How to type to Siri on your iPhone

If talking to Siri isn’t your thing, or you just prefer plain old typing, you’re in luck as there’s a feature in iPhone for that. Learning how to use the ‘type to Siri’ option on your iPhone will let you interact with Siri more quietly and privately, whether you’re in a quiet space, don’t want to disturb others, or just prefer texting. 

While Siri is usually all about voice commands, there’s a handy option that lets you type out your requests instead. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the simple steps of how to enable and use the type to Siri feature on your iPhone, so you can chat with Siri without ever saying a word.

How to type to Siri on your iPhone

There can be times when talking to Siri just isn’t ideal, maybe you’re in a meeting, at the gym, or prefer a more private way to chat. That’s where the type to Siri feature comes in handy and it lets you communicate with Siri through text, giving you a more discreet and flexible way to interact.

Setting up the type to Siri feature is quite easy, but it might not be immediately obvious where to find it. Here’s everything you need to know about enabling and using Type to Siri on your iPhone, along with some tips to make the most of it:

Enabling type to Siri on iOS 18

To use the type to Siri function, you need to first make sure the feature is enabled on your iPhone. Here’s how you can enable it:

Step 1: Open Settings on your iPhone. You can find the Settings app on your home screen, usually marked by a gear icon.

Step 2: In the Settings menu, scroll down and find Apple Intelligence & Siri. Tap it to open Siri settings.

Step 3: Once you’re in the Apple Intelligence & Siri section, you’ll see the ‘Talk & Type to Siri’ option. Tap on this menu, and you’ll be directed to a screen where you can toggle the ‘Type to Siri’ feature. Simply switch the toggle to the ON position.

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Once activated, Siri will allow you to input text rather than voice commands whenever you need it. Since the type to Siri feature was introduced in iOS 18.1, older versions of iOS require a different method to enable it. Here’s how to do it if you’re not on iOS 18.1:

Step 4: Go to Settings and tap Accessibility.

Step 5: Scroll down and select Siri. Then, toggle the ‘Type to Siri’ option ON.

With this method, you’ll activate Siri by pressing and holding the side button, and the text input option will appear. 

How to use the type to Siri feature on iPhone

Now that Type to Siri is enabled, here’s how you can use it:

Step 1: To start using type to Siri, tap the bottom edge of your screen—around the very bottom of the display. This action will trigger Siri and bring up the familiar Siri interface. You should see a keyboard pop up on the screen with a glowing circle around it, indicating that Siri is ready to receive your input.

Step 2: Once the keyboard is up, you can start typing your request or command. As you type, Siri will offer predictive text and suggestions above the keyboard to help speed up common commands like setting alarms or reminders.

Step 3: After typing your command, hit the Enter key (or the return key) to submit it. Siri will process your request just as it would with a voice command, completing tasks like sending a message, setting a timer, or even giving you weather updates.

How to turn off type to Siri

If you decide Type to Siri isn’t for you, or if you accidentally activate it too often, here’s how to turn it off:

Step 1: Open your Settings app again.

Step 2: Scroll down and tap Apple Intelligence & Siri from the list.

Step 3: Disable Type to Siri

Step 4: Tap ‘Talk & Type to Siri’, then switch the toggle for ‘Type to Siri’ to the OFF position.

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Now, the Type to Siri feature will be disabled, and you’ll no longer see the option to type to Siri when you tap the bottom of your screen. If you want to stop accidentally activating Siri with the tap but still want access to the feature, head over to Settings > Accessibility > Siri. There, you can disable the tap shortcut while leaving the option to type to Siri available when needed.