 'Hey Siri'" and "Press Side Button for Siri" (or "Press Home for Siri" on older iPads). Turn both of these off by tapping the toggle switches so they turn gray.
"Listen for 'Hey Siri'" is what makes your device wake up when you say the phrase. "Press Side Button for Siri" is the button you hold down to set up Siri manually. If you turn off both, Siri won't respond to voice or button commands. If you only want to disable the always-listening feature but keep the button option, turn off just the first one.
After you toggle these off, scroll down in the same Siri & Search menu. You'll see "Siri Suggestions" and other options. These can stay on or off depending on your preference — they control whether Siri offers suggestions in search results and on your lock screen, not whether Siri itself is active.
Disable Siri on Mac
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select "System Settings" (or "System Preferences" on older macOS versions). Search for "Siri" in the search box at the top, or navigate to "Siri & Spotlight" in the sidebar. You'll see a checkbox that says "Enable Ask Siri" — uncheck it.
On Mac, there's no separate "Hey Siri" listening option like on iPhone. Unchecking "Enable Ask Siri" disables the entire feature. Your Mac won't respond to voice commands or the keyboard shortcut (usually Command + Space) that normally opens Siri.
Disable Siri on Apple Watch
On your Apple Watch, open the Settings app (the gear icon). Scroll down and tap "Siri". You'll see a toggle for "Enable Siri" — turn it off. On some older Watch models, this setting might be under "General" instead.
If you're using an iPhone to manage your Watch, you can also disable Siri there. Open the Watch app on your iPhone, go to "Siri", and turn off "Enable Siri". This will sync to your Watch.
What happens when you disable Siri
Once Siri is off, your device stops listening for the "Hey Siri" phrase and won't respond to the Siri button or keyboard shortcut. Voice commands won't work. Siri won't appear in search results or offer suggestions on your lock screen (though you can control those separately in Siri & Search settings).
Some built-in apps may still have voice features — for example, you can still use voice-to-text in Messages or dictation in Notes. Those features are separate from Siri itself. Disabling Siri doesn't turn off all voice input on your device, just the Siri assistant specifically.
Re-enable Siri if you change your mind
If you disable Siri and later want it back, follow the same steps and toggle the settings back on. On iPhone and iPad, turn "Listen for 'Hey Siri'" and "Press Side Button for Siri" back on. On Mac, check "Enable Ask Siri". On Apple Watch, turn "Enable Siri" back on. Your device will start listening again when ready.
You don't lose any data or settings by disabling Siri — it's a straightforward on-off switch. Turning it back on restores it to the same state it was in before.
Privacy and battery considerations
Some people disable Siri because they're concerned about always-listening features. When "Listen for 'Hey Siri'" is on, your device is processing audio locally to detect the wake phrase — Apple says this happens on your device itself, not on Apple's servers. However, if you're uncomfortable with any level of audio processing, disabling Siri removes that entirely.
Disabling Siri may have a very small positive effect on battery life, since your device isn't constantly listening for the wake phrase. The difference is usually negligible on modern devices, but it's one less background process running.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn off just "Hey Siri" but keep the button?
Yes. On iPhone and iPad, you can turn off "Listen for 'Hey Siri'" while leaving "Press Side Button for Siri" on. This way, you can still use Siri by holding the button, but your device won't listen for the wake phrase. On Mac and Apple Watch, you can only turn Siri completely on or off.
Will disabling Siri affect other voice features like dictation?
No. Dictation (voice-to-text in apps like Messages and Notes) is separate from Siri. You can disable Siri and still use dictation. The microphone button in your keyboard will still work for typing by voice.
Does disabling Siri stop Apple from collecting data about me?
Disabling Siri stops your device from listening for voice commands and sending those commands to Apple's servers. However, Apple collects other data through your device — location, app usage, and more — depending on your privacy settings. Disabling Siri addresses only the voice-listening aspect.
What if I accidentally trigger Siri and want to stop it?
If Siri is already on and you accidentally set up it, you can dismiss it by pressing the Home or Side button again, or by saying "Cancel". If you find yourself triggering it frequently by accident, disabling the "Hey Siri" listening feature or the button option (whichever you use most) will prevent accidental activations.
Can I disable Siri on just one of my Apple devices?
Yes. Each device has its own Siri settings. You can disable Siri on your iPhone but keep it on your Mac, for example. Settings don't sync across devices for Siri — you control each one independently.