Turn off Siri announcements in Settings

Siri stops announcing your notifications when you disable the feature in the Notifications settings on your device. Open Settings, tap Notifications, then scroll down and tap Siri Announcements. Toggle off Announce Notifications. This stops Siri from reading aloud any incoming messages, calls, or app alerts while you are using your device or have AirPods connected.

The setting applies across all apps at once — you do not need to turn it off separately for Messages, Mail, or any other app. Once you disable it, Siri will no longer interrupt you with spoken notifications unless you turn the feature back on.

Key Takeaways

  • Siri announcements are controlled in one place: Settings > Notifications > Siri Announcements, where you toggle off Announce Notifications.
  • Disabling Siri announcements stops all spoken notifications across every app on your device at the same time.
  • You can keep Siri announcements on but limit them to specific apps by using the per-app notification settings.
  • If you use AirPods, Siri announcements work through your headphones; turning off the setting silences them there too.
  • The feature works on iPhone and iPad running iOS 13.2 or later and iPadOS 13.2 or later.

Limit Siri announcements to specific apps instead

If you want Siri to announce some notifications but not others, you can control the feature per app. Go to Settings > Notifications, then select the app you want to change. Scroll down to find Siri Announcements and toggle it off for that app only. Messages, Mail, Reminders, and other built-in apps all have this option.

This approach lets you keep announcements for important apps — like Messages from family or Reminders for time-sensitive tasks — while silencing them for less urgent notifications like social media or news apps. You can adjust each app independently without affecting the others.

Turn off announcements when you are wearing AirPods

Siri announcements play through your AirPods when you are wearing them and your phone is locked or in your pocket. If you do not want to hear notifications read aloud through your headphones, the easiest fix is to disable Siri announcements in Settings as described above. This stops the feature everywhere — on your device speaker and through your AirPods.

If you want to keep announcements on your device but turn them off only when using AirPods, that option is not available in iOS settings. Your only choice is to disable the feature entirely or use the per-app method to silence announcements for specific apps you use while wearing headphones.

Check if your device supports Siri announcements

Siri announcements require iOS 13.2 or later on iPhone or iPadOS 13.2 or later on iPad. If you have an older device, the Siri Announcements option will not appear in your Notifications settings. You can check your iOS version by opening Settings > General > About and looking at the Software Version field.

If your device is running an older version and you want to update it, go to Settings > General > Software Update. Your device will check for available updates and show you the option to install them. Updates are free and usually take 15 to 30 minutes depending on your internet speed and device storage.

Restart your device if announcements keep playing

Sometimes Siri continues announcing notifications even after you turn off the setting. A restart usually fixes this. For iPhone X and later, press and hold the Volume Up and Side buttons together until the power-off slider appears, then drag it to turn off your phone. Wait 10 seconds, then press and hold the Side button again until the Apple logo appears.

For iPhone 8 and earlier, press and hold the Top (or Side) button until the power-off slider appears, then drag to turn off. Wait 10 seconds and press the button again to turn it back on. After the restart, open Settings and confirm that Siri Announcements is still toggled off. The announcements should stop.

Disable Siri entirely if you do not use it

If you do not use Siri for voice commands and want to prevent all Siri features from running, you can turn off Siri completely. Open Settings > Siri & Search, then toggle off Listen for "Hey Siri", Press Side Button for Siri, and Allow Siri When Locked. This disables Siri voice set up and announcements at the same time.

Turning off Siri does not delete your voice history or settings — it just prevents Siri from responding to your voice or button presses. If you change your mind later, you can turn these toggles back on in the same menu. Your previous Siri data will still be there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Siri announcing my notifications if I turned off the setting?

The setting may not have saved properly, or you may have turned off announcements for individual apps instead of the global setting. Go back to Settings > Notifications > Siri Announcements and make sure Announce Notifications is toggled off. If it is already off, restart your device — this usually clears any stuck settings.

Can I turn off Siri announcements just for text messages?

Yes. Go to Settings > Notifications > Messages, scroll down to Siri Announcements, and toggle it off. Messages will no longer be announced, but other apps like Mail or Reminders will still announce if you have the global setting on. You can do this for any app that supports the feature.

Do Siri announcements work on my iPad?

Yes, if your iPad is running iPadOS 13.2 or later. The setting is in the same place: Settings > Notifications > Siri Announcements. You can turn it off globally or per app just like on iPhone. Announcements will play through your iPad speaker or through connected AirPods.

Will turning off Siri announcements affect other Siri features?

No. Disabling Siri Announcements only stops spoken notifications. You can still use Siri to set reminders, ask questions, control smart home devices, and do everything else Siri normally does. The feature is separate from Siri's other functions.