Keeping Up with Siri Commands

Having trouble knowing what you can say or ask Siri to do? Finding out what Siri actually supports is tough, as  Apple doesn’t offer weekly newsletters for keeping up with Siri commands. And other than finding sporadic lists online from news outlets, you’re left throwing random queries at Siri, hoping the response isn’t “sorry, I don’t understand.”     

That’s where this post comes in. I provide a walk-through of Apple’s list of 366 Siri commands from 28 categories that you can do on an iPhone, as well as provide commentary on which you can use on HomePod, Apple TV, iPad, AirPods, and other Siri enabled devices. I’ll document the entire Siri Guide that’s available for the current iOS version and offer a how-to of each command. Then, once Apple releases a new update, I’ll highlight what’s new and changed with Siri—taking the guess work out of getting the most out of your iPhone. 

Ready to begin? Use the table of contents below to click on the category of commands that most interests you.

Siri Command Categories on iOS 13

What Can Siri Do?

As it turns out, there is one reliable source that is often forgotten and buried within your iPhone… The Siri Guide.

The Siri Guide is made by Apple and is a list of menus built into the Siri UI that categorize and offer the complete list of commands that Siri answers to. By digging through this guide, you’ll learn all sorts of commands you can give Siri—capturing the new, newly-updated, and baseline list of what’s made possible with Apple’s Voice Assistant. 

But using this guide isn’t for the faint of heart. With over 300 individual commands sprawled out in 28 different categories, it’s a lot to take in. What’s more, Apple doesn’t provide explanations of the commands or offer tips for how to get the most out of each category. 

Fortunately, I’ve got you covered. As with the Alexa Newsletter, I’ll test each of these commands and provide an overview as a way to take the guesswork out of how to use it. 

To start testing, I’ll use iOS 13.4.1 on an iPhone. This version should give us a good idea of what Siri supports through iOS 13 for most of 2020 before Apple releases the next iOS release (generally in the Fall). And even though I’ll use an iPhone to go through the guide, I’ll still cover commands that are compatible with other Siri enabled devices, such as the HomePod and Apple TV.

That said, if you’d prefer to take a self-guided tour and skip my overviews, simply say: “Hey Siri, show me the guide.”

FAQs

Where did you get this list of categories and commands? 

The Siri Guide provided by Apple.

What is The Siri Guide? 

The Siri Guide is a list of menus built directly into the Siri UI that categorizes and offers a robust list of available Siri commands.

How do you find The Siri Guide? 

Give Siri the command, “Hey Siri, show me the guide.”

Does the category order matter in The Siri Guide? 

Yes. The order provides a glimpse into what Apple believes is important to users. For example, the Phone section is at the top of the guide, signalling that Phone-related commands are the most popular with Siri. On the flip side, you’ll see things like Home and Passwords at the bottom likely because they’re not well-used or very popular with users.

Can you use HomePod with all of these commands? 

No. All Siri commands listed above cannot be used interchangeably between all Siri enabled devices beyond an iPhone. For instance, you cannot use Phone Category Commands on a HomePod. That said, I will include commentary on when the command is applicable to use on other Apple devices beyond an iPhone. 

What iOS release is the guide based on? 

iOS 13.4.1

When will Apple release the next iOS release? 

Typically, Apple releases new versions in the Fall of every year. However, there is no guaranteed release date as of yet. 

Don’t see your question being answered above? Leave a comment and I’ll add it to the FAQ.