"Hey Siri" not working? Here's how to fix it on your iPhone

While you can get along without it, Siri is often integral to the iPhone experience. It’s a quick shortcut for actions in HomeKit, Apple Music, and more. If “Hey Siri” isn’t working, there are a few things you can try to get it back in gear.

Disconnect your Bluetooth headphones or speakers

People often have their iPhones set to automatically connect to one or more Bluetooth audio devices when one of them switches on. If a device has a microphone — like headphones, certain speakers, or even your car — Siri may start listening to it for input, which is obviously a problem when you’re trying to talk directly to your phone.

To rule out this issue, make sure any mic-equipped Bluetooth devices are powered off or disconnected if you’re not using them.

To forcibly disconnect Bluetooth devices from your iPhone:

• Open the Settings app and select Bluetooth.
• Tap the “i” (info) button next to a device you want to disconnect.
• Choose Disconnect for a temporary release, or Forget This Device if you want to prevent it from reconnecting. You’ll have to re-pair if you choose to forget.

Make sure Siri is running on your phone

This problem is unlikely, since Apple prompts you to enable Siri on any new iPhone. But you may have skipped the step, or else disabled Siri sometime later. Follow our guide on setting up and activating Siri for help.

Restart your iPhone

Smartphones sometimes glitch out, including iPhones. If you’ve tried all of the tactics above, there’s a chance that rebooting (restarting) your iPhone will force a necessary software process to kick into gear.

If you have a model without a home button, like the iPhone 15 Pro, you can reboot using these steps:

• Hold down the side button and one of the volume buttons.
• When the power-off slider appears, swipe it.
• Once your iPhone is completely powered down, press and hold the side button again until an Apple logo appears.

The process is virtually identical on products that do have a home button, such as the iPhone SE. The only difference is that you have to hold a single button — the side or top button — to make the power-off slider appear.

Check if your microphone is working

Your iPhone’s microphone may be so full of debris that it can’t hear well. Try cleaning off the surface of the mic grille with a microfiber cloth, a toothbrush, or painter’s tape (which doesn’t leave residue). You’ll have to be careful with any of these methods, since Apple’s grilles are relatively delicate, and you don’t want to accidentally introduce new debris. Avoid using compressed air, as that can damage parts, especially if you get liquid inside.

Should none of the above steps work, it’s probably time to take your iPhone into an Apple Store or an authorized third-party repair shop. Microphones sometimes break, and even if your mic is intact, technicians may be able to diagnose that and fix the real cause.