How to Silence Siri’s Textual Narrations: A Comprehensive Guide

So, you’re tired of Siri broadcasting your texts to the world (or at least, to anyone within earshot)? You’re not alone. While this feature can be helpful in specific situations, like when driving, it can quickly become an annoyance. Fortunately, silencing Siri’s textual soliloquies is usually a straightforward process. Here’s the direct answer: To stop Siri from reading your texts aloud, you typically need to disable the “Announce Notifications” or “Announce Messages with Siri” setting within your iPhone’s Settings app. We will guide you through detailed steps for both scenarios below.

Disabling Announce Notifications: The Primary Culprit

This setting is the most common culprit for unwanted audio announcements of your text messages. Apple has unified this across many apps, but SMS/iMessage is typically the default.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Open the Settings App: Locate the grey gear icon on your iPhone’s home screen or app library and tap it to open the Settings app.

2. Navigate to Notifications: Scroll down the Settings menu until you find the “Notifications” option. Tap on it.

3. Locate Announce Notifications: This option might appear directly under the “Notification Style” section, or it might be nestled within a sub-menu. On newer iOS versions, it’s often grouped with other Siri-related settings.

4. Toggle it Off: If “Announce Notifications” is toggled on (green), tap the switch to turn it off (grey). This should disable Siri from reading aloud notifications from all apps using this feature, including Messages.

5. Customize (Optional): If you prefer some notifications announced but not text messages, tap on “Announce Notifications” and then under “Announce From,” you’ll see a list of your apps. You can disable the feature for specific apps here. Ensure that “Messages” is deselected or set to “Never” if you only want to silence text messages.

Disabling Announce Messages with Siri (iOS 13 and Later)

This is a dedicated setting specifically for handling text message announcements, prevalent on newer iOS versions. If you don’t see “Announce Notifications,” this is likely the setting you’re looking for.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Open the Settings App: As before, locate and tap the Settings app icon.

2. Navigate to Siri & Search: Scroll down and tap on “Siri & Search.”

3. Find Announce Messages with Siri: Scroll down within the “Siri & Search” settings until you locate “Announce Messages with Siri.”

4. Toggle it Off: If the switch next to “Announce Messages with Siri” is toggled on (green), tap it to turn it off (grey). This will immediately stop Siri from reading your incoming text messages.

5. Customize (Optional): Tap on “Announce Messages with Siri” to access further options. You can configure when messages are announced (e.g., only when connected to headphones) by selecting from the available options (“Headphones” or “Headphones & Car”). You can also adjust the sensitivity of the ‘Reply without Confirmation’ toggle.

Alternative Methods and Troubleshooting

• Bluetooth Devices: Sometimes, Siri might be reading texts due to a connected Bluetooth device (like AirPods or a car stereo) that has the “Announce Messages” setting enabled. Check the settings for the specific Bluetooth device within the Bluetooth settings on your iPhone to ensure this feature is disabled there as well.

• Focus Modes: Focus modes (like “Driving” or “Sleep”) can sometimes automatically enable “Announce Messages” for safety reasons. Review your Focus mode settings in Settings > Focus and customize them to prevent Siri from reading texts aloud when those modes are active.

• Accessibility Settings: While less common, certain accessibility settings could potentially interfere. Double-check the “Spoken Content” options within the Accessibility settings to ensure nothing is configured to read texts aloud automatically. This is under Settings > Accessibility > Spoken Content.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. I followed these steps, but Siri still reads my texts. What’s wrong?

Double-check all potential culprits. Ensure “Announce Notifications” and “Announce Messages with Siri” are disabled. Then, meticulously review your Bluetooth device settings and Focus mode configurations. A rogue setting on a connected device is a very common oversight. Try restarting your iPhone too – a classic but surprisingly effective troubleshooting step.

2. Can I disable Siri reading texts only for certain contacts?

Unfortunately, no. iOS doesn’t offer granular control to disable Siri reading texts on a per-contact basis. It’s an all-or-nothing setting. However, you can always mute conversations with specific contacts if you don’t want to hear any notifications at all from them.

3. I want Siri to read texts only when I’m driving. How do I set that up?

The “Announce Messages with Siri” setting offers the option to only announce messages when connected to headphones or headphones and your car’s Bluetooth. This achieves a similar effect to what you are looking for. Configure this setting accordingly within Settings > Siri & Search > Announce Messages with Siri. Also review and tailor any “Driving” Focus modes you use.

4. Will disabling “Announce Messages with Siri” affect other Siri functionality?

No, disabling this feature only prevents Siri from reading your incoming text messages aloud. It won’t affect other Siri functions, such as voice commands, setting reminders, or making calls.

5. Is there a way to temporarily pause Siri from reading a text message while it’s in progress?

Yes! Usually you can say “Hey Siri, stop” to immediately halt the announcement. You can also manually pause it from the iPhone’s locked screen.

6. I’m using AirPods. Is there a specific setting I need to adjust?

Yes. Within the Bluetooth settings (Settings > Bluetooth), find your AirPods in the list of connected devices. Tap the “i” icon next to your AirPods name. Then, look for settings related to “Announce Notifications” or “Announce Messages.” Disable these settings if they are enabled. These override the iPhone’s default settings.

7. Why does Siri sometimes read texts even when “Announce Messages” is off?

This can happen in rare cases due to glitches. Again, try restarting your iPhone. Ensure your iOS is updated to the latest version, as updates often contain bug fixes. Sometimes, resetting all settings (Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset All Settings) can resolve persistent issues, but be aware this will reset other settings as well.

8. I use a hearing aid connected to my iPhone. How does “Announce Messages” work with that?

The behavior depends on your specific hearing aid model and its compatibility with iOS. Generally, if your hearing aid is properly connected via Bluetooth, Siri will announce messages directly through the hearing aid. The settings for “Announce Messages” still apply.

9. Does “Announce Messages” work with all messaging apps, or just iMessage?

Primarily iMessage. However, some third-party messaging apps might integrate with the “Announce Notifications” feature, which could result in Siri reading their notifications. The surest method is disabling “Announce Notifications” at the app level, as mentioned above.

10. How can I tell if “Announce Messages” is currently enabled?

The simplest way is to send yourself a text message and see if Siri reads it aloud when your iPhone is locked. You can also quickly check the toggle state within Settings > Siri & Search > Announce Messages with Siri.

11. I have multiple iPhones/iPads using the same Apple ID. Do I need to disable “Announce Messages” on each device?

Yes. The “Announce Messages” setting is device-specific. You need to configure it separately on each iPhone and iPad associated with your Apple ID.

12. I accidentally disabled “Announce Messages” and now I want to re-enable it. How do I do that?

Simply follow the steps outlined above in the “Disabling Announce Messages with Siri” section, but instead of toggling the switch off, toggle it on (so it’s green). You can also customize the “Announce Messages with Siri” settings to your preferences, such as choosing when messages are announced (e.g., only when connected to headphones).