iOS 17: Everything New With Siri and Spotlight

In iOS 17, Apple added a handful of new improvements to on-device personal assistant Siri and the Spotlight search feature. There aren't any major changes, but Spotlight search has improved, and for ‌Siri‌, it's easier than ever to use.

iOS 17 Siri Feature
This guide highlights all of the ‌Siri‌ and Spotlight features and changes in iOS 17.

No More Hey Siri

You can just say "‌Siri‌" to activate ‌Siri‌, dropping the "Hey" that's been used as a wake word for years. ‌Siri‌ will activate when you say the ‌Siri‌ word, so you can speak more naturally.

Hey Siri vs Siri
"‌Siri‌, can you tell me what time it is?" is a phrase that ‌Siri‌ recognizes, for example.

Back-to-Back Requests

‌Siri‌ is able to recognize and respond to multiple back-to-back requests without needing to be reactivated.

You can, for example, ask ‌Siri‌ to tell you the time, and then follow that up with a request to text your friend that you're going to be late all in the same ‌Siri‌ request.

Web Articles

In Safari, there's a new ‌Siri‌ feature that allows the personal assistant to read a web article to you. As long as a site has Reader View available, you can say "‌Siri‌, read this to me" to have ‌Siri‌ read the content on the page.

siri

There are playback tools, so you can fast forward, pause, resume, and rewind from the Lock Screen.

Siri Messaging

When you ask ‌Siri‌ to send a message, you can now tap to select which app you want to send it from. This allows you to send messages not just from Apple's built-in Messages app, but also third-party apps like Telegram and WhatsApp.

siri messaging ios 17
The feature is compatible with any third-party app that has "Use with Ask ‌Siri‌" enabled in the Settings app.

Siri and StandBy

‌Siri‌ can be activated in StandBy mode, the new option for turning a charging iPhone into a home hub. When you ask ‌Siri‌ a question, there's a new full-screen UI that will show the results in landscape mode.

standby siri
If you ask about the weather, for example, you'll see the current temperature and icons that denote the weather conditions.

Siri UK Voices

There are two new "British" ‌Siri‌ voices available in iOS 17, making a total of four.

Siri in India

iOS 17 supports bilingual ‌Siri‌ queries that mix English with Hindi, Telegu, Punjabi, Kannada, or Marathi.

Search results have been improved with new colors and app icons to make it easier to see what's what. If you search for cats, for example, and one of the results is an option to tap into Safari for a web search, you'll see a Safari icon instead of the prior magnifying glass icon.

ios 17 spotlight search

App Shortcuts

When searching for an app, Spotlight now offers App Shortcuts in the top hits section. If you search for Photos and often go to the Favorites album, Spotlight will show you a link to get directly to the Favorites album from the search interface.

photos app shortcuts

Read More

Additional details on the new features in the iOS 17 update can be found in our iOS 17 roundup.

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Top Rated Comments

TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
18 months ago
For some reason I don't find myself using Siri anymore. Sometimes I forget it's even there.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macguru212 Avatar
18 months ago
Well, I use Siri daily, and if not many times a day. I only wish I could change the name to "Hey, Stupid!"
;)
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ShivneelSingh Avatar
18 months ago
Back-to-back requests, new UK voices, and no more "Hey Siri." Cannot wait for the update!
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fatTribble Avatar
18 months ago
Can we give Siri the computer voice from Star Trek performed by Majel Barrett?
Pleassse?
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NightFox Avatar
18 months ago

Well, I use Siri daily, and if not many times a day. I only wish I could change the name to "Hey, Stupid!"
;)
"Hey, Silly" always works for me
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
eicca Avatar
18 months ago
Can’t wait for the accidental Siri trigger rate to skyrocket. Good job Apple, not thinking things through yet again.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)