What Siri Suggestions are and why you might want to disable them
Siri Suggestions are predictions Apple's system makes about what you might want to do next. They appear on your lock screen, in search results, and in the app switcher — showing you contacts you might call, apps you might open, or actions you might take based on your habits and the time of day. If you open Mail every morning at 8 a.m., Siri learns that pattern and suggests Mail at that time.
These suggestions are built from data Apple collects about how you use your device: which apps you open, when you open them, who you contact most, what you search for, and where you go. Apple says this data stays on your device and is not sent to their servers, but the system still requires your device to track and analyze your behavior. If you prefer not to have your device learn and predict your patterns, or if you find the suggestions distracting, you can turn them off.
Key Takeaways
- Siri Suggestions can be disabled entirely, or you can turn them off only on your lock screen while keeping them in search and the app switcher.
- On iPhone and iPad, go to Settings > Siri & Search and toggle off "Suggestions on Lock Screen" or "Suggestions in Search".
- On Mac, open System Settings > Siri & Spotlight and uncheck the boxes next to the suggestion types you want to disable.
- Disabling suggestions does not affect Siri's ability to respond to voice commands — it only stops the automatic predictions from appearing.
- If you change your mind later, you can turn suggestions back on using the same settings menu.
Disable Siri Suggestions on iPhone and iPad
Open the Settings app and tap Siri & Search. You will see several toggle switches for different types of suggestions. The most common one is Suggestions on Lock Screen — turning this off removes suggestions from your lock screen. You can also toggle off Suggestions in Search to stop suggestions from appearing when you swipe down to open search.
If you want to be more selective, scroll down in the Siri & Search menu. You will see toggles for individual apps — Mail, Messages, Reminders, and others. You can turn off suggestions for specific apps while keeping them on for others. For example, you might disable suggestions for Mail but leave them on for Calendar.
After you make your changes, close Settings. The suggestions will stop appearing when ready. Your device will no longer learn new patterns for prediction, though it may take a few hours for any cached suggestions to fully disappear from your lock screen.
Disable Siri Suggestions on Mac
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions). Then click Siri & Spotlight in the sidebar.
You will see a list of apps with checkboxes next to them. Unchecking a box removes suggestions for that app from Spotlight search and other places where suggestions appear on your Mac. If you want to disable all suggestions at once, uncheck every box. If you want to keep suggestions for some apps but not others, uncheck only the ones you do not want.
Close System Settings. The changes take effect right away. Spotlight search will no longer show suggestions for the apps you unchecked.
What happens when you disable suggestions
Turning off Siri Suggestions does not break anything. Siri will still respond when you speak a command or ask a question. Search will still work. Your apps will still open and function normally. The only change is that your device stops predicting what you might want to do and stops showing those predictions to you.
Your device also stops collecting the behavioral data it uses to make those predictions. If privacy is your concern, this is the main benefit — Apple is no longer analyzing your patterns, even if that analysis stays on your device.
Turn suggestions back on if you change your mind
If you disable suggestions and later decide you want them back, the process is the same. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Siri & Search and toggle the switches back on. On Mac, go to System Settings > Siri & Spotlight and check the boxes again.
When you turn suggestions back on, your device will begin learning your patterns again. It may take a day or two before suggestions reappear, because your device needs to observe your behavior again before it can make predictions.
Why Apple includes suggestions and what data they use
Siri Suggestions exist to make your device feel more helpful and responsive. Apple's goal is to show you the right app or action at the right time, based on what you usually do. The system learns from patterns: if you always open Spotify on your commute, it suggests Spotify during your commute time. If you frequently text one person, it suggests that person when you open Messages.
Apple says this learning happens on your device, not on Apple's servers. Your iPhone or Mac analyzes your own behavior and stores the predictions locally. However, some data does leave your device — for example, your location history is used to make location-based suggestions, and that requires your device to know where you are. If you have location services turned on, Apple's system can use that information to predict what you might want to do based on where you are.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will disabling suggestions make my device faster?
Probably not noticeably. Siri Suggestions use very little processing power or battery. The main benefit of disabling them is privacy — your device stops learning and storing information about your habits — not performance.
Can I turn off suggestions only on my lock screen but keep them in search?
Yes. On iPhone and iPad, toggle off only "Suggestions on Lock Screen" in Settings > Siri & Search. Leave "Suggestions in Search" turned on. This way, suggestions will appear when you search but not on your lock screen.
Do Siri Suggestions work if I have Siri turned off?
Siri Suggestions and Siri voice commands are separate features. You can have Siri turned off but still see suggestions, or turn off suggestions while keeping Siri voice commands active. Manage them independently in your Siri & Search settings.
If I disable suggestions, will Siri still understand my voice commands?
Yes. Disabling suggestions only stops the automatic predictions from appearing. Siri will still listen and respond when you say "Hey Siri" or press and hold the home button. Voice commands work the same way.
What if I only want to disable suggestions for certain apps?
On iPhone and iPad, scroll down in Settings > Siri & Search to see individual app toggles. Turn off the ones you do not want. On Mac, uncheck only the apps you want to disable in System Settings > Siri & Spotlight. You can mix and match.