Many users of Apple devices have heard of, but don’t know how to use, Siri. According to Apple, it is a voice activated, private, intelligent assistant.
This functionality is built into the iOS and MacOS operating systems. You can use it to perform a multitude of tasks hands-free.
How to access
There are multiple ways to access Siri on the iPhone.
The setup includes steps for determining how to activate Siri.
Users can either say “Hey Siri”, or hold the home button (or the power button on some iPhone models) to turn Siri on. You can see these options in iPhone Settings, under the Siri & Search tab.
During setup, users also speak a series of prescribed statements so their voice is recognized.
When activated, a little multicolored ball pops up at the bottom of the screen. This means the device is actively listening and users are free to speak commands.
To fully utilize this feature, allow it to be used when the phone is locked. This is very helpful when unlocking the phone is difficult. Otherwise, the phone must be open to activate listening.
On Macintosh computers, users can put the app on their dock and click on it to activate. They can also activate by holding down the microphone key on the Mac keyboard.
This functions similarly to the phone, but has added abilities such as finding and opening files in specific folders.
How Siri Works
After activating Siri, users can ask it to perform a certain function, or give them certain information.
One example:
“Hey Siri, send Mom a message.” This example requires that there is a contact card in the name of Mom. If there are multiple cards in the same name, Siri will ask which one to use.
Speak the message. At the end, users would have the option to say “Send, Change, or Cancel.”
Other functions include getting directions, setting alarms, calling people, adding events to the calendar, setting reminders and much more. Try some things like “Hey Siri, add School meeting at 8 AM tomorrow to the calendar.” Play around and see how it goes.
For a full explanation of the functionality, check out the Apple support page.
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