On modern versions of macOS, Apple has mapped Siri to the Command (Cmd) and Spacebar keys. If you quickly tap Cmd + Space, it opens the Spotlight search bar. However, if you press and hold Cmd + Space for even a fraction of a second too long, the Siri overlay violently slides onto the screen, pausing your music and waiting for a voice command.
For users who rely heavily on Spotlight to launch applications, this delay threshold is incredibly frustrating. Accidentally triggering Siri when you are simply trying to quickly search for a document breaks your concentration. If you never use voice commands on your Mac, or if you prefer to launch Siri by clicking the menu bar icon instead, you can completely unbind Siri from your keyboard.
How to Unbind the Siri Keyboard Shortcut on a Mac
You must remove the shortcut assignment from the Siri & Spotlight settings menu.
- Click the Apple Logo in the top-left corner of your Mac’s screen.
- Select System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions).
- Scroll down the left-hand navigation sidebar and click on Siri & Spotlight (or just Siri).
- In the main window, look for the Keyboard shortcut drop-down menu. (It is usually set to “Hold Command Space”).
- Click the drop-down menu and select Off.
The change is instantaneous. You can now press, hold, or mash the Command and Space keys for as long as you want. It will only ever open the Spotlight search bar, and Siri will never interrupt your workflow again.