How to Fix Siri Not Working on iPhone 16

iPhone’s Siri has become far more advanced with the new iOS 18 update and is increasingly growing closer in functionality to a human personal assistant. From setting your morning alarm to asking Siri to make you giggle with a silly joke, it can do pretty much everything. However, as smart as Siri is, with the latest iPhone 16, users have noticed some functionality issues, like Siri not responding to “Hey Siri” or ceasing to work altogether.

Below, I’ll share some of the best fixes for this problem.

How Do I Fix Siri Not Working on iPhone 16

1. Refresh Talk to Siri

If you cannot wake Siri by saying “Hey Siri,” you can try temporarily turning it off and then on again. This will resolve any software glitches that might prevent Siri from recognizing your voice.

2. Toggle Dictation On and Off

If Siri has stopped recognizing your voice, it might be because your iPhone’s dictation isn’t working. Simply turning the dictation feature off and back on should fix the issue and make Siri work again.

1. Go to Settings > General.
   
2. Tap on Keyboard. Find and turn off the toggle labeled Enable Dictation. Wait for a few seconds before enabling it again.
   
   

3. Restart iPhone

If Siri has stopped working for you, it’s probably just a temporary glitch. The most straightforward fix I found is to turn off your iPhone, wait for a minute, and then power it back on.

1. Press and hold the Power and Volume Down/Up buttons simultaneously for a few seconds until the power off screen appears.
   
2. Drag the Slide to Power Off button to the right to switch your phone off. Wait for a few seconds.
   
3. Press and hold the Power button until the Apple logo appears on the screen.

4. Enable Always Listen for “Siri”

When you place your iPhone face down on a table or bed, you can’t activate Siri by saying, “Hey Siri.” For this to work, always ensure your iPhone’s screen faces up. If you want to use Siri when your iPhone is facing down or covered, you will need to enable the Always Listen for “Siri” feature. To do so:

1. Go to Settings > Accessibility.
   
2. Tap Siri and enable the Always Listen for “Siri” toggle.
   

5. Check Internet Connection

Another thing you should check if Siri isn’t working is your internet connection, as a stable internet connection is key. First, reconnect your Wi-Fi or try connecting to a different network. If that doesn’t help, restart your Wi-Fi router. To be sure everything’s running smoothly, also check your internet speed online. If the Wi-Fi is still acting up, switch to your cellular network.

6. Test Your iPhone’s Microphone

When Siri stops responding to you, the issue might be with the iPhone’s microphone. If it can’t pick up your voice, Siri won’t respond. Record a quick voice memo and play it back to check if the microphone is working. If your voice is coming through, great, but if it’s not, the microphone is faulty. 

To remedy this, you can try cleaning the microphone hole gently with a soft toothbrush, making sure to clear any dust or debris. Also, remove your iPhone case to see if it blocked your voice from reaching the microphone.

7. Turn Off Low Power Mode

If your device is on Low Power Mode, Siri might stop responding. This happens because of a software glitch that causes iOS to disable Siri to conserve battery. To fix it, turn off Low Power Mode with these steps:

1. Open the Settings app, then tap Battery.
   
2. Disable the toggle for Low Power Mode.
   

8. Reset Network Settings

Resetting network settings might help you reset most of your network-related issues preventing Siri from working on iPhone 16.

1. Go to Settings > General.
   
2. Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset.
   
3. Tap Reset Network Settings.
   
4. Type your passcode to authorize the action.
5. Tap Reset Network Settings in the dialog box to confirm.
   

9. Reset Your iPhone

If none of the above methods work, you can try restoring your iPhone to fix Siri by removing all settings and content. Before doing that, make sure to back up your data to avoid losing anything important.

1. Go to Settings > General.
   
2. Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings.
   
3. Tap Continue and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.