Taming the Oracle: A Master Guide to Turning Off Siri Suggestions

So, you’re ready to silence the incessant whispers of Apple’s digital assistant? You’re not alone. While Siri Suggestions can be helpful, sometimes they feel more like persistent nags than helpful hints. Here’s the straight dope on how to turn off Siri Suggestions and reclaim your iPhone, iPad, or Mac experience:

For iPhone and iPad:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll down and tap on Siri & Search.
3. You’ll see a plethora of options here. To disable Siri Suggestions across the board, toggle off the following:
   • Suggestions in Search: This disables suggestions when you swipe down to access the search bar.
   • Suggestions in Look Up: This stops Siri from suggesting things when you highlight text and use the “Look Up” feature.
   • Suggestions on Lock Screen: This prevents Siri from showing suggestions on your Lock Screen.
4. For granular control, you can also disable Siri Suggestions for individual apps. Scroll down the Siri & Search settings page to see a list of your installed apps. Tap on an app and toggle off the “Learn from this App” and “Show App” settings to prevent Siri from learning your usage patterns and making suggestions based on that specific app.

For Mac:

1. Click on the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen.
2. Select System Settings (or System Preferences, depending on your macOS version).
3. Click on Siri & Spotlight (or just Spotlight, depending on your macOS version).
4. On the right side, find the Siri Suggestions section.
5. Deselect the boxes next to the categories where you don’t want to see suggestions. This includes areas like Spotlight, Look Up, and Safari.
6. Similar to iOS, you can also manage suggestions on an app-by-app basis. Scroll down and uncheck the boxes next to the apps you want to exclude from Siri Suggestions.

That’s the core of it! But the devil, as always, is in the details. Let’s dive into some common questions that arise when wrangling Siri.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Will turning off Siri Suggestions completely disable Siri?

No, turning off Siri Suggestions will not disable Siri entirely. You’ll still be able to activate Siri using “Hey Siri” or by pressing the side/home button (depending on your device). You just won’t see proactive suggestions appearing on your lock screen, in search, or in Look Up.

2. I turned off Siri Suggestions, but I’m still seeing them in some apps. Why?

This usually happens because some apps have their own built-in suggestion features that are independent of Siri. Check the settings within those specific apps to disable their suggestion functionalities. For example, many email apps have their own suggestion features for recipient addresses.

3. Can I selectively disable Siri Suggestions for only certain contacts?

Unfortunately, Apple doesn’t offer a direct way to disable Siri Suggestions for specific contacts. The feature operates more broadly. However, you can limit the data Siri uses by restricting access to your Contacts app. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Contacts, then toggle off Siri to prevent it from accessing your contacts. Note that this will affect other Siri functionalities related to contacts.

4. How do I stop Siri from suggesting websites in Safari?

To stop Siri from suggesting websites in Safari on your iPhone or iPad, navigate to Settings > Safari > Siri & Search, and toggle off the “Suggestions from Safari” option. On your Mac, open Safari, go to Safari > Settings > Search, and uncheck the box next to “Include Siri Suggestions.”

5. Will turning off Siri Suggestions improve my device’s battery life?

It can, although the impact is usually minimal. Siri Suggestions require your device to constantly analyze your usage patterns and gather data. By disabling the feature, you reduce the background activity related to this analysis, which can translate to a slight improvement in battery life.

6. I accidentally disabled Siri Suggestions for an app I want to use. How do I re-enable them?

Simply go back to Settings > Siri & Search (on iOS/iPadOS) or System Settings > Siri & Spotlight (on macOS), find the app in the list, and toggle the “Learn from this App” and “Show App” (or equivalent) options back on.

7. What’s the difference between “Suggestions in Search” and “Suggestions in Look Up?”

“Suggestions in Search” refers to the suggestions that appear when you swipe down from the home screen (or use the Spotlight search bar on Mac). These suggestions are based on your app usage, contacts, news, and other data sources. “Suggestions in Look Up” refers to the suggestions that appear when you highlight text in an app and use the “Look Up” feature. These suggestions are typically related to definitions, Wikipedia articles, and Siri Knowledge.

8. Does turning off Siri Suggestions affect the functionality of Siri Shortcuts?

No, turning off Siri Suggestions will not affect the functionality of Siri Shortcuts. Siri Shortcuts are custom actions you create that can be triggered by voice commands or by tapping on the shortcut icon. They operate independently of the Siri Suggestions feature.

9. If I reset my iPhone/iPad to factory settings, will Siri Suggestions be re-enabled?

Yes, resetting your device to factory settings will re-enable Siri Suggestions. You’ll need to go through the steps outlined above to disable them again after the reset.

10. I’m still seeing suggestions that seem related to Siri, even after disabling the feature. What else could it be?

Double-check your Keyboard settings. Sometimes, predictive text and other keyboard-related suggestions can resemble Siri Suggestions. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard and review the options there, such as “Predictive” and “Auto-Correction.”

11. Can I manage Siri Suggestions settings through iCloud?

No, Siri Suggestions settings are device-specific and are not synced through iCloud. You’ll need to configure the settings individually on each of your Apple devices.

12. I’m using a VPN. Will that affect how Siri Suggestions work?

Yes, using a VPN can affect how Siri Suggestions work, particularly if the VPN server you’re connected to is in a different region. Siri Suggestions rely on location data and other contextual information to provide relevant suggestions. A VPN can mask your actual location and potentially lead to irrelevant or incorrect suggestions. Disabling location services for Siri can mitigate this effect, but it will also impact the relevance of the suggestions you do see (if you haven’t turned them off entirely).

In conclusion, while Siri Suggestions aim to be helpful, understanding how to control them is essential for a personalized and less intrusive user experience. By carefully adjusting the settings outlined above, you can effectively tame the oracle and reclaim your digital space.