Siri can carry out many actions for you in your iPhone, reminiscent of sending messages, offering data, getting instructions, trying up a contact, and taking part in music. Nonetheless, there are much more essential Siri voice instructions that each iPhone proprietor ought to know — even those who hate Siri.
Among the huge Siri instructions you’d profit from got here with iOS 16, so that they’re fairly new and those you are least prone to find out about in comparison with the remaining. Those that work on iOS 16 and older iOS variations shouldn’t be ignored, although, as a result of there’s an opportunity you have not come throughout them but, and considered one of them would possibly find yourself being the one you utilize probably the most any more.
All of the instructions under ought to work irrespective of if you happen to provoke Siri from the Aspect or House button, Hey Siri, or Kind to Siri.
1. Restart or Energy Off Your iPhone
On iOS 16 and later, you’ll be able to ask Siri to “restart iPhone” or “restart cellphone,” and Siri will ask you affirm that you simply do certainly need to restart your system. You’ll be able to say “sure” or faucet the “Restart” button. The identical goes for “Energy off,” “Energy off iPhone,” or “energy off cellphone.”
Earlier than iOS 16, Siri would simply say it could not try this. (Extra information.)
Instance Siri instructions that work for restarting:
- “Restart iPhone”
- “Restart cellphone”
Instance Siri instructions that work for powering down:
- “Energy off”
- “Energy off iPhone”
- “Energy off cellphone”
- “Shut down”
- “Shut down iPhone”
- “Shut down cellphone”
- “Flip off iPhone”
- “Flip off cellphone”


2. See What’s Doable
Additionally solely accessible on iOS 16 and later, “What can I do right here?” helps you be taught all of the doable Siri instructions for the at present open app. You too can ask “What can I do with [App Name]?” to study one other app in your iPhone. Both means, if Siri cannot discover any outcomes, it’ll counsel some useful system instructions. This command solely works on iPhone XS and newer fashions. (Extra information.)
Instance Siri instructions that work:
- “What can I do right here?”
- “What can I do with [App Name]?”


3. Open System or App Settings
When you want to change some iOS settings in your iPhone, the quickest means to open the Settings app is with Siri. Simply say “open preferences” or “open settings” or simply “preferences” or “settings.”
You too can say “[Menu Name] preferences” or [Menu Name] settings” to open some particular submenus in Settings, however not all. Some that work embrace Accessibility, Show, Normal, Siri, and Wallpaper. For a number of, like “Zoom settings,” Siri will present a button you’ll be able to faucet to leap there. Others might not do something.
Additionally, if you happen to say “preferences” from inside virtually any app, Siri might take you on to that app’s settings. You too can say “[App Name] preferences” or “[App Name] settings” from any app to leap proper to the requested app’s settings. Surprisingly, it would not work with all Apple apps, however I’ve discovered it to work in over 60% of them.
Instance Siri instructions to open the Settings app:
- “Open preferences”
- “Open settings”
- “Settings”
Instance Siri instructions to open app or menu settings:
- “Preferences” (when within the app)
- “[App Name] preferences”
- “[App Name] settings”
- “[Menu Name] preferences”
- “[Menu Name] settings”
4. Take a Screenshot
Siri can take a screenshot if you happen to’re uninterested in fumbling together with your {hardware} buttons and do not like several of the different options. While you say “screenshot,” “take a screenshot,” or one thing comparable, Siri’s interface will shortly duck out earlier than the screenshot occurs. It really works whether or not or not you’ve At all times Present Siri Captions, At all times Present Speech, or Present Apps Behind Siri enabled.
You too can ship a brand new screenshot on to somebody with “Take screenshot and ship to [Contact]” or one thing shorter like “Share screenshot with [Contact].”
Instance Siri instructions that work:
- “Screenshot”
- “Take a screenshot”
- “Snap a screenshot”
- “Take a display screen seize”
- “Snap a display screen seize”
- “Take screenshot and ship to [Contact]”
- “Share screenshot with [Contact]”
- “Ship screenshot to [Contact]”


5. Forged Spells
Whether or not you are an enormous Harry Potter fan or not, it is enjoyable to make your iPhone do issues otherwise. With Siri, you’ll be able to forged the spells “Lux,” “Nox,” and “Accio” to show the flashlight on, flip it off, and summon a selected app, respectively. If you happen to’re a diehard fan, you’ll be able to even program your iPhone to carry out your individual Potter spells for issues like elevating the amount, discovering your pals, and even adjusting textual content measurement.
Instance Siri instructions that work:

6. Hold Up Calls?
Everytime you’re on a cellphone or FaceTime name and have to bail out whenever you’re palms are busy doing one thing else, you’ll be able to inform Siri to “grasp up” the decision for you, and it will do it. It solely works on iOS 16 and later for iPhone 11 and newer fashions. It additionally works on iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR, however solely when utilizing AirPods or Siri-enabled Beats headphones.
In contrast to the opposite Siri instructions on this checklist, you need to allow name hangups earlier than it really works. You’ll be able to go to Settings –> Siri & Search –> Name Hold Up or Settings –> Accessibility –> Siri –> Name Hangup to toggle the swap. Voice enter is processed on-device solely, so you do not have to fret about Apple eavesdropping in your conversations.
Instance Siri instructions that work:


