Type to Siri on iOS 11: Enable It in 2 Minutes

Type to Siri lets you communicate with Siri by typing instead of speaking. It’s a lifesaver in noisy places, quiet meetings, or if you have a speech impairment. This guide walks you through enabling it on iOS 11, which is the first version to offer this feature. You’ll need an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch running iOS 11 or later, and Siri must be turned on in Settings.

What You’ll Need

An iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 11 or later installed.
Siri enabled (Settings > Siri & Search > Listen for “Hey Siri” or Press Home/Side Button).

Step-by-Step

Open the Settings app on your device. It’s the gray gear icon.
Tap General.
Tap Accessibility.
Scroll down and tap Siri (under the “Interactions” section).
Toggle on Type to Siri by swiping the switch to the right. It will turn green.
Exit Settings. Now, press and hold the Home button (or Side button on iPhone X) to bring up Siri. Instead of listening, Siri will show a text field at the bottom of the screen.
Type your request, then tap the Return key on the keyboard. Siri will respond as usual.

Common Mistakes

Forgetting to enable Siri first: Type to Siri won’t appear if Siri itself is turned off. Go to Settings > Siri & Search and make sure “Press Home for Siri” (or “Press Side Button for Siri”) is enabled.
Looking for the option in the wrong place: Some users search for “Type to Siri” in the main Siri settings, but it’s tucked under Accessibility. Remember: Settings > General > Accessibility > Siri.
Expecting voice to still work: Once Type to Siri is on, Siri won’t listen for voice input when you invoke it manually. If you want to speak, you’ll need to turn Type to Siri off again.
Not updating iOS: Type to Siri is only available on iOS 11 and later. If you don’t see the option, check your software version in Settings > General > About.

Tips

Use dictation within the text field: Even with Type to Siri on, you can tap the microphone icon on the keyboard to speak your request, which Siri will convert to text. This gives you the best of both worlds.
Quick access: You can still use “Hey Siri” to activate Siri by voice, but it will open the text field instead of listening. This is handy for hands-free requests in quiet places.
Edit before sending: Type to Siri lets you review and edit your request before Siri processes it. This is great for complex questions or commands.
Use with Shortcuts (iOS 12+): If you later upgrade, Type to Siri works with Siri Shortcuts, allowing you to type custom phrases to trigger automations.

Troubleshooting

Option is grayed out: This usually means Siri isn’t enabled. Go to Settings > Siri & Search and turn on “Press Home for Siri” or “Press Side Button for Siri.” Then return to Accessibility > Siri and try again.
Typing doesn’t bring up Siri: Make sure you’re pressing and holding the correct button for your device. On iPhone X or later, it’s the side button. On older models, it’s the Home button. If you have “Hey Siri” enabled, you can also say “Hey Siri” to activate the text field.
Keyboard doesn’t appear: If the keyboard doesn’t show, close the Siri overlay by pressing Home or swiping up, then reopen it. If it persists, restart your device.
Siri still listens to voice: If Siri responds to your voice even after enabling Type to Siri, you might have “Hey Siri” turned on. That’s normal—the text field will appear, but Siri will still hear you if you speak. To disable voice entirely, turn off “Hey Siri” in Settings > Siri & Search.
Can’t find the Accessibility menu: On iOS 11, it’s under Settings > General > Accessibility. If you don’t see it, you might be looking in the wrong place—it’s not in the main Settings list.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Type to Siri work on all iOS 11 devices?

Yes, Type to Siri works on any iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch that supports iOS 11. That includes iPhone 5s and later, iPad mini 2 and later, and iPod touch 6th generation.

Can I use Type to Siri with “Hey Siri”?

Yes. When you say “Hey Siri,” the text field will appear instead of Siri listening. You can then type your request. This is useful in quiet environments.

Will Type to Siri disable voice input entirely?

When you manually activate Siri (by pressing the button), it will not listen for voice. However, you can still tap the microphone icon on the keyboard to dictate. “Hey Siri” will also still work, but it will bring up the text field.

How do I turn off Type to Siri?

Go to Settings > General > Accessibility > Siri and toggle Type to Siri off. Siri will then revert to voice-only interaction.

Does Type to Siri work in other languages?

Yes, Type to Siri works with the same languages that Siri supports. You can type in your Siri language, and Siri will respond in text as well.

Can I use Type to Siri to type emoji or special characters?

Yes, you can use the standard iOS keyboard, including emoji and special characters, to type your request. Siri will interpret them as part of the text.

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

More in this bed

The whole Tech How-To bed →