In This Guide Originally, Siri was a mere voice assistant, but now it has become a powerful productivity tool that leverages AI and is deeply ingrained in iPhones. In the wake of iOS 18 and Apple Intelligence, Siri’s capability has now reached contextual recognition, carrying out natural language conversations and also being compatible with ChatGPT. This tutorial has got you covered with all the requirements necessary to tap into Siri’s power on your iPhone.
🔧 Setting Up Siri on Your iPhone (iOS 18 and Above)
Start by carefully following these configuration steps to use Siri:
- Launch Settings → Apple Intelligence & Siri
- Choose “Talk & Type to Siri” to turn on Siri
- Voice registration, if required, should be done
- Decide on your wake phrase: “Hey Siri” or “Siri.”
- Turn on:
- Press Side Button for Siri
- Type to Siri
- Allow Siri When Locked
For Siri’s improved performance, be sure to activate “Apple Intelligence.”
⚡ How to Activate Siri: Multiple Modes for Different Situations
🔊 Voice Activation
You can make use of voice command from any screen or lock state to operate the system without using your hands by saying “Hey Siri” or “Siri.” It is applicable for:
- AirPods (2nd gen or newer)
- CarPlay
- HomePod
🔘 Side Button Activation
Holding the side button down, it will be possible to summon Siri in a discreet manner without disturbing other people.
💬 Type to Siri
If it is a quiet place:
- Keep the Side Button depressed
- After the Siri window comes up, type what you want
Enable this feature: Settings → Apple Intelligence & Siri → Type to Siri
🧠 Siri’s New Features in iOS 18
📆 Everyday Productivity
- “Turn on the alarm for 7 in the morning.”
- “Tell me to make a call to the doctor at 2 PM.”
- “Put milk on my shopping list.”
📲 Communication
- “Call Alex on speaker.”
- “Text Jessica ‘Meeting pushed to 3 PM.’”
🌐 Instant Information
- “Translate ‘thank you’ to German.”
- “What’s the capital of Argentina?”
🎶 Media and Apps
- “Play my chill playlist on Apple Music.”
- “Open Instagram.”
- “Take a selfie.”
🏠 Smart Home Integration
- “Turn off bedroom lights.”
- “Lock the front door.”
- “Adjust the thermostat to 70 degrees.”
🚀 What’s New in Siri with iOS 18 + Apple Intelligence
🧾 On-Screen Awareness
Siri now understands what’s on-screen:
- Looking at a text? Say, “Remind me about this.”
- Reading an article? Ask, “Summarize this for me.”
🌀 Dynamic Siri Interface
- Glowing screen edges when active
- New ability to type instead of speak
🧩 Conversational Intelligence
Siri now handles mid-sentence corrections and context-rich follow-ups:
- “What’s the forecast in Tokyo?”
- Follow-up: “How about on Friday?”
🎯 Expanded App Control
Siri now works with:
- Third-party apps (via SiriKit)
- System tasks like editing or sharing photos, managing emails
🤖 ChatGPT Integration with Siri (iPhone 15 Pro and Later)
Starting iOS 18.2, Siri can tap into ChatGPT’s LLM capabilities
🔧 How To Enable
- Go to Settings → Apple Intelligence & Siri → ChatGPT
- Tap Use ChatGPT
- Sign in to your ChatGPT account
After that, here are some examples of what you can say:
- “Write a blog post about digital minimalism.”
- “Give me a creative recipe using only eggs and rice.”
Siri will give you a prompt and you will have to allow it to ask ChatGPT to get the context-aware, AI-enhanced responses.
🎛️ Customizing Siri for a Personalized Experience
🔓 Allow Siri When Locked
- Settings → Apple Intelligence & Siri → Allow Siri When Locked
- Toggle ON/OFF for privacy vs. convenience
🗣️ Change Siri’s Voice and Accent
- Go to:
Settings → Apple Intelligence & Siri → Voice - Pick from various voice Gender and regional accents
🌍 Switch Siri’s Language
- Visit:
Settings → Apple Intelligence & Siri → Language - Choose any supported language (e.g., Spanish, French, Hindi)
📞 Announce Calls
- Settings → Apple Intelligence & Siri → Announce Calls
- Decide: Always, Headphones & Car, or Never
🔔 Announce Notifications
- Settings → Apple Intelligence & Siri → Announce Notifications
- Use:
- AirPods
- Beats headphones
- CarPlay
- Customize per app permissions
📵 Hang Up Calls via Siri
Use the hands-free call termination feature.
- Settings → Apple Intelligence & Siri → Call Hang Up
🔇 Control Siri Responses
Decide when Siri speaks out loud:
- Settings → Apple Intelligence & Siri → Siri Responses
- Decide from:
- Always Speak
- When Silent Mode Is Off
- Only With “Hey Siri.”
💡 Pro Tips to Maximize Siri Efficiency
- Use Follow-Up Queries to minimize repetition
- Turn off Siri Suggestions to get rid of clutter on your lock screen and app switcher
- Enable Offline Siri for limited control without internet
- Use Widgets with Siri Shortcuts for one-tap commands
📱 Compatible Devices for Apple Intelligence & Advanced Siri
| Feature | iPhone Models Supported |
|---|---|
| Basic Siri Commands | iPhone 6s and newer |
| Siri Offline Mode | iPhone 12 and newer |
| Apple Intelligence Features | iPhone 15 Pro, Pro Max (A17 Pro chip only) |
| ChatGPT Integration with Siri | iPhone 15 Pro series (iOS 18.2+) |
📬 Final Thoughts
Siri on iOS 18 is no longer a mere voice assistant. It’s now your productivity partner, AI-powered communicator, and intelligent control hub. Its customizable behavior, advanced app integrations, and ChatGPT collaboration enabled it to provide the most personalized and powerful assistant experience available on any smartphone to users.
If you have not made full use of Siri, the time is now. Update your iPhone, delve into Apple Intelligence, and turn Siri into the instrument that makes your digital life hassle-free.
📚 FAQs About Siri on iPhone
Q1: Can I use Siri offline?
Yes, simple commands like setting alarms, changing settings, and launching apps work offline on supported iPhones.
Q2: Is ChatGPT free to use with Siri?
ChatGPT access requires an OpenAI account, free or paid. No extra Apple subscription is needed.
Q3: Can Siri understand multiple languages?
To be exact, you can select only one language for Siri to be the primary one. Multilingual Siri support is currently very limited.
Q4: Does Siri store voice data?
Apple processes most Siri interactions on-device. In Settings → Privacy, you can opt out of sharing Siri.
Q5: How do I disable Siri?
Go to Settings → Apple Intelligence & Siri and turn off all the switches, including Enable Siri and Press Side Button for Siri.