How to Get Siri to Respond on the Right Device

Siri is designed to activate on any device and wait for instructions.. At times, Siri will activate on the wrong device when you say “Hey Siri," which can be frustrating. Here’s how to ensure the right device responds when you say “Hey Siri.”

Jump to:

• How to Make Sure the Right Device Will Respond to Hey Siri
• What to Do If the Wrong Device Responds to “Hey Siri”
• How to Check That "Hey Siri" is Enabled on Your iPhone
• How to Check That "Hey Siri" is Enabled on Your Mac
• Use the Home App to Turn Off Listen for “Hey Siri” on a HomePod

How to Make Sure the Right Device Will Respond to Hey Siri

There are a couple of things to check on before you continue troubleshooting which device responds to "Hey Siri." 

• Make sure that the device has Bluetooth turned on. If Bluetooth is turned off or the device isn’t within range, alternate devices might respond to “Hey Siri.”
• Make sure that the device is using the latest Apple software. If some devices are using older software, multiple devices might respond to “Hey Siri.”
• If Siri is not responding at all, consider looking at these troubleshooting tips.

What to Do If the Wrong Device Responds to “Hey Siri”

• If the wrong device is an iPhone or iPad, lay it face down on a flat surface (or close the cover) and it won’t respond to “Hey Siri.” Otherwise, you can disable the "Hey Siri" feature on your iPhone or iPad.
• If the wrong device is a HomePod, you can tell it “Hey Siri, turn off Hey Siri," or disable "Hey Siri" in the Home app.
• If the wrong device is a Mac, you can close it and it won’t respond to “Hey Siri." You can also disable "Hey Siri" on your Mac.

How to Check That "Hey Siri" is Enabled on Your iPhone

You can enable or disable Listen for "Hey Siri" by following these steps on your iPhone:

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1. Open the Settings app.
   
   
    
2. Scroll down and tap on Siri & Search.
   
   
    
3. Check that Listen for “Hey Siri” is toggled on. The toggle should be green.
   
   
    
4. Check that Allow Siri When Locked is toggled on. Siri won’t respond if the screen is locked.
   
   
    
5. If you want to turn off "Listen for Hey Siri," tap the toggle and it will turn gray.
   
   

How to Check That "Hey Siri" is Enabled on Your Mac

If you'd like to enable or disable "Hey Siri" on your Mac, here's how:

1. Open System Preferences.
   
   
    
2. Click on Siri.
   
   
    
3. Check that Listen for “Hey Siri” is enabled. You'll see a blue check mark next to it if it's enabled.
4. Check that Allow Siri When Locked is enabled. You'll see a blue check mark next to it if it's enabled.
   
   
    
5. If you want to turn off Listen for "Hey Siri," uncheck the box next to it.
   
   

Use the Home App to Turn Off Listen for “Hey Siri” on a HomePod

You can turn off Listen for "Hey Siri" on your HomePod using the Home app on your iPhone or iPad. You can also use these steps to enable the same feature.

1. Open the Home app on your iPhone or iPad.
   
   
    
2. Tap the Home tab if it isn't already selected.
   
   
    
3. Long-press the HomePod icon.
   
   
    
4. Tap the Settings gear icon at the bottom-right corner of the screen. You may have to scroll down to see it.
   
   
    
5. Scroll to the ‌Siri‌ section.
6. Make sure Listen for “Hey Siri” is toggled off. The toggle will be gray.
   
   
    
7. To enable Listen for “Hey Siri,” tap the gray toggle and it will turn green.
   
   
    
8. Tap the X icon in the upper-right corner to finish.
   
   
    
9. Once You turn "Hey Siri" off for your HomePod, you'll see a mute microphone on the HomePod icon in your Home tab.
   
   

We hope these steps have helped you make sure that the right Apple device responds to "Hey Siri." Once you've got Siri working, you can even customize it by changing Siri's voice and more. Now you should enjoy smoother interactions with your Apple virtual assistant!