One amazing gadget meant to simplify your life is Apple’s virtual assistant, Siri. Siri can send messages, make calls, create reminders, and more just with a basic voice command. Siri’s call function can occasionally be really useful, though—like when you inadvertently set it off and mistakenly call someone. Perhaps you mentioned something Siri misread, or your phone was in your pocket and she assumed you intended to call a number. How to stop siri from calling people.
Understanding Siri’s Call Feature
What is Siri?
Powered by artificial intelligence, Siri is Apple’s virtual assistant. It is meant to hear your voice and follow orders derived from what you say. With Siri, fully hands-free, you may call people, send messages, start apps, search the web, and much more.
How Siri Makes Calls
Simply answering verbal instructions like “Call Mom” or “Call John Smith,” Siri can make calls. Although this is handy, Siri misreading what you say or if the assistant is triggered inadvertently causes issues.
Common Reasons for Accidental Siri Calls
Voice Command Misinterpretation
Siri calls unintentionally most often because she misinterprets your spoken commands. Saying something like “call,” for instance, could cause Siri to begin dialing a number.
Accidental Pocket Activation
Another cause is accidental activation, especially when your phone is in your pocket. Even a slight movement or a random button press could activate Siri and trigger an unwanted call.
How to Disable Siri’s Call Feature
Using Settings to Disable Siri’s Call Functionality
To prevent Siri from making calls, you can go into your iPhone’s settings and turn off the feature. Here’s how:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap Siri & Search.
- Under the Ask Siri section, toggle off Allow Siri When Locked and Press the Side Button for Siri.
This will disable Siri from being activated on the lock screen and through the side button, reducing the chances of making accidental calls.
Turning off Siri on the Lock Screen
You can also prevent Siri from activating when your phone is locked. By doing this, you reduce the chance of accidental pocket activations.
- Open Settings.
- Go to Face ID & Passcode or Touch ID & Passcode.
- Turn off Siri by swiping down to Allow Access When Locked.
Disabling Voice Activation
Voice activation, known as “Hey Siri,” can sometimes lead to unintended calls. To turn this off:
- Open Settings.
- Go to Siri & Search.
- Toggle off Listen for “Hey Siri.”
This will prevent Siri from being activated by voice commands when you’re not actively using your phone.
Customizing Siri for Specific Call Preferences
Restricting Siri’s Access to Contacts
If you don’t want Siri to make calls to certain people, you can limit her Access to your contacts. Here’s how:
- Go to Settings.
- Tap Siri & Search.
- Scroll down to the Contacts section and toggle off Use with Siri.
Customizing Siri’s Call Commands
If you prefer to use Siri to call only specific people, you can set up custom call commands that only work for certain contacts. This can prevent unintended calls to random contacts.
How to Limit Siri to Specific Tasks
Using Siri for Messaging, But Not Calls
You might find Siri useful for sending texts but risky for making calls. You can limit Siri’s functionality to specific tasks like messaging while disabling her call-making capabilities.
- In Settings, go to Siri & Search and limit Siri’s Access to calling apps.
Task-Specific Siri Limitations
You can specify the tasks Siri is allowed to perform, reducing the risk of accidents. For instance, limit her use of reminders and notes without giving Access to calls.
How to Use Siri Safely for Calling
Best Practices for Calling with Siri
Give Siri commands clearly to avoid inadvertent calls. Steer clear of similar-sounding words and make sure your phone is locked firmly when not in use.
Preventing Unintended Calls
Think about removing features like voice activation or lock screen activation that can cause unintentional activations when you notice how and when Siri is triggered.
How to Use Airplane Mode and Do Not Disturb Features to Prevent Calls
Using Airplane Mode to Block Siri Calls
Put your phone in Airplane Mode if you wish no calls to pass through. This will prevent Siri from calling anyone.
Activating Do Not Disturb to Stop Siri From Making Calls
Using Do Not Disturb is another way to block calls. It silences notifications and blocks incoming and outgoing calls while it’s active.
How to Reset Siri’s Voice Training
Recalibrating Siri to Recognize Your Voice Commands Accurately
If Siri frequently misunderstands your commands, resetting her voice training can help. You can do this by:
- Going to Settings.
- Tapping Siri & Search.
- Turn off Listen for “Hey Siri,” then turn it back on and go through the voice setup process again.
Step-by-Step Guide to Reset Siri’s Voice Recognition
Turning Siri’s voice recognition back on will cause her to ask you to say a few sentences so she can learn your voice once more. Future misinterpretation can be lessened by this.
How to Use Guided Access to Control Siri’s Functions
Restricting Siri Through Guided Access
Guided Access lets you lock down specific functions on your iPhone, including Siri. To set this up:
- Go to Settings.
- Tap Accessibility and select Guided Access.
- Turn on Guided Access and configure it to restrict Siri’s Access to certain functions.
How to Set Up Guided Access for Siri
Guided Access helps you restrict the areas of your phone Siri can interact with once activated. When you want Siri to be available for some activities but not others, this is particularly helpful.
What to Do If Siri Still Makes Accidental Calls
Troubleshooting Persistent Issues
Try restarting your phone or reseting all settings if you deactivated the pertinent settings and Siri still calls accidentally. Should the problem last, get further help from Apple Support.
Contacting Apple Support
Apple Support can help you troubleshoot if Siri continues to cause problems. You can reach them via phone, online chat, or by visiting an Apple Store.
Other Alternatives to Using Siri
Using Google Assistant or Alexa
If Siri’s calling feature isn’t working out for you, you could want to think about trying other voice assistants like Google Assistant or Alexa, which have comparable features but might provide better control.
Manually Making Calls
You can always decide, of course, to manually make calls without utilizing Siri. It’s the easiest approach to guarantee you never unintentionally call someone.
Conclusion
Though it’s a great tool, Siri isn’t without problems. You may stop inadvertent calls and have a more smooth experience by following several easy actions including disabling voice activation, limiting Access to contacts, and recalibrating Siri’s voice recognition. You now know how to avoid those embarrassing unintentional calls, whether your preference is to completely disable Siri’s call capability or only fine-tune her settings.
FAQs
1. Can I stop Siri from making calls without disabling Siri completely?
Yes, you can adjust settings to limit Siri’s ability to make calls without turning her off entirely.
2. How do I stop Siri from calling people accidentally?
You can disable Siri on the lock screen, turn off voice activation, or limit her Access to contacts to prevent accidental calls.
3. What should I do if Siri keeps making calls by mistake?
If Siri continues to make accidental calls, try recalibrating her voice recognition or disabling certain features like “Hey Siri.”
4. Can I make Siri only respond to certain commands?
Yes, you can customize Siri’s commands and limit her to specific tasks in the settings.
5. Is there an alternative to using Siri for making calls?
Yes, you can use other voice assistants like Google Assistant or Alexa, or you can manually make calls.
