How to Turn off Siri App Suggestions

Siri can be a helpful virtual assistant when you need, but if its suggestions are beginning to bother you, you can shut them off completely. Alternatively, you can restrict Siri App Suggestions to specific areas such as the search bar or lock screen, using only a few tweaks.

Apple’s Siri Suggestion feature allows Siri to recommend content from specific apps to you when you perform a search on your device, arrive at a distinct location, or attempt to launch apps during particular times of the day. Apple accomplishes this feature by carefully analyzing how you use your device and then making appropriate suggestions.

While all analyzing is done locally on your device, and thus allows for greater privacy, some users might find the feature bothersome and opt to turn it off or customize it for their own experience.

If you aren’t interested in receiving any suggestions from your virtual assistant, you can simply pop into the Settings app to turn off the suggestion feature.

1. Open the Settings app from your home screen.
2. Scroll down and tap Siri & Search.
3. Scroll down and use the toggle buttons under Siri Suggestions to select where you would like suggestions to appear: Suggestions in Search, Suggestions in Look Up, and Suggestions on Lock Screen.
   1. Note: Depending on your version of iOS, all three of these options may not be available.
4. Turn off all available toggle buttons to completely turn off the Siri Suggestion feature.

If you find Siri Suggestions useful, but would prefer Siri doesn’t recommend a specific app, you can individually select apps to remove from the list of possible suggestions. Individuals who might not want specific security applications, such as 1Password or LastPass, might find this ability quite handy.

1. Open the Settings app from your home screen.
2. Scroll down and tap Siri & Search.
3. Scroll down and select the specific app you wish to remove from Siri Suggestions.
4. Tap the toggle off next to the Search & Siri Suggestions option.

On iOS, one last spot you may discover Siri attempting to provide you with recommendations is on your Today View screen. Follow the next steps to access your Today View and remove the Siri Suggestion widget from view.

1. From your home screen, swipe to the right until you are presented with the Today View — a list of customizable widgets.
2. Scroll to the bottom of the screen and tap Edit.
3. Next, locate Siri App Suggestions in the given list and tap the red circular minus sign to its left-hand side.
   1. Note: If there is a green circular plus button next to the option, then Siri Suggestions is already disabled.
4. Tap Done button in the upper right-hand corner.

Like iOS, turning off Siri Suggestions is a simple matter:

1. Open the Apple menu.
2. Click System Preferences.
3. Click Siri to open Siri preferences.
4. Click Siri Suggestions & Privacy or About Siri & Privacy to choose which apps Siri can learn from to make suggestions.