Alex Ruben
How To Turn Off Apps from Siri: A Complete Guide
Dealing with Siri can be a bit of a mixed bag sometimes. Sure, it’s handy, but there are moments when you just want to keep certain apps out of its reach—maybe for privacy, or just to reduce accidental opens. The process isn’t super complicated, but Apple’s settings menu isn’t exactly intuitive if you’re not familiar with it. This guide will help navigate through the somewhat hidden options to disable specific apps from controlling or opening via Siri. Once done, you’ll have a more streamlined Siri experience that only spills the beans on the apps you actually want.
How to Prevent Certain Apps from Being Controlled by Siri
Siri permission management on iPhone
First off, you need to dive into your device settings. The goal here is to revoke Siri’s access to particular apps, which effectively means it can’t open or control those apps anymore. On some setups, this can feel like a game of hide and seek—because, of course, Apple likes to keep things a bit hidden. Expect to find the controls in Settings > Siri & Search. Also, be aware that this isn’t the same as uninstalling the app; it’s just about limiting Siri’s ability to interact with them.
Accessing Siri & Search settings
- Navigate to Settings on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on Siri & Search.
- Here’s where a lot of the magic happens—though it’s not obvious at first glance. If things seem fuzzy, remember that the key is the section called Apps, which may be tucked away at the bottom or somewhere in the middle depending on your iOS version.
Manage app permissions and disable specific apps
- Within Siri & Search, scroll until you see the section labeled Apps. If your device is running iOS 15 or newer, you might see a list of apps with toggles beside them.
- Find the app(s) you want to limit Siri control over—maybe a banking app or a privacy-sensitive messenger.
- Tap on the app’s name or toggle off the switch to disable Siri from accessing it. This action strips Siri of the ability to open or interact with that app based on voice commands.
Fun fact: On some Apple versions, you might find this toggle at Settings > Siri & Search > [App Name]. On others, you might need to scroll through the list of installed apps in the Apps section to find specific controls. The exact path can vary, so poke around if you don’t see the options immediately.
Double-check your choices and tweak as needed
- After toggling off the apps you want to restrict, re-scroll through the list to confirm your choices are saved.
- Remember, you can always come back here later to re-enable any app that you might need Siri for in the future. Easy, right?
Extra tips & gotchas
Here’s where it gets a bit messy. Disabling apps from Siri doesn’t mean they’re gone—you can still launch or use them directly. Also, sometimes, Siri seems a little stubborn about updating permissions and might still try to open a disabled app until you restart your device or check off some other related settings under Settings > Privacy > Apps.
And if Siri refuses to play nice after making these changes, consider toggling Listen for “Hey Siri” off and on again, or giving your device a quick reboot. Not sure why it works, but sometimes a fresh start clears the cache of old permissions and settings that linger around.
Summary
- Access Settings > Siri & Search.
- Scroll to the Apps section.
- Disable apps you don’t want Siri to control with toggles or taps.
- Check back later if you want to re-enable them.
Wrap-up
Disabling apps from Siri is kind of a sneaky process, but once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty straightforward. It’s useful when you want to keep certain things out of Siri’s grasp, especially for privacy or just clutter reduction. Keep in mind, the exact menu labels might change slightly with iOS updates, but the general idea remains the same—dive into Settings, find Siri & Search, and manage the app controls from there. Sometimes, the interface feels a little clunky, but it’s worth it if you get a cleaner Siri experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I re-enable an app after disabling it from Siri?
Definitely. Just return to Siri & Search and toggle the app back on. Easy peasy.
What if I disable all apps from Siri?
Rich, but not very useful. You can still talk to Siri, but it won’t be able to open or control apps. Basically, Siri becomes just a voice assistant without app integration.
Will disabling apps from Siri affect their performance?
Nope. The apps will still work normally. Disabling Siri control is just about preventing Siri from messing with them or opening them on your command.