Apple's virtual assistant has advanced to a level where you can use it to hold entire conversations over text messages without even touching your iPhone.
Siri can announce text messages, read them out loud, and even draft replies for you to send over voice recognition. You'll need to make a couple of tweaks to your Settings to make this possible on your iPhone.
Here's how you can seamlessly use Siri with the Messages app on your iPhone.
How to Get Siri to Announce Your Messages
When wearing headphones, Siri can announce all incoming messages to you. If you want to make use of this feature, here's what you will need:
- Headphones that support Siri. These include the AirPods Max, AirPods (2nd generation), AirPods Pro, Powerbeats, Powerbeats Pro, Beats Solo Pro
- iOS 13 or later on your iPhone
Once you have a set of headphones and an updated iPhone, here's what you will need to do to activate this feature:
- Go to Settings and tap on Notifications.
- Turn on the toggle for Announce Messages with Siri.
If you receive a text message after activating this feature while your headphones are connected, Siri will read out the sender's name along with the text that was sent after a chime.
If Siri announces a sender's name and doesn't read the message, it means the text message was too long. If you still want to hear it, you need to ask Siri to read it to you.
Note that this feature won't work if you're using your device when the text arrives. Siri will only announce messages if your iPhone is locked. If you want to halt the feature to avoid disturbance, just remove your headphones so you don't manually have to toggle the feature on and off repeatedly.
Siri has advanced to the level where it can even answer your phone calls for you when you're wearing headphones.
How to Reply to a Message With Siri Using Dictation
If you want to reply to a text message that Siri has read out loud, you can do so without having to activate any other features in your settings.
After Siri finishes reading the message, you'll hear another chime. This chime is your cue to tell Siri you'd like to reply by saying "Reply." Then dictate your message; Siri will automatically type it out for you.
When you're done speaking, Siri will repeat your message back to you and ask if you want to send it. Reply with a "Yes" to send it on its way.
If you don't want Siri repeating your messages back to you after you dictate them, here's what you'll have to do.
- Go to Settings and open Notifications.
- Tap on Announce Messages with Siri.
- Toggle on Reply Without Confirmation.
If you want to draft a new message using Siri, you'll have to press the Home button or Side button and say "Hey, Siri" to do so.
What If You Only Want Specific Messages Read?
One problem that may occur is receiving too many texts at once, and a lot of them might not be urgent enough to require immediate attention. Fortunately, you can choose whose messages are announced and whose aren't. Here's how:
- Go to Settings and tap Notifications.
- Press Announce Calls With Siri.
- Scroll down and look for the Messages app.
- Choose from either one of the four options according to your preference: Favorites, Recent Contacts, All Contacts, and Everyone.
Hold a Hands-Free Text Conversation With Siri
Whether you're driving, in the gym, washing your hands, or just not in the mood to pick your phone up for more screen time to reply to texts, Siri will help you do it for you instead.
Siri is capable of drafting texts over voice dictation without you even touching your phone. To have your messages announced and replied to, all you need to do is connect your iPhone to a pair of headphones and tweak a few settings. How easy is that?
0 Comments