Siri is a voice-controlled personal assistant that allows users of Apple iPhone 4S and later, along with iPad and iPod Touch devices, to give voice commands in order to operate the mobile device and its apps. There’s an almost endless list of ways that Siri can help make using your device more intuitive. To get you started, here are five of the simplest features of Siri.
1. “Hey Siri, it’s me”
if you own an iPhone 6S or later, you can say “Hey Siri” anytime to access all the features listed below. It’s the quickest way to start using Siri. All you have to do is go to Settings > Siri > Hey Siri > On. Follow the voice prompts to set up the ‘Hey Siri’ function and you’re on your way.
2. Call a contact
Siri can place calls to someone in your phonebook by name, or simply by your relationship to them. This is great for when you’re driving.
To enable this, press and hold the Home button or say “Hey Siri” to activate Siri. Tell Siri who you want to call, for example you could say: “Hey Siri, call my wife” and she will know who that is.
3. Send a message
You can use Siri to quickly compose and send text messages. This is great for hands-free use of your device.
To enable this, press and hold the Home button or say “Hey Siri” to activate Siri. Tell Siri that you want to send a text message by saying something such as, “Text Mum I’ll be late for dinner”.
4. Set reminders
Siri can also help organise your life and remind you about important events. By creating a time-based reminder, you’ll never miss another dinner or forget someone’s birthday.
To set a reminder, press and hold the Home button or say “Hey Siri” to activate Siri. Then say, for example, “Remind me to call Tom at 9am” or “Remind me about dinner at 7pm tonight”.
5. Play music
Siri can help you access your music more easily than ever. Play your favourite tracks, artists and albums without even having to open the Apple Music app. This is a great feature when you’re in the car and want to play some hands-free music.
To enable this, press and hold the Home button or say “Hey Siri” to activate Siri. Say something such as, “Play music by The Beatles” and Siri will automatically play any Beatles music on your device.
Do you use Siri already? What’s your favourite command?
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How to make Siri work for you
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