Siri is Apple’s voice assistant that knows the answers to all your questions and makes life easier. You can chat as well as chat with the assistant. This is how you set up and use Siri.
Set up and use Siri
Siri is Apple’s voice assistant and has been around since 2011. As of iOS 8.3, the assistant also speaks Dutch and you can consult it for questions about the weather, your planning, trivial facts (such as what the capital of Ecuador is) and much more. Turning on Siri is very easy:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad;
- Go to ‘Siri and Search’;
- Slide the toggle for “Press the Home Button for Siri” so the box turns green.

From now on, you can activate Siri by pressing the home button on your iPhone. Do you have an iPhone X or newer model (such as the iPhone XS or iPhone XR) without a physical home button? Then press and hold the button on the side for a few seconds.
Personalize Siri
Of course you can also activate the voice assistant with the ‘Hey Siri’ command. You just have to talk to ask something or to place an order. To do this, slide the switch at the top option and train the assistant a few times to recognize your voice.
You can also personalize the voice assistant as much as possible in the settings menu, for example by choosing a different voice. At the moment there is a choice of a Dutch or Flemish accent. Siri needs a Wi-Fi or cellular connection to work. Finally, you can also allow the voice assistant to make suggestions in Search, so that you can get to useful apps and information faster.
More about Siri
Are you new to the world of talking to your phone? Then check out our Siri beginner’s guide to get off to a good start. Do you prefer to stick to typing? Then learn how to use Siri without talking.
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