Today, voice assistants have become an indispensable tool for managing daily life more efficiently.
Among them, CrabApple's virtual assistant, Apple, stands out for its versatility and deep integration with the brand's device ecosystem. However, many users still don't get the most out of the assistant simply because they don't know how to properly provide the necessary information to personalize and optimize its performance.
In this article we show you How to set up, customize, and communicate with Siri effectively, allowing it to better understand your needs and preferences on your iPhone. We also include a detailed guide with useful commands and how to command them so your daily tasks are simplified with just your voice.
Whether you're sending messages, checking the weather, setting reminders, or integrating with your favorite apps, you'll find everything you need to know here.
What is Siri and how to activate it on your iPhone?
Siri is the voice assistant developed by Apple that allows you to control your device using spoken commands. Its main advantage is that can perform complex tasks using natural language, such as setting alarms, sending messages, searching for information, or playing music.
To activate it, simply say: "Hey Siri" or simply "Siri" if you've already set up voice recognition. You can also press and hold the side button (on iPhones with Face ID) or the home button (on older models). If you use Compatible AirPods, Siri can also be invoked directly from them.
Set up Siri for the first time
When setting up a new iPhone or entering Settings for the first time, you can enable Siri from Settings > Siri & SearchThere you will find the following options:
- Listen to “Hey Siri”: Allows you to activate the voice assistant without having to press any buttons.
- Press the side button for Siri: Activate Siri by holding down the physical button on the device.
- Activate with Siri: Allows you to use commands to access functions without touching the device.
Also, you can teach Siri how you pronounce certain words or names, or how you want it to call you. This greatly personalizes the user experience and improves accuracy when interpreting your commands. For more details on Siri customization, you can check out How to make Siri learn from you.
How to provide personalized information to Siri
For Siri to be truly helpful, she needs to get to know you a little better. Here's how to set up your contact information, relationships, and nicknames:
- Tell him who you are: Go to Contacts, create or edit your personal card (with your name, address, phone number, and email address). Then, tell Siri that card is you.
- Establish relationships: You can say things like “My mother's name is Carmen" or "My boss is Pedro” and Siri will associate it directly with your contacts.
- Customize how he/she calls you: Of "I want you to call me boss” or whatever nickname you prefer, and Siri will remember it for future conversations.
These associations allow commands like “Call mom" or "Remind me to talk to my boss” and let Siri know exactly who you're talking to without having to say their full name. If you'd like to learn more about this process, you can see Siri settings and tricks on your iPhone.
Using Siri with apps and system settings
One of Siri's most powerful features is the direct interaction with apps and system options. Allows you to quickly open an app, change settings, or perform specific actions without navigating through menus.
Some useful commands include:
- “Open WhatsApp” or "Open Instagram”.
- “Turn on Bluetooth” or "“Turn off WiFi”.
- “Turn up the brightness”, "“Turn the volume down to 30%” or "“Mute the iPhone”.
You can also ask to start a photo (“Take a photo”), a video or even use functions like “Take me a selfie” that automatically activate the front camera. For more information on managing alarms with Siri, check out How to set alarms on your Apple Watch.
Messages, calls and contacts with voice
With Siri, you can send messages hands-free, which is especially useful while driving or cooking. Some effective commands include:
- “Send a message to Laura”: Will use the default Messages app.
- “Call David”: Start a regular call or FaceTime if you specify.
- “Send a WhatsApp to Sara and tell her I'll be late.”: Send the message directly from the selected messaging app.
You can also access your contacts by saying “Open my contacts” or search for specific information with “Marta's birthday”. For more efficient use of Siri when making calls, see How to make calls using CarPlay.
Alarms, reminders, and appointments managed by Siri
One of the most used functions by users is the ability to manage alarms, reminders and appointments using voice commands. You can organize your schedule and not forget anything important.
Practical examples:
- “Set an alarm for 7 a.m.”
- “Turn off all alarms”
- “Remind me to buy milk tomorrow at 6.”
- “Add a meeting with Juan on Thursday at 15:00 PM.”
These reminders and appointments sync with the Calendar and Reminders app and are accessible from all your Apple devices. If you're still unsure how to create reminders efficiently, visit This guide on how to create reminders with Siri.
Quick Notes and Tasks with Siri
In addition to reminders, Siri is great for taking quick notes while doing other things. For example: uterine
- “Create a note: Call the dentist”
- “Open notes” to view or edit your saved notes.
- “What grades do I have?” and Siri will dictate the ones you've recently created.
These features are ideal for fleeting ideas or quick notes you don't want to forget. To further optimize your use of notes, you can learn to create and customize shortcuts on your iPhone.
Weather, map and traffic queries
Siri can also help you plan your trips and check the weather. You can ask things like:
- “What will the weather be like today?”
- “Is it going to rain this weekend in Madrid?”
- “How to get home” or "“Where am I now?”
- “Where is there a pharmacy nearby?”
You can also plan routes, check traffic in your city, or see which trains or buses are available to a specific city. For more effective navigation using Siri, check out How to navigate with Siri and Maps.
Using Siri with music and entertainment services
One of Siri's strengths is its integration with Apple Music, Spotify, and podcast appsYou can ask it to play what you like without even touching your device:
- “Play some Queen music”
- “I want to listen to progressive rock”
- “Put on the podcast Nobody Knows Anything”
- “What song is playing?”
This turns your iPhone into a powerful voice-controlled media player.
Siri as an encyclopedia and data assistant
In addition to being a personal assistant, Siri can also act as your real-time information sourceYou can ask things like:
- “What does it mean to procrastinate?”
- “What is the capital of Sweden?”
- “How many inhabitants does Peru have?”
- “What time is it in New York?”
You can even ask more fun questions like “How many days until Christmas?" or ask him to tell you a joke.
Games and entertainment with Siri
If you just want to pass the time, Siri also has it built in. a certain dose of humor and entertainment. You can try commands like:
- “Roll a die”
- “Let’s play something”
- “Tell me a scary story”
- “I'm bored”
These commands are not only entertaining, but also demonstrate how advanced their programming is for sustaining natural and witty conversations.
Common Mistakes When Using Siri (and How to Avoid Them)
To ensure the best possible Siri experience, it's important to avoid some common mistakes:
- Not having your personal information configured prevents Siri from understanding your custom commands like “call my mom.”
- Talking too quickly or in noisy environments may cause Siri to not properly understand what you say.
- Giving ambiguous orders like “Do it” or “That” without clear context.
The solution is simple: keep your voice natural but clear, configure your contacts correctly, and be patient at first while Siri learns your way of speaking.
In short, Siri can make almost all your daily tasks easier using just your voice, from basic tasks like setting an alarm to checking your stock market or finding the best place for dinner that night. And if you learn to provide her with the right information, Siri will become a true personal assistant that will save you time and effort every day.