With wider improvements in most key aspects, including natural language and translation, Siri is no longer the same as it was a few years ago. However, Apple’s Virtual Assistant still has ample grounds to be as reliable and versatile as Google Assistant. Putting his smart skills aside, Siri has also been caught listening to private conversations. So, whether you’re worried about the privacy of your private conversations (in which case you should opt-out of Siri recording) or find a virtual assistant below par, you can either complete Siri on your iPhone / iPad. Can be closed or chosen to use. It is selective. Let me guide you.
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How to Disable Siri on iPhone and iPad
The latest versions of iOS (including iOS 15) give you better control over Siri. For example, you can delete Siri and Dictation from Apple servers, disable Siri in iCloud, and even delete what it has learned. Additionally, you have the option to hide sharing tips from the sheet sheets (which are double-edged swords) and prevent the suggested shortcuts from appearing on your iPhone’s lock screen. Now that you have an insight into what this detailed guide offers, let’s jump into it!
Turn off Siri for Individual Apps on iOS and iPadOS
Both iPadOS and iOS allow you to turn Siri on / off for specific apps. Therefore, you have the flexibility to control the use of Virtual Assistant according to your needs.
1. Head over to the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad and choose Siri & Search.
2. Now, scroll down a bit to find the list of apps that support Siri. Then, select the specific app for which you wish to disable Siri.
3. On this screen, turn off all the toggles to stop Siri from showing the app in search, learning from the app, showing the related content in search, and even displaying the suggestions on the home screen. Besides, you can also disable the functionality to use Siri to perform certain tasks using voice commands (check out the Use with Ask Siri toggle)
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Hide Photos from Spotlight Search on iOS 15 and iPadOS 15
With iOS 15 and iPad 15, Apple has integrated the Photos app with Spotlight. As a result, you can now use Spotlight to find images by describing landscapes, people, pets, plants, and even places. Although this is a very useful feature, you may want to hide your photos from appearing in the spotlight due to privacy concerns. Fortunately, there is a way to disable Spotlight for the Photos app.
1. Open the Settings app on your device -> Siri & Search -> Photos.
2. Now, disable the toggles for Show App in Search and Show Content in Search to prevent Spotlight from showing images.
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For more privacy, you can learn from this app, show it on the home screen, suggest apps, and even disable switches for suggestion notifications.
Completely Disable Siri on iPhone and iPad
If you don’t want to use Siri on your iOS/iPadOS device anymore for any personal reason, you can turn it off with ease.
1. Navigate to the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad -> Siri & Search.
2. You will see toggles for Listen for Hey Siri and Press Side/Home Button for Siri. Simply tap to turn off Siri on your iPhone and iPad.
Hide Siri Suggested Content in Look Up and Spotlight on iPhone and iPad
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There is also an option to stop Siri from poping up the suggested content in lookup and spotlight.
1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad -> Siri & Search.
2. Now, turn off the toggles for Show in Look Up and Show in Spotlight.
Disallow Notifications from Siri on iOS and iPadOS
Siri notifications are fully personalized and geared towards improving your experience. But if you find them unnecessary, you can easily disallow them.
1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad -> Siri & Search.
2. Now, turn off the toggle for Allow Notifications.
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Turn off Siri Suggestions in App Library and Spotlight on iOS and iPadOS
Although Siri’s suggestions in the app library are well thought out and enable you to quickly launch your favorite apps, you can choose to keep them away from the app library.
1. Head into the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad -> Siri & Search.
2. Now, turn off the switch for Show in App Library & Spotlight.
Hide Siri Suggestions from Share Sheet on iOS and iPadOS
To make sharing content faster and easier, Siri provides sharing tips in a share sheet. For example, if you’ve recently chatted with a friend using WhatsApp or iMessage, Siri will show the chat head in the share sheet so you can easily share the content you want.
Although I find this to be a very helpful feature, I prefer to keep sharing suggestions away from the share sheet due to privacy concerns. If you’re like me, you’ll also want to remove Siri’s suggestions from the share sheet on your iPhone or iPad.
1. Head over to the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad -> Siri & Search.
2. Now, turn off the switch for Show When Sharing.
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Hide Siri Suggestions When Listening on iPhone and iPad
With helpful suggestions, Siri tries to boost your overall listening experience. But if you find those suggestions useless, you can keep them away.
1. Open the Settings app on device -> Siri & Search.
2. Now, disable the switch for Show When Listening.
Stop Siri from Suggesting Shorcuts on iPhone and iPad Lock Screen
From a user experience standpoint, Siri’s lock screen tips are commendable as they play an important role in enhancing your personal experience. However, if you are a privacy-conscious person, you may want to hide the suggested shortcuts from the lock screen.
1. Open the Settings app on device -> Notifications -> Siri Suggestions.
2. Now, you can either completely disable Siri Suggestions on the lock screen or allow only a few apps to send shortcuts on the lock screen.
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Turn off Siri in iCloud and Delete What It Has Learned
Siri puts a tab on your device usage and preferences to provide a more personalized experience on iDevices synced with the same iCloud account. While this is undoubtedly a very useful feature, Smooth Sync exposes your privacy. So, if you want to limit Siri learning to individual devices, you should turn off Siri in iCloud and delete what the Virtual Assistant has learned.
1. Launch Settings app on your iPhone or iPad -> your profile -> iCloud.
2. Now, tap the Manage Storage option and select Siri (you will need to scroll down to the bottom to find it).
3. Next, tap Disable & Delete and confirm the action.
Delete Siri and Dictation History on iPhone and iPad
For improved privacy, you should delete Siri and the dictation history associated with your iOS/iPadOS device from time to time.
1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad -> Siri & Search.
2. Now, select Siri & Dictation.
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3. Next, tap Delete Siri & Dictation History and confirm.
Disable Siri on iOS and iPadOS With Ease
There you have it Therefore, it eliminates our comprehensive guide to turning off or restricting Siri on iOS and iPadOS. Unlike before, Apple provides the required control over Virtual Assistants. So, you can enable a particular feature to suit your needs and opt out of it if you ever find it unnecessary. Apple has been playing very securely since the sensational report about the secret audio recording came to light. That said, what do you think of Siri and the recent improvements in it? Be sure to share your thoughts with us.
