initiate hey siri without usung side button on iphone 16

Zachyy wrote:

Go to Settings > Apple Intelligence and Siri > Talk and Type to Siri > Turn off Press Side Button for Siri.

It's not necessary to turn off Press Side Button for Siri to be able to wake Siri with Siri or Hey Siri. I have Press Side Button for Siri enabled and I wake Siri all the time with my voice.

You guided them to the right place. They need to ensure Siri or Hey Siri is checked. If it is and Siri still won't wake to their voice, they would be advised to turn it off there. Then turn it on again, which will walk them through repeating certain phrases so Siri better recognizes their manner of speech. I have helped a number of people through this and it usually does the trick.

Go to Settings > Apple Intelligence and Siri > Talk and Type to Siri > Turn off Press Side Button for Siri.

Ah gotcha. You’re right, I only provided how to turn off the side button for Siri, not to initiate it without the side button.

Zachyy wrote:

Ah gotcha. You’re right, I only provided how to turn off the side button for Siri, not to initiate it without the side button.

That's OK. We all miss things from time to time!