How to Turn Off Hey Siri on Mac

If you own a Mac with an Apple silicon chip or a recent Intel model, you can use the “Hey Siri” voice command to summon Siri hands-free. While convenient, some users find it activates accidentally or simply prefer using the keyboard shortcut instead. This guide walks you through turning off “Hey Siri” on your Mac, leaving the ability to use Siri via shortcut intact if you wish.

What You’ll Need

A Mac running macOS Ventura or later (the steps are similar on older versions, but menu names may differ slightly).
Access to System Settings (or System Preferences on macOS Monterey and earlier).
An administrator account (usually your main account) to change Siri settings.

Step-by-Step

Open System Settings: Click the Apple menu () in the top-left corner of your screen and select System Settings. On older macOS versions, this is called System Preferences.
Navigate to Siri & Spotlight: In the sidebar (or the main window on older versions), look for the Siri & Spotlight icon. It usually shows a colorful swirl or a microphone icon. Click it.
Find the “Listen for” Setting: In the Siri & Spotlight pane, you’ll see an option labeled “Listen for ‘Hey Siri’” or simply “Listen for” with a dropdown menu. On macOS Ventura and later, it appears as a toggle switch next to “Listen for ‘Hey Siri’”.
Turn Off the Toggle or Select “Off”: Click the toggle to turn it off (so it turns gray and moves to the left). If you see a dropdown menu, select Off from the list. If the option is greyed out, first check that Siri itself is enabled (see Troubleshooting below).
Close Settings: Once you’ve turned off “Hey Siri,” you can simply close the System Settings window. The change takes effect immediately—no restart needed.
Verify the Change: To confirm, try saying “Hey Siri” near your Mac. If it doesn’t respond, the feature is off. You can still use Siri by clicking the Siri icon in the menu bar or using the keyboard shortcut (default: hold Command + Space, or press and hold the microphone key on newer keyboards).

Common Mistakes

Turning off the wrong toggle: Some users accidentally disable Siri entirely by turning off the main “Siri” toggle instead of just the “Hey Siri” option. If you still want to use Siri with a shortcut, keep the main Siri toggle on and only turn off “Listen for ‘Hey Siri’”.
Not checking the menu bar icon: Even with “Hey Siri” off, Siri may still respond if you click the Siri icon in the menu bar. That’s expected—turning off “Hey Siri” only disables the voice trigger, not Siri itself.
Looking in the wrong settings pane: Siri settings are not under “Privacy & Security” or “Sound.” Make sure you’re in the correct Siri & Spotlight section.
Forgetting to update macOS: If you can’t find the “Hey Siri” option, your Mac may not support it (older models without Apple silicon or T2 chip) or your macOS is outdated. Check for software updates first.

Tips

Use a keyboard shortcut instead: If you want to keep Siri accessible but avoid accidental voice triggers, set a custom keyboard shortcut in the same Siri & Spotlight settings. Choose something like Option + Space that won’t conflict with other apps.
Disable Siri entirely: If you never use Siri on your Mac, you can turn off the main Siri toggle at the top of the Siri & Spotlight pane. This also removes the menu bar icon and keyboard shortcut.
Check if your Mac supports “Hey Siri”: Only Macs with Apple silicon (M1 or later) or the T2 security chip support “Hey Siri.” If you don’t see the option, your hardware doesn’t support it.
Re-enable later: You can easily turn “Hey Siri” back on by toggling the same switch. The setting persists across restarts.

Troubleshooting

I can’t find the “Hey Siri” option at all. This usually means your Mac doesn’t support the feature. Check your Mac model: if it’s an Intel Mac without a T2 chip, “Hey Siri” is not available. Also ensure you’re running macOS Catalina or later; older versions didn’t have this feature.

The toggle is greyed out. This happens when Siri is disabled entirely. Go to the top of the Siri & Spotlight pane and turn on the main Siri toggle. Once Siri is enabled, the “Hey Siri” option becomes active.

I turned it off, but Siri still responds to “Hey Siri.” Make sure you’re testing after closing System Settings. Also, if you have multiple Macs nearby, another device may be responding. Try saying “Hey Siri” while your Mac is awake and unlocked—if it still responds, restart your Mac and try again.

My Mac doesn’t have a T2 chip, but I still see “Hey Siri.” Some Macs with the T2 chip support it, but a few older models (like the 2018 MacBook Air) also have it. If you see the option, your Mac supports it—just toggle it off.

After turning off “Hey Siri,” the Siri icon disappeared from the menu bar. That’s normal if you also disabled Siri entirely. If you only turned off “Hey Siri,” the icon should remain. To add it back, go to Siri & Spotlight and check “Show Siri in menu bar.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Will turning off “Hey Siri” affect other Apple devices?
A: No, the setting is per-device. Your iPhone or HomePod will still respond to “Hey Siri.”

Q: Can I still use Siri with the keyboard after turning off “Hey Siri”?
A: Yes, you can use the keyboard shortcut or click the Siri icon in the menu bar. The voice trigger is the only thing disabled.

Q: Does turning off “Hey Siri” improve battery life?
A: Slightly, because it stops listening for the wake phrase. The impact is minimal, but some users notice a small improvement.

Q: Why does my Mac keep saying “Hey Siri” even after I turned it off?
A: Make sure you’re not accidentally pressing the Siri keyboard shortcut. Also, check if another device (like an iPhone) is nearby and responding. If the issue persists, restart your Mac.

Q: Can I turn off “Hey Siri” temporarily without changing settings?
A: You can mute your Mac’s microphone, but that affects all voice input. The only reliable way is to toggle the setting off.

Q: Does “Hey Siri” work when the Mac lid is closed?
A: No, it only works when the Mac is awake and the lid is open. If you’re hearing it with the lid closed, it’s likely another device.

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