7. Toggle or Regulate Settings
Siri can activate and off many settings in your iPhone for you, in addition to modify some choices, and the key phrase triggers fluctuate relying on the desire.
Among the settings it really works with embrace Airplane Mode, Bluetooth, Brightness, Mobile Information, Darkish Mode, Flashlight, Focuses (like Do Not Disturb, Driving, Gaming, and Mindfulness), Low Energy Mode, Night time Shift, Good Invert, VoiceOver, Voice Management, and Wi-Fi.
Instance Siri instructions that work:
- “Allow Airplane Mode”
- “Activate Gaming focus”
- “Toggle Darkish Mode”
- “Enhance brightness”
- “Activate flashlight”
- “Invert colours”
8. Carry out Math Calculations
You’ll be able to shortly open the Calculator app from Management Middle every time you want to remedy a math downside. Nonetheless, generally Siri is quicker.
Siri was in a position to remedy complicated math issues, however latest updates dumbed down Siri’s math skills (despite the fact that Highlight can nonetheless remedy them). However you’ll be able to nonetheless use Siri for a lot of math issues, like calculating ideas, splitting payments, discovering the dice root of a quantity, seeing how heavy a stone is, changing forex, multiplying and dividing lengthy numbers, and so forth.
Instance Siri instructions that work:
- “One divided by E”
- “What number of kilos in a stone?”
- “Dice root of 569”
9. Replay Video with Subtitles
If you happen to miss a line throughout a film or TV present on Apple TV, you’ll be able to ask Siri “what did they are saying?” to rewind 15 seconds and switch the subtitles on throughout these 15 seconds. It appears to solely work within the TV app. When asking Siri in Netflix, Starz, and different streaming video companies, you may possible get a “subtitles are unavailable” error despite the fact that there are subtitles accessible.
Instance Siri instructions that work:
- “What did they are saying?”
- “What did he say?”
- “What did she say?”
10. Discover the Time Elsewhere
You’ll be able to program the Clock app to indicate you the occasions in different cities or nations through the World tab, however that is not a really handy approach to discover someplace else’s time when you want to know shortly. As an alternative, ask Siri “what time is it in [Location].”
Instance Siri instructions that work:
- “What time is it in [City Name]?”


11. Add Stops Throughout Navigation
On iOS 16 and later, you’ll be able to ask Siri to “add a cease” throughout navigation. It’s going to then ask you the place you’d prefer to go, and you may reply together with your desired cease. If there’s a couple of consequence, Siri will present an inventory the place you’ll be able to decide the one you need. That location will open within the Maps app, the place you’ll be able to then faucet “Add Cease” to get instructions to that place earlier than the ultimate vacation spot.
Instance Siri instructions that work:
- “Add a cease”
- “Add a cease to [Location’s Name]”
12. Add Gadgets to Your Procuring Checklist
As an alternative of typing out your buying checklist merchandise by merchandise, inform Siri so as to add no matter you simply considered to your checklist. If you have already got an inventory in Reminders referred to as Procuring Checklist, Siri will add the merchandise to that. In any other case, Siri will ask if you wish to create one, which might be saved to your iCloud account. (You too can use Siri so as to add objects to different lists in Reminders.)
Instance Siri instructions that work:
- “Add milk to my buying checklist”
- “Add [item] to [list’s name]”
13. Play the Information
If you do not have time to learn the information, get a fast transient of an important latest occasions by asking Siri to “play the information.” Siri will play an audio report through the Podcasts app out of your default information supply. If you happen to do not like your default, you’ll be able to say, “change to [News Source Name],” and Siri will use that any more. You too can hear a special perspective by saying, “play information from [News Source Name].” Within the U.S., Apple Information, CNN, Fox Information, and NPR are all supported.
Instance Siri instructions that work:
- “Play the information”
- “Play the information from [News Source Name]”
- “Change to [News Source Name]”


14. Discover Particular Emails
If you want to discover an e mail shortly from a particular contact or concerning a selected topic, you’ll be able to ask Siri to seek for it. You’ll be able to solely search by contact and topic line, so you’ll be able to’t search the physique of emails with Siri but.
Instance Siri instructions that work:
- “Discover emails from [Contact]”
- “Discover e mail about [subject]”
- “Discover [subject] emails”


15. Watch Trailers
While you need to watch or present any person a film or TV collection trailer, ask Siri to play it. If it finds one match, it will play it immediately within the TV app. In any other case, it will ask you to choose from a number of outcomes. If it might probably’t find any, it will say that no trailer is on the market.
Instance Siri instructions that work:
- “[Title] trailer”
- “Trailer for [Title]”
- “Play the trailer for [Title]”
- “Play the [Title” trailer”
16. Share Things
Using the share sheet to send an article, TV show, or another item can be a lengthy process if the person is not in the contact suggestions row. You can skip all the work and ask Siri to share something for you. For example, when viewing an article online or in the News app, say “share this with [Contact].” If it is not one thing Siri can ship a direct hyperlink to, it’ll take and ship a screenshot as a substitute. Both means, you need to affirm to ship it.
Instance Siri instructions that work:
- “Share this with [Contact]”
- “Share with [Contact]”
- “Share to [Contact]”
17. Name Emergency Companies
If you happen to’re not a fan of the {hardware} button triggers for contacting emergency companies, you’ll be able to ask Siri to contact them as a substitute. Simply say “name 911” or ask it to name no matter emergency service you want to contact.
Instance Siri instructions that work:
18. Discover Your Stuff
If you cannot discover considered one of your Apple merchandise, you should utilize Siri as a substitute of opening the Discover My app to assist find the lacking system. Simply say “discover my [device],” and if it is close by and on-line, it will begin taking part in a sound. If it is not on-line, the sound will play the subsequent time the system will get on-line. This works on any system that Discover My helps.
Instance Siri instructions that work:
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