Activate Siri By Touch

If you want a straightforward, surefire way to activate Siri that always works on the device you intend it to and isn’t affected by how noisy the room is, do so manually. All you have to do is touch or click something and Siri responds. This way of interacting with Siri is enabled by default on all Apple devices.

Trigger Siri Manually on an iOS Device

To activate Siri by touch on the iPhone or iPad, you either press and hold the Home button at the bottom of your phone (iPhone 8 and earlier) or the side button (iPhone X or later). Siri is listening when you feel two vibrations or see a line pulsing at the bottom of the screen (Figure 9) and the message “What can I help you with?”

Figure 9: Look for the pulsing line at the bottom of your screen.

If this doesn’t work, check your settings by tapping Settings > Siri & Search. The “Press Home for Siri” or “Press Side Button for Siri” button should be set to on.

It’s possible to access Siri this way even when your iPhone or iPad is locked by tapping Settings > Siri & Search and setting Allow Siri When Locked to on. If the option is dimmed, tap Settings > Touch ID & Passcode (or Face ID & Passcode), and then enter your passcode. Scroll down to the Allow Access When Locked header and set Siri to on. There are some security risks you’ll need to consider, though. See Should You Enable Siri from the Lock Screen?

Should You Enable Siri from the Lock Screen?

Being able to access Siri straight from the iOS lock screen makes it convenient to call someone in your contacts, ask a quick question, or send a text message, but can also be an easy runaround for your iPhone or iPad’s security. After all, it makes it just as easy for someone other than you to ask Siri to do those things, without having your security code (or fingerprint, or face). Here are some options for balancing security and convenience:

• If you use a manual trigger: If you’re worried about the security of sensitive information, turn off the Allow Siri When Locked option in Settings > Siri & Search. This prevents you from using “Hey Siri,” but won’t necessarily be inconvenient if you prefer to trigger Siri manually. For instance, if you press the Home button to invoke Siri on an iPhone or iPad with TouchID, your device usually unlocks in the process. Likewise, if you’re using an iPhone or iPad with FaceID, simply pause to let FaceID unlock your device before pressing and holding the side (or top) button.

• If you use “Hey Siri”: What if you prefer to trigger Siri by voice? (See Use “Hey Siri” on Your iPhone or iPad.) You can use “Hey Siri” more securely as long as you’re willing to do without the option to use a manual trigger, too. Tap Settings > Siri & Search. Then, set Allow Siri When Locked to on and the Press Home for Siri (or Press Side Button for Siri) button to off. If you’ve completed Siri’s voice training, your iOS 12 device responds only when you say “Hey Siri,” which means if the option to trigger Siri manually is off, no one else should be able to use Siri to gain access your device. (Unless they have a recording of your voice…but if you’ve got enemies at that 007 level of intrigue, perhaps you should pass on “Hey Siri” altogether.)

• If you like to trigger Siri both ways: If you like to trigger Siri both manually and with “Hey Siri,” it’s possible to fiddle with settings to limit what information is accessible from the lock screen—something you might want to do regardless. The simplest option, however, is to adjust the Allow Siri When Locked option depending on your circumstances—turning it off, for instance, when traveling or, as one TidBITS contributor humorously noted, when attending the Def Con hacking conference.

Trigger Siri by Touch on Your Watch

To invoke Siri on your Apple Watch, press and hold the digital crown. Just like on your iPhone, you’ll see a line pulsing on the screen and the message “What can I help you with?”

Get the Full Siri Experience on Your Watch

To make Siri the center of your Apple Watch experience, use the Siri watch face, included with watchOS since version 4. It makes it easy to activate Siri with one tap of the Siri icon, but that’s not all. The Siri watch face takes the digital assistant role seriously, dynamically pulling in information from your apps in an attempt to anticipate what you might want to look at (or do) next (Figure 10).

Figure 10: The Siri watch face lets you invoke Siri with one tap and displays information based on what it anticipates you might need.

What’s displayed varies depending on the time of day, your location, and your routines. If you usually work out in the morning, for instance, you may see a “Start Outdoor Run” prompt or a link to your favorite running playlist. To control what sort of information appears, use the settings in the Watch app on your iPhone. Tap the Siri face under the My Faces header, then toggle the apps listed under Data Sources on or off. You’ll see more options under the 3rd Party Apps header, including Shortcuts. (See Save Time with Siri Shortcuts.)

Trigger Siri by Touch on HomePod

Because the HomePod is buttonless, you might not realize you can activate Siri by touch with it, too. Just touch and hold the top of the device. When you see the multicolored spinning lights, release and ask your question (Figure 11).

Figure 11: When multicolored lights begin to spin on top of your HomePod, Siri is listening.

Trigger Siri by Touch on Your Apple TV

Hold down the Siri button on your Siri Remote, make your request, and then release the button (Figure 12).

Figure 12: Press and hold the Siri button (boxed) to activate Siri on your Apple TV.

Tip: If you press and release the Siri button on your Apple remote before speaking, Siri regales you with tips and suggestions.

Trigger Siri Manually on the Mac

Make sure Siri is enabled on your Mac by going to Apple  > System Preferences > Siri and checking the Enable Ask Siri box.

To activate Siri manually, take any one of the following actions:

• Click the Siri icon in the menu bar at the top of your display.

• Click the Siri icon in the Dock.

• If you have a MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar, you can tap the Siri icon on the right side (by default) of the Touch Bar.

• Press and hold ⌘-Space. Be careful: if you hold ⌘ and then tap the Space bar, you’ll activate Apple’s search tool, Spotlight, instead.

If you prefer a less finicky shortcut, change it by going to Apple  > System Preferences > Siri and choosing another option from the Keyboard Shortcut pop-up menu, such as Hold Option Space (Figure 13). Or, choose Customize to create a shortcut of your own devising—in the field that appears, press the keys you want to activate Siri.

Figure 13: Go to Siri’s System Preferences pane on your Mac to change or customize Siri’s shortcut (boxed) and more.

You can tell Siri is listening when you hear a chime. The Siri window appears in the upper-right corner of your screen. A line pulses at the bottom of this window. If you don’t see a pulsing line, click the Siri icon at the bottom of the window. Then make your request.

Tip: Want Siri’s help, but can’t talk? Whether you’re embarrassed to gab with your computer in a busy office or a disability limits your ability to speak, it’s possible to type your questions to Siri, too. See Type Questions to Siri.

Don’t Forget Your Headphones

There’s one more way to activate Siri manually—with headphones. If you use Apple’s white EarPods, press and hold the center button between the volume controls (Figure 14). This is handy if you’re listening to music and your iPhone is tucked away in a pocket.

Figure 14: Hold the button between your EarPods’ volume controls (the + and - buttons) until you hear the Siri chime.

Tip: Many manufacturers, including Bose, include Siri support. When in doubt, if you have earphones with a remote and microphone, try pressing and holding the center button or call button to activate Siri.

Double-tap either of Apple’s wireless AirPods to activate Siri. On Apple’s Beats headphones, press the “b” button on one side to activate Siri.