How to Disable Siri on Your iPhone

This guide shows you how to turn off Siri entirely on your iPhone, preventing the assistant from listening for “Hey Siri” or responding to the side button. You’ll also learn how to disable Siri suggestions and lock-screen access. No prior technical knowledge is needed; just follow the steps in order.

What You’ll Need

Your iPhone with the latest iOS version installed (steps are based on iOS 17 and 18).
Your passcode or Face ID/Touch ID to authorize changes in Settings.

Step-by-Step

Open Settings. Tap the gray gear icon on your home screen or in your App Library.
Go to Siri & Search. Scroll down and tap “Siri & Search”. This is usually near the top of the third group of settings.
Turn off “Listen for ‘Hey Siri'” – Tap the green toggle next to “Listen for ‘Hey Siri'” to turn it off. When prompted, confirm by tapping “Turn Off Siri” in the pop-up.
Turn off “Press Side Button for Siri” – Tap the toggle next to “Press Side Button for Siri” (on iPhones with Face ID) or “Press Home for Siri” (on older models with a Home button) to disable it.
Turn off “Allow Siri When Locked” – Tap the toggle next to “Allow Siri When Locked” to prevent Siri from being accessed from the lock screen.
Optional: Disable Siri Suggestions – In the same Siri & Search settings, scroll down to see a list of apps. Tap each app and turn off “Suggest App”, “Suggest Notifications”, and “Show in Search” to stop Siri from suggesting content from that app.
Optional: Remove Siri from Home Screen – On iPhone models with a Home button, you can also remove the Siri icon by long-pressing it and selecting “Remove App”. This does not disable Siri but removes the shortcut.
Verify Siri is Off – Press and hold the side button (or Home button) for a few seconds. If Siri does not appear, you have successfully disabled it.

Common Mistakes

Only turning off “Hey Siri” – If you only disable voice activation, Siri still works via the side button. Make sure to turn off both toggles.
Forgetting the lock screen access – Even if Siri is off, someone could access it from the lock screen if you leave “Allow Siri When Locked” on. Turn it off for full privacy.
Not restarting your iPhone – Some users report that Siri still responds immediately after toggling off. A quick restart (press and hold power + volume, then slide to power off) can help clear any lingering processes.
Confusing Siri Suggestions with Siri itself – Turning off Siri does not automatically disable Siri Suggestions in Spotlight or Search. You need to adjust those separately if you want a completely Siri-free experience.

Tips

Use Screen Time restrictions for a child’s device: If you want to disable Siri on a child’s iPhone, go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Allowed Apps and toggle off Siri & Dictation.
Disable dictation too: Siri and dictation are linked. If you want to prevent the keyboard microphone from using Siri’s servers, go to Settings > General > Keyboard and turn off “Enable Dictation”.
Turn off Siri in individual apps: Some apps have their own Siri integration. You can disable Siri shortcuts per app by going to Settings > Siri & Search > [App Name] and turning off “Use with Siri”.
Consider a temporary disable: If you only want to stop Siri for a while, you can enable Airplane Mode – Siri won’t work without a network connection, but you’ll also lose cellular and Wi-Fi.

Troubleshooting

If Siri still activates after you’ve followed the steps, try these fixes:

Restart your iPhone. A simple reboot can clear any glitches that keep Siri active.
Check for iOS updates. Go to Settings > General > Software Update. If an update is available, install it – bugs in older versions can cause Siri to ignore settings.
Reset Siri settings. In Settings > Siri & Search, scroll to the bottom and tap “Reset Siri & Dictation”. This clears all Siri data and may resolve persistent issues.
Check if Siri is enabled via Screen Time. Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Allowed Apps. If Siri & Dictation is toggled on there, it overrides your main Siri settings. Turn it off.
If Siri still appears, restore your iPhone. As a last resort, back up your iPhone, then go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings. Set up as new and test Siri before restoring your backup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will disabling Siri affect other features like Voice Control or Dictation?

No. Voice Control (accessibility) and Dictation are separate features. You can still use them even with Siri off. However, Dictation uses Siri’s servers, so if you want full privacy, you should also disable Dictation as mentioned in Tips.

Can I still use Siri if I turn off “Hey Siri” but leave the side button on?

Yes. You can still trigger Siri by pressing and holding the side button. If you want Siri completely off, you must disable both toggles.

Does turning off Siri save battery?

Possibly a tiny amount, because the phone no longer listens for the “Hey Siri” wake phrase. However, modern iPhones use a low-power processor for this, so the impact is negligible.

Will Siri suggestions still appear in Spotlight after I disable Siri?

Yes, unless you turn off Siri Suggestions in Settings > Siri & Search. You can disable suggestions for individual apps or turn off “Suggestions” entirely by toggling off “Show Suggestions” in the Siri & Search settings.

How do I re-enable Siri?

Go back to Settings > Siri & Search and toggle on “Listen for ‘Hey Siri'” and “Press Side Button for Siri”. You’ll need to set up “Hey Siri” again by saying a few phrases.

Does disabling Siri affect Apple Pay or Face ID?

No. Siri is not required for Apple Pay, Face ID, or Touch ID. These features work independently.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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