Manual activation required for Siri AI on iOS 27

After updating an iPhone to the iOS 27 operating system, users may expect the new Siri AI voice assistant to appear immediately upon long-pressing the power button. However, this does not happen automatically because the new version remains in the "Beta" stage and is not enabled by default after installation. Instead of the new glass-bubble interface near the Dynamic Island, the traditional Siri interface with colored lights around the screen may appear. Consequently, users must manually activate Siri AI from Settings, provided their phone supports the feature.

Device compatibility requirements

The Siri AI feature requires a device that supports the Apple Intelligence ecosystem. This means support begins with the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. The standard iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Plus do not include the feature. Additionally, the user must be located in a supported region. According to the report, the feature is available in most regions worldwide, excluding the European Union and mainland China.

Currently, Siri AI requires the device language and Siri language to be set to English, specifically US English. Users must also join a waiting list. Based on user experiences cited in the report, receiving the feature can take anywhere from several minutes to a few days.

Step-by-step activation guide

Before joining the waiting list, open Settings and navigate to "General," then "Language & Region." Ensure English is at the top of the preferred languages. If it is not present, select Add Language and choose English (US), then set US English as the primary device language.

Next, return to the main Settings menu and select Siri. Tap Language and confirm that English (United States) is chosen. After setting the language, go back to Siri settings and look for the option "Try Siri AI (Beta)." Tap "Join Waitlist" followed by "Continue." When prompted to share audio recordings and text with Apple, you can select "Not Now."

Once these steps are complete, the phrase "Joined Waiting List" will appear next to Siri AI (Beta). When the feature becomes available for your phone, you will receive a notification stating that Siri AI is ready for use. A message saying "Siri is Ready" will also appear at the top of the Settings app.

Customization and capabilities

Users can modify how Siri AI speaks through Siri settings under the Voice option. Some devices, such as the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iPhone Duo, offer additional options to control speech speed and vocal expression.

After activating Siri AI, users gain access to a range of new capabilities. They can ask general questions, such as requesting suggestions for the best places to eat in London or asking about the difference between a meteor and a meteoroid. The assistant can also execute personal requests based on information stored on the device, like searching for a contact's email address or finding photos related to a specific event.

Siri AI interacts directly with certain apps, including sending text messages, adding shopping lists to Reminders, and creating new appointments in Calendar. Its capabilities extend to the Camera app, where users can point the rear camera at an object in front of them and ask related questions. This experience resembles some visual assistance functions found in Gemini Live. Furthermore, Siri AI supports "screen awareness," allowing it to use content displayed on the phone screen to perform tasks, such as extracting recipe ingredients.