16 Ways To Fix “Hey Siri” Not Working On Your IPhone - MakeUseOf

After enabling "Hey Siri," you can summon Apple's voice assistant without pressing your iPhone's Side or Home button. This makes it easy to activate Siri and get things done even when your device is out of reach.

If "Hey Siri" isn't working on your iPhone, the solutions mentioned below will help fix it.

Not All iPhones Are Compatible With "Hey Siri"

On an iPhone 6s or later, "Hey Siri" works even when the iPhone isn't charging. That means if you have an iPhone model released in 2015 or later, you are good to go. These iPhones have low-power, always-on microphones that listen for the "Hey Siri" hot word and jump to action when you say those words.

However, if you're using an iPhone 6 or earlier, your device must be plugged in and charging for "Hey Siri" to work. The moment you unplug these older devices, you won't be able to activate Siri with just your voice.

If you're trying to use Siri offline, note that this feature is only available for iPhones that possess the A12 Bionic chip and are updated to at least iOS 15. In addition, there are limits on what you can and can't do with offline Siri.

So, if you're sure you have a compatible iPhone and "Hey Siri" still isn't working, the tips below should be able to fix it.

1. Make Sure "Hey Siri" Is Set Up Correctly

Before moving forward, take a moment to ensure you have turned on the "Hey Siri" feature. Here's how to do that:

1. Open Settings and tap Siri & Search.
2. Make sure Listen for "Hey Siri" is enabled.

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2. Don't Leave Your iPhone Face Down

When you keep the iPhone facing downwards on a table or bed, you can't call it by saying, "Hey Siri." For this feature to work, make sure your iPhone screen is facing up.

If you want to use Siri when your iPhone is facing down or covered, go to Settings > Accessibility > Siri and enable the Always Listen for "Hey Siri" option.

3. Enable Bluetooth if You Have Multiple "Hey Siri" Devices

Do you have multiple devices nearby that work with "Hey Siri," like another iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, or HomePod? If yes, make sure Bluetooth is enabled on these devices.

This is required because when you say "Hey Siri" around several supported devices, they all use Bluetooth to communicate with one another and decide which device should respond to your request. Usually, the device that heard your words the clearest, or the one that was most recently used, raised, or unlocked, responds to your "Hey Siri" query.

4. Review the Settings for Siri Responses

By default, Siri will speak its responses to you. So, if Siri responses have been set to silent, it may appear that "Hey Siri" isn't working on your iPhone if you expected a verbal response after you gave a command from a distance.

To correct this, go to Settings > Siri & Search > Siri Responses. Select Prefer Spoken Responses.

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5. Restart Your iPhone

When "Hey Siri" isn't working correctly, this can be due to a temporary glitch. The easiest way to fix this is by turning off your iPhone and turning it back on after a minute. You can restart your iPhone even if its buttons are broken.

6. Remove the Case if It Blocks the Microphones

Are you using a case that might block your iPhone's microphones? Take a minute to check this. If you find that the microphone slots at the bottom of the device, next to the camera, or inside the top earpiece are blocked by the case, you should remove the case.

7. Clean Your iPhone's Microphone Grills

Carefully use a soft cloth to remove the dirt and other gunk from the microphone grills. Don't use any metal object like a needle or wire as these may cause serious damage.

8. Disconnect AirPods or Beats Earbuds While Not Using Them

The following wireless earbuds and headphones from Apple support "Hey Siri":

• AirPods (2nd generation)
• AirPods (3rd generation)
• AirPods Pro
• AirPods Max
• Beats Powerbeats (2020)
• Powerbeats Pro
• Solo Pro
• Beats Fit Pro
• Beats Studio Buds

If you left your wireless headphones connected but you aren't using them, your iPhone may not respond when you say, "Hey Siri." To address this, wear your headphones, put them in their case, or disconnect them from your iPhone. Now, say "Hey Siri," and you should be able to use Siri hands free.

9. Check Siri's Language

Siri will respond correctly and more often when the language is set appropriately. For example, if you're from India, make sure you choose English (India) as Siri's language. If you set English (US) or English (UK), Siri may not work on your iPhone consistently because it's unable to recognize and respond to you due to differences in accent.

Here's how to set the correct Siri language to ensure "Hey Siri" works properly:

1. Open Settings and tap Siri & Search.
2. Tap Language and choose the appropriate language from the list.
3. Restart your iPhone, and now "Hey Siri" should work fine.

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