Siri Not Working on iPhone – Full Troubleshooting Guide

Lots of people have come to rely on Siri since the feature was added standard to iPhones. If the function is not working on yours, then presumably you’ll be eager to figure out how to fix the problem. There are a few different things that you can do.

Check Your Internet Connection

The most common reason for Siri not to be working is if you are not getting a strong internet signal. Remember, there is no offline mode for Siri. If you have a reliable cellular signal or Wi-Fi connectivity, then Siri should work.

The easiest way to tell if this is happening is if Siri says either “sorry, I’m having trouble connecting you to the network” or “try again in a little while.” Either one of those lets you know that it is an internet connectivity issue.

Check Siri’s Servers

If you know that you’re getting a reliable internet connection, then the problem is going to be something else. It could be that Apple is having an issue, rather than your individual iPhone.

Go to the Apple System Status site. Have a look and see if there are any reported widespread issues that people are having with Siri. If you see a yellow icon that looks a little like a “yield” sign, that will be an indicator of a service problem. Tap on it to see if anything is happening with Siri. There should be some indication of what’s going on and when it might be fixed.

Do You Not See Siri on Lock Screen?

If you don’t see Siri on the lock screen, that probably means that a setting is not turned on. It is most often an iOS update that causes this problem.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Go to Face ID or Touch ID and enter your passcode.
3. Scroll down to Allow Access When Locked.
4. There should be an option for Siri. If it is not on, toggle the switch to the right.

Another Way to Access Siri

There is another way you can make sure that Siri is turned on.

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Siri and Search.
3. Where it says Allow Siri When Locked, toggle the switch to the right. If it turns green, you know that you’ve done it correctly.

If you are using the iOS version 10 or below, then go to Settings, Siri, and then toggle on Access WhenLocked.

Does Your iPhone Support Hey Siri?

If you have an iPhone 6s or a model that came out after that, you should be able to use Hey Siri whenever you like. If you’ve got an iPhone 6 model or earlier, though, then to figure out if your device supports Hey Siri, first you should plug it into an outlet.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Make sure that the Siri toggle is on, then check to see if the Hey Siri toggle is on as well. If it isn’t, then switch it to the right and make sure that it has gone green.

If you have iOS 11 or above, then do Settings, Siri and Search, and then check that Listen for Hey Siri is on. On iOS 10 or below, go to Settings, Siri, and then toggle on Allow Hey Siri.

Make Sure Your iPhone is Face Up

If you have followed these steps so far and your Siri function is still not working, then you should next be sure that your iPhone is face up. If it is faced down, then Siri will be disabled.

Clean and Clear Your Microphone and Speakers

You can also look at the mics and speakers at the base of the iPhone to see if there is any debris, dust, dirt, or lint that could be blocking them. If you see that there is any buildup, there are several ways that you can clean it. Some options include an interdental brush, a specialized port cleaning tool, tools from a hearing aid cleaning kit, or a super soft toothbrush.

Whatever it is that you use, be sure to exercise care. You want to clear away any debris, but you also don’t want to damage any of the iPhone’s delicate internal components.

Check What Kind of Case You are Using

Most people use phone cases of some kind to protect their iPhone. What they might not realize is that some cases aren’t designed for iPhones, and because of that, they might be blocking your microphones or speakers.

Check to see if that is what’s happening. If you aren’t sure, then remove the phone from the case and try to access Siri. If that’s the problem, you’ll need to get a different case.

Try Resetting Your Network Settings

If Siri still does not work, you can also try resetting the network settings.

1. Go to Settings, then go to General.
2. Choose the Reset Network Settings option.
3. Enter your passcode if you are prompted to do so.
4. Next, select Reset Network Settings.
5. Wait a few moments until your device has reset. Once it has, reconnect to your networks and reenter your passcode. Check and see if the issue has been resolved.

Disable Low Power Mode

There is one more fix that you can try, and that is disabling Low Power mode. If your battery is low and Apple is trying to conserve your iPhone’s remaining power, then it’s possible that this mode can turn on automatically.

1. Pull the Control Center up from the bottom of the screen.
2. You should see a battery icon. Press it to turn off Low Battery manually. Now you should be able to use Siri, but you’ll need to plug your phone in soon to recharge its power.

Is Siri Not Working Still? Try This!

If you have tried all of these things and your Siri function is still not working, then probably your next move will be to contact Apple support by phone or instant message. You can also head to an Apple store that has a genius bar if there is one close to you.

Remember, though, that you will have to pay to get your iPhone fixed if it is no longer under the original or an extended warranty. If it is still under warranty, then they should be able to figure out what’s wrong and it will not cost you anything.

Be sure to tell them all of the steps that you’ve already tried. If none of what we suggested worked for you, then it’s likely a hardware issue, so a more complicated fix might be required to get Siri talking to you again.