How to Use Siri on iPhone 11

Finding Siri on your iPhone 11 smartphone is easier than you think

By
Brad Stephenson
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Brad Stephenson
Freelance Contributor
  • Western Sydney University
Brad Stephenson is a freelance tech and geek culture writer with 12+ years' experience. He writes about Windows 10, Xbox One, and cryptocurrency.
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Updated on May 17, 2021
Reviewed by
Michael Barton Heine Jr
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Reviewed by Michael Barton Heine Jr
Michael Heine is a CompTIA-certified writer, editor, and Network Engineer with 25+ years' experience working in the television, defense, ISP, telecommunications, and education industries.
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What to Know

  • Activate Siri on iPhone 11 models by saying “Hey, Siri” or by pressing and holding the Side button on the smartphone's right side.
  • Siri can be completely disabled or enabled on iPhone 11 via Settings > Siri & Search.
  • Since the iPhone 11 lacks a physical Home button, you cannot use that option to activate Siri.

This article covers everything you need to know about using Siri on iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max smartphone models and what to do when you need to change Siri settings and preferences.

While this guide focuses on iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max, these Siri tips also work on later iPhone models, such as the iPhone 12 and beyond.

How to Activate Siri on iPhone 11

On older iPhone models, you used to activate Siri by pressing the physical Home button located below the screen on the front of the device. However, due to newer iPhone models, such as those in the iPhone 11 series, no longer having this button, this method is no longer available.

Fortunately, there are still two alternative ways to use Siri on iPhone 11 that are just as easy as using the old Home button.

  • Press the Side button. Performing a long press on the Side button on the right side of the iPhone 11 will activate Siri. It's the same button that you use to wake your iPhone.
  • Say, “Hey, Siri.” Simply saying this phrase will trigger Siri on your iPhone 11. Quickly follow it up with a question or command, such as, “How’s the weather?” or “Open Facebook” for the full Siri functionality.

Don’t wait for Siri to activate or appear before completing your command. Instead, say everything as one complete phrase, such as, “Hey, Siri. Google search for Hawaii images,” or “Hey, Siri. How old is Brad Pitt?”

How to Get Siri on iPhone 11

Apple’s virtual assistant, Siri, comes preinstalled on all new iPhone smartphones and is built into the iOS operating system. You don’t need to download or install a Siri app or file to get Siri onto your iPhone 11.

Siri should already be on your iPhone. It’s impossible to uninstall Siri.

Where Is Siri on iPhone 11?

Due to Siri being a part of the iPhone operating system, there is no Siri app for you to tap on your iPhone 11’s Home screen. If you’re wondering how to activate Siri on iPhone 11, use the two methods mentioned above.

Siri is not an iPhone app. It’s a feature of the iOS operating system.

How to Set up Siri on iPhone 11

Siri should be ready to go on your iPhone 11 by default. If you’re having trouble activating the digital assistant, though, you or another user might have been disabled it or changed its settings.

Set up Siri to work the way you want at any time by opening the Settings app and going to the Siri & Search screen from the main menu. From here, you can change Siri’s voice, choose how it responds, and even disable it when using certain apps or when performing specific functions.

iOS Siri settings on iPhone 11.

As of the iOS 14.5 update, there's no default Siri voice. Instead, when you set up a new iOS device, choose from diverse Siri voice options that use neural text-to-speech technology for a more natural sound.

The most critical Siri settings to keep an eye on are the top three options. If all three of these are disabled, Siri will be almost entirely turned off and won’t activate at all.

  • Listen for “Hey Siri.” Enabling this setting will let you activate Siri on iPhone 11 with your voice by saying this phrase.
  • Press Side Button for Siri. Turning this option on will let you use Siri by pressing the physical button on the right side of your iPhone 11. If you keep unintentionally activating Siri by bumping this button, you may want to turn this setting off.
  • Allow Siri When Locked. This setting lets you access Siri when your iPhone 11 is locked. If you find that Siri keeps activating while in your handbag or pocket and making calls or automatically playing Apple Music, disabling this setting should fix this.
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