Can Siri Answer the Phone? A Guide to Using Apple’s Voice Assistant

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Michael Collins

Can Siri answer the phone? Yes, she can! If you’ve ever been busy cooking dinner or driving your car and wished you could answer a call without using your hands, Siri’s got your back. With just a few simple settings adjustments, you can have your very own virtual assistant take your calls for you. Let’s dive into how you can set this up.

Step by Step Tutorial: How to Make Siri Answer the Phone

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s quickly cover what we’ll be doing. We’re going to enable a feature that allows Siri to announce and answer your incoming calls. This way, you won’t have to lift a finger to know who’s calling or to pick up the call.

Step 1: Open Settings on Your iPhone

Open the Settings app on your iPhone to get started.

This is where all the magic happens. Your Settings app is the control center for all the customizable aspects of your iPhone, including Siri’s capabilities.

Step 2: Tap on ‘Phone’

Scroll down and tap on the ‘Phone’ option.

In this section, you’ll find all the settings related to your phone calls, like call blocking and identification, call forwarding, and, yes, Siri’s call answering features.

Step 3: Select ‘Announce Calls’

Find and tap on the ‘Announce Calls’ feature.

This feature gives Siri the ability to speak out the name of the person calling you if they’re in your contacts. If the caller isn’t in your contacts, Siri will simply say that you have an incoming call.

Step 4: Choose ‘Headphones & Car’ or ‘Headphones Only’

Choose between ‘Headphones & Car’ or ‘Headphones Only’ based on your preference.

By selecting one of these options, you’re telling Siri when to announce calls. If you’re someone who’s always on the go, ‘Headphones & Car’ might be the best setting for you. If you only want Siri to announce calls when you’re wearing headphones, then ‘Headphones Only’ is the way to go.

Step 5: Enable ‘Auto-Answer Calls’

Go back to the ‘Phone’ settings and scroll to ‘Call Audio Routing’ then tap on ‘Auto-Answer Calls’ to turn it on.

Now, this is the final and most crucial step. By enabling ‘Auto-Answer Calls,’ you give Siri the power to automatically answer incoming calls after a certain number of seconds.

After completing these steps, Siri will now be able to announce and answer your calls based on the settings you chose. If you set ‘Auto-Answer Calls’ to a delay of 3 seconds, for example, Siri will answer the call after the phone rings for that duration.

Tips for Making Siri Answer the Phone

  • Make sure your iPhone’s software is up to date to ensure the best performance from Siri.
  • If you’re using the ‘Headphones & Car’ option, ensure your car’s Bluetooth is connected to your iPhone.
  • You can adjust the delay for ‘Auto-Answer Calls’ to suit your preferences. The default is 3 seconds, but you can make it longer or shorter.
  • Remember to turn off ‘Auto-Answer Calls’ when you’re in a meeting or at a place where you don’t want calls answered automatically.
  • Test the feature with a friend or family member to make sure it’s working as you expect before relying on it in a real-life situation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Siri answer the phone when the iPhone is locked?

Yes, Siri can answer the phone even when your iPhone is locked, as long as you’ve enabled the feature in your settings.

Is there a way to choose which calls Siri answers?

Currently, Siri will answer all calls when ‘Auto-Answer Calls’ is enabled. There’s no way to specify which calls to answer and which to ignore.

Can I use Siri to answer calls on speakerphone?

Yes, you can set the ‘Call Audio Routing’ to ‘Speaker’ to have Siri answer calls on speakerphone.

Will Siri announce who is calling if the caller is not in my contacts?

Siri will announce that you have an incoming call but will not say the name of the caller if they are not in your contacts.

Can Siri send a text message to the caller if I can’t answer the phone?

Siri can send a text message if you ask her to do so after declining the call. However, this is not an automatic feature and requires a separate command.

Summary

  1. Open Settings on your iPhone.
  2. Tap on ‘Phone.’
  3. Select ‘Announce Calls.’
  4. Choose ‘Headphones & Car’ or ‘Headphones Only.’
  5. Enable ‘Auto-Answer Calls.’

Conclusion

Having Siri answer phone calls for you is an excellent feature for those busy moments when you can’t get to your phone. Whether you’re driving, cooking, or your hands are simply full, Siri can ensure you don’t miss important calls. Just follow the steps provided, and you’ll have a hands-free assistant ready to help you manage your calls in no time. It’s like having a personal secretary who’s always there when you need them.

Remember, technology is meant to make our lives easier, and features like Siri answering the phone are just one of the many ways our devices can assist us in our daily routines. Embrace the convenience and give it a try – you might just wonder how you ever managed without it. Can Siri answer the phone? Absolutely, and effortlessly too!