If you have an iPhone, you probably know about the helpful function of “Siri,” or your Apple virtual assistant. Depending on how you set up your phone, if you hold down the side button (or home button if your model has one) or say “Hey Siri,” you’ll easily activate the feature.
You may use Siri to call friends or family, send texts, and maybe you occasionally ask a question. However, did you know about these 10 super-helpful features? Before we get there, you have to make sure Siri is enabled on your iPhone by following these steps:
Table of Contents:
How to enable Siri on iPhone
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone
- Scroll down and tap on Siri & Search. Note: On some older iOS versions, Siri settings might be found under General or Accessibility
- Make sure the Listen for ‘Hey Siri’ is toggled on. This allows Siri to be activated by voice commands
- If you want Siri to respond when your device is face down or covered, enable the Allow Siri When Locked option. Note: Enabling this option may have privacy implications, as Siri can be accessed even when your device is locked.
- You can also customize Siri’s voice and language settings on this screen by selecting Siri Voice and Language options.
Once you have enabled Siri, you can activate it by either pressing and holding the Home button (on iPhone models with a Home button) or by saying “Hey Siri” followed by your command (if the “Listen for ‘Hey Siri'” option is enabled). Siri should now be active and ready to assist you on your iPhone. Now that you have Siri set up. let’s dive into 10 hidden Siri features that can be super helpful.
Top 10 hidden Siri features
1. Customized pronunciation
First, the next time Siri mispronounces a name, to fix this you can say, “Hey Siri, that’s not how you pronounce [name]”. Siri will then prompt you to do the following (or can proceed to do this now if you’d like):
- Launch the Contacts app on your iPhone
- Select a person in your contacts
- Tap Edit in the top right corner
- Under the “Notes” section, tap add field
- Select Pronunciation first name or Pronunciation second name, depending on which name Siri is having trouble with
- Next, tap the pronunciation field and spell out the name phonetically (how it sounds)
- Tap Done in the top-right corner when you’re finished.
The next time Siri says the name, it will follow your phonetic spelling.
2. Remember where you parked your car
Just say, i, remember where I parked my car” before you leave the spot. Then you can retrieve the parking lot location when you want to find your parked car.
Just ask Siri by saying, iri, where did I park my car?” Siri will then provide you with the information it stored about your parking location, such as the address or a map with directions to your car.
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3. Use Siri to find an AirTag
Just say, i, find my AirTag.” Then, depending on the location, Siri may provide guidance on which direction it is in relation to where you are, or it may tell you if your AirTag is nearby.
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4. Set up reminders for specific apps
For instance, if your iPhone has your home location set up, you can say, “Hey Siri, remind me to check my email when I get home,” and Siri will create a reminder to open the Mail app when you arrive at that address. You can also say, “Hey Siri, remind me to open [app name],” and specify a time for that reminder to pop up on your iPhone.
ere’s how:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone
- Scroll down and tap on Privacy & Security
- In the Privacy settings, select Location Services
From here, you have a couple of options:
- If location services are turned off entirely, you’ll need to toggle the switch ON at the top to enable them. You may be prompted to enter your device passcode or use Touch ID/Face ID to make changes.
- If location services are already enabled, scroll down to find the Reminders app in the list and tap on it.
Now, you should see three options: Never, While Using the App, and Always. Choose either While Using the App or Always, depending on your preference and the level of access you want to grant to the Reminders app.
Keep in mind that enabling location services may improve the functionality of certain features, but it also consumes more battery power. Make sure to consider your preferences and privacy concerns when choosing the level of access to grant to any app.
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5. Keep up with sports
6. Identify a song playing
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7. Translate languages
8. Teach Siri who your contacts are
Help Siri understand who the contact names in your phone are by saying something like, “Hey Siri, Joe is my son.”
Then, if you say, “Hey Siri, call my son,” your phone will know who you’re referring to. You can also use this trick for your husband or wife, mom or dad, or just about any label you can think of.
9. Change basic settings
- “Hey Siri, adjust the volume of my phone”
- “Hey Siri, turn on (or off) Airplane mode”
- “Hey Siri, turn on (or off) Low Power Mode”
- “Hey Siri, turn on (or off) Bluetooth”
You can also ask Siri to open settings for specific apps like Chrome or your camera.
- “Hey Siri, open Chrome”
- “Hey Siri, open my camera”
10. Turn off or restart your phone
Just say, “Hey Siri, restart my iPhone.”
You can also shut down your phone using Siri by saying, “Hey Siri, shut down my phone,” although you’ll need to remember to turn it on manually using the buttons on the phone.
Kurt’s key takeaways
Siri is handy for a number of reasons, including the voice-activated convenience. For those who have reduced hand dexterity or limitations in physical movement, it’s great just to be able to talk to your phone and not have to fuss around with settings or use all the different buttons our iPhones come with. That makes these features particularly valuable for making iPhones all-around more inclusive. Plus – who doesn’t love a virtual personal assistant?!
Do you use Siri for any tricks that aren’t on this list? Let us know by commenting below.
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