In iOS 27, you can activate Siri AI by saying "Hey Siri" near your iPhone. You can also activate it by holding the side button. Siri AI can also be invoked by swiping down from the Dynamic Island. Apple also created a full Siri app where you can revisit past conversations and start a new conversation. Here are all the ways you can activate Siri AI on your iPhone in iOS 27.
Turn on Siri AI
Siri AI needs to be turned on before you can use it to get information. You may need to opt in to the waitlist to get access to Siri AI. If you didn’t set up Siri AI when you installed iOS 27, do the following:
- Go to the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap Siri.
- Follow the onscreen instructions.
Four Ways to Activate Siri AI on iPhone
Once you are approved, you need to activate Siri AI, then ask a question or make a request.
Note: You must be connected to the internet to use Siri AI.
How to Activate Siri AI From the Dynamic Island
Here’s how to invoke the new hybrid Spotlight/Siri AI search UI from anywhere on iOS by swiping down on the Dynamic Island.
- Swipe down from the top center of the display, either on the Home Screen or inside any app.
- Type your query or question into the Search or Ask field that appears in the Dynamic Island.
- Tap a result to launch an app or open a document, or swipe on Siri’s answer card to expand it and ask follow-up questions.
Siri AI is located in the iPhone’s Dynamic Island, and there’s a glassy new Siri bubble with bright colors that pops up when Siri is activated. You can use Hey Siri or hold down the side button, but Siri also comes up with a swipe down from the top center of the display, and it works basically everywhere — on the home screen or inside any app.
Swiping down brings up a new feature called Search or Ask right into the Dynamic Island. When prompted with a search or a question, the pill-shaped area starts to glow, showing you that Siri is doing its magic in the background. When the answer is ready, the Dynamic Island expands to show you a card with the result. If you swipe on a response, you can get more information and ask follow-up questions.
Spotlight and Siri have been unified in the same UI, so you can still quickly launch apps and documents via search in addition to asking questions.
While swiping down from the dynamic island to access Siri AI is a tidy piece of UI design, I found the interaction a bit cramped; swiping down from the top already invokes your Control Center (right side) and notifications (left side). A third addition to the top edge makes it a little crowded. I hope muscle memory will eventually kick in. Otherwise, you may need to activate Siri AI using any of the other methods below.
How to Activate Siri AI With the Side Button
The Side button is the quickest way to activate Siri AI on an iPhone. Here’s how to activate Siri AI on an iPhone using the Side button:
- Press the Side button, then make your request.
- To make a longer request, press and hold the Side until you’re finished with your request.
Turn Side button activation for Siri on or off: open Settings, tap Siri, then tap Talk & Type to Siri (or Talk to Siri).
How to Activate Siri AI Using the "Hey Siri" Command
- With your voice: Say "Siri" or "Hey Siri."
- Ask your question or make a request.
- For example, say "Hey Siri, what’s the weather like in San Francisco? What about Cupertino?"
To override a request, interrupt Siri while Siri is speaking.
How to Activate Siri AI Using the Siri App
There is a dedicated Siri app where you can start new conversations or revisit past conversations you’ve had with Siri AI.
The app has a card-style interface with details on your most recent conversations across all of your devices. You can also use the search button to find conversations, and there’s a pin option for conversations that you revisit frequently. To start a conversation in Siri app, just open the app and type your question in the text field.
What You Can Ask Siri AI
Ask About Your Personal Data
Siri has access to the data on your iPhone, from emails and messages to photos and files. Siri can find anything you’re looking for. Apple overhauled its search index, and Siri has access to emails, text messages, files, photos, notes, and more. Siri can find content from across your apps, but it also understands that content. You can ask Siri to surface photos, bring up information from emails or texts, or find files, and the Apple Intelligence semantic index behind the scenes finds what you need. Activate Siri AI on your iPhone and say one of the following:
- What was that movie my brother told me to watch last week?
- Can you get me the directions to that place I was supposed to meet Eric tomorrow?
- What video games did John recommend to me last year?
- Find images with pancakes from 2024
- What was the name of that restaurant I ate at in February?
- What’s the confirmation number for my upcoming flight?
- What do I need to do tomorrow?
- Show me my photos from the music festival last weekend
- What’s the door code Sarah texted me?
- Find the lease my landlord emailed me last month
- Who did I have lunch with two Tuesdays ago?
Ask General Knowledge Questions
Apple can search the web for up-to-date information to answer questions about anything, similar to other chatbots. Siri can analyze documents and get information from the web for additional context, help come up with recipes, do party prep, help with homework, give gardening tips, assist with DIY projects, and much more. It can evaluate documents, solve math problems, craft recipes, walk you through DIY tasks, help you plan a party, and more. Invoke Siri AI on your iPhone and say any of the following:
- When is the Suki Waterhouse show in SF?
- How can I get tickets?
- I’m planning a birthday party, can you find me some good cake recipes?
- What’s the difference between pine warblers and goldfinches?
- What’s the Hurricanes score?
- What are the hours for the closest Ace Hardware?
- What’s a good substitute for buttermilk?
- What’s a 15% tip on $84?
- Help me plan a 5-day trip to Lisbon
Ask About What’s on Your Screen
If there’s an image on Instagram and you want to know where it was taken, you can just ask Siri where it was taken and get a response. Visual Intelligence is now part of the Camera app, and Siri can answer questions about anything you take a picture of. Siri can tell you where a photo was taken if there’s something recognizable in it, and you can ask questions about any app you’re in without having to provide specifics. Activate Siri AI on your iPhone and say any of the following:
- Where was this photo taken?
- Summarize this
- Can you give me directions here?
- What are the best native plant options for a shady spot near my house?
- Does this document look correct?
- What is this?
- Translate this menu
- Explain what this chart is showing
Ask Siri to Take Action in Apps
App Actions allow Siri to use tools in apps to complete requests. Siri can use some apps on your behalf, including apps from Apple and third-party apps that have implemented App Actions support. It can do multiple tasks that are included in the same request.
- Write a quick response to this email
- Send all the photos from today to Eric
- Add a 3pm Tuesday meeting with the neighbor to my calendar
- Add these photos to the cat album
- Get me directions to the post office, but add a stop at the coffee shop first
- Move my 2pm meeting to Thursday
Write with Siri
In iOS 27, you can write with Siri anywhere you type with a systemwide Write with Siri feature. Siri can draft documents from scratch, and in Mail and Messages, it can use the same writing style that you normally use.
Siri can give you feedback on your writing if you select your text and ask Siri how it sounds, and as you type in apps, there’s automatic proofreading for misspellings and grammar. Siri can also edit, and you just need to describe the change that you want to make to something you’ve written, such as changing the tone to be more professional.
- Make this email sound more formal
- Turn these bullet points into a paragraph
- Shorten this to three sentences
- Draft a thank you note for a gift
- Rewrite this to be friendlier
- What do you think of this presentation?
- How can I improve this email?
Siri AI Device and Software Requirements
Siri AI is available in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS Golden Gate, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27, plus it works on AirPods and CarPlay. Siri AI has the same device requirements as Apple Intelligence, so you’ll need an iPhone 15 Pro or later to use it.
See also: Should You Buy an iPhone 17 Pro Just for the Advanced Siri Features?
