Using Voice Control in iOS 13 to Operate an iPhone Hands-Free

Apple in iOS 13 added a Voice Control feature as an Accessibility option designed for those who need to use their iPhones and iPads without their hands. It allows for complete control of the operating system using voice commands.

Voice Control is designed for people who need an alternative to physical control, but it has the potential to be useful even for those can use their devices with their hands. Check out our latest YouTube video below to see Voice Control in action, and read on to see how to enable it and what it can do.

How to Enable Voice Control

Voice Control can be turned on in the Settings app by following these instructions:

  1. Open up the Settings app.
  2. Scroll down to Accessibility and tap it.
  3. Select the Voice Control option.
  4. Tap on Set Up Voice Control.

The setup screen for Voice Control will walk you through the different things you can do with your voice, which ranges from opening apps and adjusting settings to tapping buttons and dictating and editing text.

After tapping on Set Up and checking out the various options, Voice Control will be toggled on.

What Voice Control Can Do

With Voice Control enabled, there's a little microphone icon that's active and visible on the iPhone's display. When Voice Control is active, you don't need to invoke Siri or use any other kind of wake word to navigate the ‌iPhone‌.

Simple commands like "Open Settings" work to open up an app, and then you can navigate by saying things like "Go Back." You do need to learn the specific commands for control, which can take some time. Selecting an item in the Settings app, for example, requires saying "Tap Accessibility" rather than "Select" or "Choose."

Voice Control is a powerful tool and it can do almost anything that you can do with physical access. A sample list is below:

  • Swipe left, right, up, or down on the screen
  • Zoom, scroll, rotate, two finger tap, long press, pan up/down, double tap
  • Tap items on the screen
  • Open Control Center
  • Open Notification Center
  • Open third-party apps like Twitter
  • Start a new tweet, add text, and send the tweet
  • Show numbers (to add little numbers to items in a list)
  • Tap number (to tap one of the numbered items - you can also just say the number without tap)
  • Show grid (adds a grid to the screen with numbers so you can tap a specific spot on the screen)
  • Show names (displays app or item names)
  • Open Notes
  • Tap New Note
  • Select that/all/[specific phrase]
  • Copy [text]/Paste [text]
  • Drag and drop
  • Tap and hold
  • Type [phrase]
  • Go Home
  • Go back
  • Open ‌Siri‌
  • Search web for [phrase]
  • Go to sleep
  • Take screenshot
  • Reboot
  • Open Apple Pay

You can do specific sequences within apps for things that would normally require hand control. Here's an example Voice Control sequence in the Messages app:

  1. Open Messages
  2. Tap [person's name]
  3. Tap iMessage
  4. Speak your text (whenever a keyboard is showing on the screen, whatever you speak will be typed in)
  5. Tap emoji
  6. Show numbers
  7. Tap 25 (heart eyes emoji)
  8. Tap Send

That's the entire Voice Control sequence to type out a message with an included emoji and send it out to someone. The "Show numbers" command is super useful in situations where there are a lot of options on the screen (such as the emoji list) and you need to choose one.

Here's a similar sequence in the Notes app, using voice commands:

  1. Open Notes
  2. Tap new Note
  3. Speak your title
  4. Tap return
  5. Speak your text
  6. Period

For editing in Notes:

  1. Select [phrase]
  2. Copy selection
  3. Show grid
  4. Tap number (where the cursor should be)
  5. Paste that
  6. Tap done
  7. Go Home

There are tons of Voice Control commands to work with, which can all be seen by going to Settings > Accessibility > Voice Control > Customize Commands or simply saying "Show Commands" with Voice Control turned on. Apple also has a support document that's worth checking out if you want to get deeper into using Voice Control.

It will take some time to learn all of the appropriate commands and then to create custom commands that fill in the missing gaps that are needed when it comes to control, but the effort will be well worth it for those who need this functionality.

Voice Control Options

There are several customization options for Voice Control, located in the Voice Control section of the Settings app as outlined above.

You can create custom commands, selecting an activation phrase, an action such as insert text or run a Shortcut, and an app for that custom phrase to work with. Voice Control integrates with Shortcuts, which means it's highly customizable and extremely powerful for those who need to use it for most ‌iPhone‌ and iPad functions.

For the insert text customization, for example, you can create a "home address" option that enters your home address whenever the phrase is spoken, useful for filling out forms.

There are also options to turn off various functions if something specific needs to be turned off or if you want to enable features not turned on by default such as music controls or making phone calls.

Through the "Vocabulary" section" you can teach Voice Control new words simply by tapping the "+" button and adding a phrase that Voice Control should recognize.

Settings for confirmation, playing sounds when a command is recognized, and showing usage hints can also be toggled on or off, with the latter option being particularly useful for those who are new to Voice Control.

Availability

Voice Control is an iOS 13 feature available on iPhones and iPads, but it's also available in macOS Catalina for those who want to control their Macs with their voice.

People who are able to control their iPhones with their hands or another physical manner may find Voice Control to be difficult and tedious to use, but it is an incredibly powerful and thorough option for those who have limited dexterity or mobility.

Related Forum: iOS 13

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 17 Models Rumored to Feature Redesigned Dynamic Island

Monday July 7, 2025 7:38 am PDT by
iPhone 17 models will feature a redesigned Dynamic Island user interface, according to a post today from Digital Chat Station, an account with more than three million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The account has accurately leaked some information regarding future Apple products in the past. The account did not share any specific details about the alleged changes that are ...
Prime Day 25 Feature Warm Triad

The Best Early Prime Day Deals on Apple Products

Saturday July 5, 2025 7:22 am PDT by
Amazon is soon to be back with its annual summertime Prime Day event, lasting for four days from July 8-11, the longest Prime Day yet. As it does every year, Prime Day offers shoppers a huge selection of deals across Amazon's storefront, and there are already many deals you can get on sale ahead of the event. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a ...

Top Rated Comments

twistedpixel8 Avatar
73 months ago
Top tip: to make it truly hands-free, say “hey Siri: turn on voice control.”
And when you’re done, tell her to turn it off again.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple_Robert Avatar
73 months ago
Glad to see Apple making the phone more user friendly for those in need.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Speed38 Avatar
73 months ago
You have no idea how helpful this can be to some seniors. I have volunteered to teach seniors how to use their iPhones. Some of them have severe rheumotoid arthritis and one has MS, which can make it difficult for them to simply press the volume up and down buttons. I'll bring this up at our next session and give them link to your video and instructions. Thanks again!
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lunarworks Avatar
73 months ago

Seems like a lot of tapping to be hands-free. What am I missing.
You're instructing Siri to tap.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
montycat Avatar
73 months ago
Great job Apple! This is very impressive. I have been experimenting with this feature for an hour now and I think its awesome. This is a game changer for those with special needs.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zYxMa Avatar
73 months ago
I love the fact that I can tap anything by saying a number. However I was trying to send a text whilst driving the other day and I think it would be safer to just grab the phone ?

Attachment Image

Attachment Image
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)