Siri can read your notifications aloud, and you can turn this off in Settings

When you receive a notification on your iPhone or iPad, Siri has the ability to read it aloud to you through your speaker or headphones. This happens when you have Siri Announcements turned on. If you do not want Siri reading your messages, calls, or other alerts, you can disable this feature in a few steps.

The setting lives in your device's main Settings app, not in individual notification panels. Once you turn it off, Siri will stop announcing notifications unless you turn the feature back on later.

Key Takeaways

  • Siri Announcements is a single toggle in Settings that controls whether Siri reads any notifications aloud to you.
  • You can turn off Siri Announcements for all notifications at once, or disable it only for specific apps like Messages or Mail.
  • The setting is located under Settings > Siri & Search, not under Notifications.
  • Turning off Siri Announcements does not affect visual notifications — you will still see alerts on your screen.

Turn off Siri Announcements for all notifications

This is the fastest way to stop Siri from reading any notifications aloud. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad and tap Siri & Search near the top of the list.

Scroll down until you see Announce Notifications. Tap the toggle next to it to turn it off. The toggle will turn gray, which means the feature is now disabled. Siri will no longer read notifications aloud on your device.

If you want to turn the feature back on later, return to this same toggle and tap it again. The toggle will turn green.

Turn off Siri Announcements for specific apps only

You may want Siri to read some notifications — like incoming calls or messages from certain people — but not others. You can control which apps Siri announces by using the same Announce Notifications toggle, then customizing which apps are included.

After you tap the Announce Notifications toggle to turn it on, a new option appears below it: Announce from. Tap this option to see a list of apps. Toggle off any app you do not want Siri to announce. For example, you could turn off Mail but leave Messages on, so Siri reads your text messages but not your emails.

This approach takes a few extra taps but gives you more control over which notifications interrupt you with audio.

Check if Do Not Disturb is affecting Siri Announcements

If you have Do Not Disturb turned on, Siri will not announce notifications even if Siri Announcements is enabled. Do Not Disturb silences all sounds and vibrations from your device, which includes Siri reading notifications aloud.

If you want Siri to announce notifications, make sure Do Not Disturb is off. You can check this by opening Control Center (swipe down from the top right on newer iPhones, or swipe up from the bottom on older models) and looking for the Do Not Disturb icon. If it is highlighted, tap it to turn it off.

Understand when Siri Announcements actually work

Siri Announcements only work when your device is unlocked and in use, or when you are wearing AirPods or have headphones connected. If your device is locked and sitting on a table, Siri will not announce notifications even if the feature is on.

This is a safety feature — Apple designed it so Siri does not read your private messages aloud to anyone nearby. If you want notifications to be announced while your device is locked, you would need to use a different notification method, like a sound or vibration alert.

What happens to visual notifications when you turn off Siri Announcements

Turning off Siri Announcements does not change how notifications appear on your screen. You will still see notification banners at the top of your screen, badges on app icons, and alerts in your notification center. The only thing that stops is the audio — Siri will no longer speak the notification aloud.

If you want to stop seeing notifications from an app entirely, you would need to go to Settings > Notifications, find the app, and turn off Allow Notifications. That is a separate setting from Siri Announcements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will turning off Siri Announcements affect my phone calls?

No. Siri Announcements only affects how notifications are read aloud. Your phone will still ring normally when someone calls you, and you can still answer calls as usual. Turning off this setting does not change how incoming calls work.

Can I turn off Siri Announcements just for Messages but keep it on for other apps?

Yes. Turn on Announce Notifications in Settings > Siri & Search, then tap Announce from and toggle off Messages. Siri will announce notifications from other apps but not from Messages.

Why is Siri Announcements not working even though it is turned on?

Check that Do Not Disturb is off, your device is unlocked, and you have headphones or AirPods connected (or your device speaker is not muted). Siri Announcements requires at least one of these conditions to work. Also confirm the app you are testing is included in the Announce from list.

Does turning off Siri Announcements save battery?

Turning off Siri Announcements will save a small amount of battery because your device will not process the audio announcement. The savings are minimal, but every bit helps if you are trying to extend your battery life throughout the day.