If Siri is not working offline after iOS 17 update, this troubleshooting guide will help you fix the problem.
Siri works even when offline for some commands. That means faster performance, but offline requests doesn’t work for everything. If you don’t have a cellular data or Wi-Fi connection and you ask Siri to do anything that requires internet access – such as asking for weather updates, or playing streamed content – you’ll get the response like ”To do that, you’ll need to be online” or ”I can help with that when you’re connected to the internet.” Let’s look at what does and doesn’t work with offline Siri and how to troubleshoot the problem when Siri is not working offline after iOS 17 update.
What Works With Offline Siri in iOS 17?
Before we start troubleshooting, it’s worth bearing in mind that only the speech recognition part of Siri is stored on your iPhone in iOS 17. There are still plenty of command-processing and question-answering functions on the server.
For this reason, if you’re offline, Siri won’t be able to provide the full functionality you’re used to. For example, asking general questions such as “What is the capital of Switzerland?” or “Will it rain later today?” will get the cold shoulder – by which we mean an error message that Siri needs to be online to do that. Indeed, you may be surprised by the number of tasks that are beyond Siri’s scope when offline.
For example, you can launch various apps via Siri, such as Calendar, but creating new entries in that app is not allowed. Much the same is true of Notes: it will happily open a new note, but you’ll have to tap the screen to bring up the keyboard, then tap the microphone button to start dictation.
Here are some of the things that work with offline Siri in iOS 17:
- Opening apps
- Toggling on and off multiple iPhone settings, like the flashlight, Light and Dark mode, Low Power mode, Airplane mode, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and other accessibility features
- Adjusting display brightness
- Setting and changing timers and alarms
- Playing tracks in the last music/podcast app that was used, and skipping to the previous or next track
- Adjusting volume levels
- Reading messages and notifications that arrived before losing connection
- Making phone calls
- Sending text messages
What Doesn’t Work With Offline Siri in iOS 17?
Anything that needs an active internet connection will not work with offline Siri in iOS 17. This includes general updates and message notifications.
As you can see from the list above, Siri can do a few things offline, but its capabilities are quite limited. While you can open apps, you can’t really do anything within them purely through voice controls.
Many useful apps, such as Reminders, Calendar, Maps and similar can’t create any new entries. Music and Podcasts can’t be accessed beyond the main screen and downloaded albums/episodes can’t be selected.
Of course, any action that itself requires access to the internet will be off limits, but that’s a given.
Here are the tasks that will not work with offline Siri in iOS 17:
- Requesting to be updated with apps that require an internet connection to function, such as the Weather app, HomeKit, Reminders, Calendar, and so on
- Playing music or podcasts – even downloaded content
- Announcing or reading messages and notifications after losing a connection
How to fix Siri not working offline after iOS 17 update issue
Now that you know what does and doesn’t work with offline Siri in iOS 17, lets discuss how to troubleshoot the problem.
1. Check Siri settings
You can access your iPhone’s Siri settings by going to Settings > Siri & Search. If Siri isn’t responding to you, check that the following are turned on:
- Listen for, “Siri” or “Hey Siri”
- Press Side Button for Siri
- Allow Siri When Locked
2. Update your iPhone
Ensure that your iPhone has the latest version of iOS. Updating your iPhone may fix Siri not working offline after iOS 17 issue. It is easy to check for updates. Go to Settings > General > Software Update to check for updates. If there is an update, follow the on-screen instructions to update.
3. Force restart your iPhone
If Siri was working offline but stopped after iOS 17 update, try force restarting your iPhone. Here is how:
- Press and quickly release the volume up button.
- Press and quickly release the volume down button.
- Press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo. The power-off screen may appear. If it does, ignore it and keep pressing the side button until you see the Apple logo.
4. Reset all settings
If nothing works, reset all settings on your iPhone. Doing so won’t erase your content, like photos, apps, or personal data. However, it will reset system settings to their default values. These system settings include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and more. On your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset All Settings and then follow the onscreen instructions.