How to Change Siri's Voice and Accent

Don't like the way Siri sounds? Change it!

By
Daniel Nations
Daniel Nations
Daniel Nations
Writer
  • University of Texas at Arlington
Daniel Nations has been a tech journalist since 1994. His work has appeared in Computer Currents, The Examiner, and other publications. He is a developer who has published apps in the Apple App Store, Google Play marketplace and Amazon Appstore; he also has worked as a data analyst and DB administrator.
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Updated on May 18, 2021

What to Know

  • Change Siri's voice by going to Settings > Siri & Search > Siri Voice.
  • Choose from American, Australian, British, Indian, Irish, and South African male and female voices.
  • As of iOS 14.5, Siri no longer has a default voice. iPhone and iPad users can pick one while setting up their device for the first time.

This article explains how to change Siri's voice and accent on devices with iOS 9 or later or with iPad OS 13 or later.

How to Choose a New Accent or Gender for Siri

With the iOS 14.5 update, Apple eliminated a default voice option for Siri. Instead, when you set up your iPhone and iPad for the first time, you can choose from several diverse options. After that initial setup, you can change how Siri sounds in the Settings app. Here's how:

  1. Open Settings on your iPad.

    Settings icon on iPad

  2. Tap Siri & Search.

    Siri & Search icon in Settings screen on iOS

  3. Tap Siri Voice.

    Siri Voice option in Siri & Search screen on iOS

  4. The Siri Voice screen shows the options for Siri's voice. It currently supports "varieties" including American, Australian, British, Indian, Irish, and South African accents.

    Apple adds new voices periodically. For example, Apple added an Indian voice for English speakers beginning with iOS 13 and iPadOS 13.

    Siri's voice settings in iPadOS

  5. To preview the Siri voices, tap an option under Voice. Different varieties will have more or fewer options than others. For example, the Irish variety includes two voices: male and female. The American variety, however, includes multiple male and female options of different ethnicities, along with a non-gender-specific one if you're running iOS/iPadOS 15.4 or later.

After you choose a new Siri accent, the iPad downloads a file for the voice.

How to Change Siri's Language

You can choose another language for Siri, which is great if you want to keep up your Spanish skills or use French.

To change Siri's language, go to the main Siri page (tap the Siri & Search link at the top of the screen) and choose Language. There are dozens of languages to choose from, including Chinese (Mandarin), Spanish, Russian, and Italian, along with regional versions of most of them.

The Language option on the Siri & Search screen on iOS

Siri also listens for commands in these languages, so you need to speak Russian to get an accurate Russian reply.

Other Changes to Make to Siri

While in the Siri settings, you can also customize when and how you activate the digital assistant. Use these settings if you're concerned about privacy or don't plan to use Siri often.

Option sliders on Siri & Search settings on iOS

Don't Allow Siri When Your Device Is Locked

By default, you can activate Siri when your iPhone or iPad is locked, which is convenient. But it also lets anyone who picks up your device activate Siri. It won't launch apps without signing in, but it can place phone calls, set reminders, and show upcoming scheduled meetings.

Turn off 'Listen for Hey, Siri'

"Hey, Siri" is great when you're in the car or at the computer and don't want to take the time to press the iPhone Home button. But it also means your device is constantly listening to you. This voice recording isn't sent to Apple, but it can use battery power, so if you don't use "Hey, Siri," turn it off.

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