By default, whenever you ask Siri a question or issue a command on your iPhone, she responds audibly with a spoken answer. While this is helpful when driving or cooking, it can be highly embarrassing and disruptive if you are in a quiet office, a library, or a classroom. If you frequently use Siri in environments where sudden, loud talking is frowned upon, you can configure the virtual assistant to process your requests and display the answers silently on the screen.
How to Enable Silent Siri Responses
You can change how Siri responds directly within the main Settings app. This setting affects all Siri interactions when your iPhone is unlocked.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on Siri & Search.
- Look for the section titled “Siri Responses” and tap on it.
- Under the “Spoken Responses” header, you will see three options. Tap on Prefer Silent Responses to select it.
What Does “Prefer Silent Responses” Actually Mean?
Apple uses the word “Prefer” for a specific reason. When this setting is enabled, Siri will silently display the answer to your query as text on the screen in almost all scenarios.
However, Siri will still speak out loud if she detects that you are not looking at or physically holding the device. For example, if your iPhone is connected to Bluetooth headphones, hooked up to Apple CarPlay, or if you shout “Hey Siri” from across the room while the phone is sitting on a table, Siri will assume you cannot see the screen and will answer audibly.
The Physical Mute Switch Bypass
If you want to keep spoken responses enabled most of the time but need to silence Siri temporarily, you can also use the option Prefer Spoken Responses in combination with the physical Ring/Silent switch on the side of your iPhone.
However, note that if you choose Always Spoken Responses, Siri will speak out loud even if your physical mute switch is turned on and your phone is on silent mode.