How to Use Siri on iPhone 11, 12, and XR

Last Updated: April 25, 2022

Are you wondering how to use Siri without a Home button? Summoning the voice assistant is pretty simple once you figure it out! This wikiHow article teaches you how to enable Siri in Settings as well as how to use Siri on iPhone 11, 12, XR, and other iPhones with Face ID.

Section 1 of 2:

Enabling Siri.

Make sure you have Siri activated in the way you want to summon the voice assistant. In Settings, go to Siri & Search and either tap a switch next to "Listen for 'Hey Siri',", "Press Side Button for Siri," or both.^{[1]
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- If you enable "Listen for 'Hey Siri'," you are prompted to set up "Hey Siri" so the voice assistant recognizes your voice and doesn't activate for anyone else.
- Once you are done setting up "Hey Siri," you can change the language (which doesn't change Siri's language, but what she's listening for instead). You can also enable Siri to work if your phone is locked as well as set other options.
- If you opt to press the button for Siri, you'll get similar options, like allowing Siri to work even if the phone is locked.
- When you're pressing and holding the power button for Siri, hold the button down while you ask a question or give the voice assistant a command. You can release the Side/Power button when you're done speaking.

Section 2 of 2:

Performing tasks with Siri

1
Summon Siri. You can either say "Hey Siri" or press and hold the Side/Power button.
2
Ask a question. You can ask a question, like "What sound does a cat make?" and get results that have been curated from the Internet.
3
Ask for a translation. For example, you can ask "How do you say "Thank you" in Italian" and get an answer as well as an auditory clip of "Thank you" in Italian.
4
Ask for a conversion. If you ask "How many inches are in 15 feet?" the answer will appear on your screen as a calculator answer.
5
Schedule an appointment. Say "Set up a meeting with Gordon at 9" to have Siri create an event in your Calendar.
6
Add items to your shopping list. You can say "Add mozzarella to my grocery list" and Siri will add that note to your Reminders.^{[2]
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7
Share a picture. When you're looking at photos in your photo library, you can say "Share this with Susan." Siri will create a text message with that photo inside.
- You can do this for a few different Apple services, like Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, Maps, and Photo Library.
8
Find a location. Say, "Where's Walmart near me?" to see a map of your location and directions showing how to get from your spot to Walmart.
9
Set up Siri announcements. You can have Siri announce incoming calls, messages, or Reminders. Go to Settings > Siri & Search > Announce Notifications and either turn specific notifications off or on.^{[3]
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