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Siri can't control phone functions

For about the last week or so (Probably since the last update) when I ask Siri to perform tasks that control the phone such as "Set a timer, Remind me, Set an alarm, Etc." she says "Sorry I can't do that right now". A restart fixes the issue temporarily but the problem comes back shortly after. When you have learned to rely on Siri for these functions it becomes incredibly annoying.


iPhone 6S 64GB

iOS 9.2 (13C75)

iPhone 6s, iOS 9.2

Posted on Dec 20, 2015 5:17 AM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Dec 21, 2015 2:12 PM

Hi Macidiot_1979,

If you are having trouble with Siri understanding your voice commands, take a look at the troubleshooting steps in this article. For instance, what happens when you turn Wi-Fi off and give Siri a command using your cellular network? Take a look at these steps and reply back if the issue still persists.

Use Siri on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch


Get help with Siri

  • If "Hey Siri" isn't working, make sure that "Hey Siri" is turned on under Settings > General > Siri.
  • Siri might say, "Sorry, I'm having trouble connecting to the network," or "Try again in a little while." This is probably a network issue. Check your Internet connection and try again later.
  • If Siri isn't available or responding to questions, see the next section.

If Siri isn't available, or doesn't understand or respond to questions

After each step, see if you still need help:

  1. Make sure that your iOS device has an Internet connection through Wi-Fi or cellular data.
  2. On your iOS device, make sure that Siri is turned on under Settings > General > Siri.
  3. Restart your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
  4. On your iOS device, go to Settings > General > Siri and turn off Siri. Then turn it on again.
  5. Make sure that the microphones on your device aren't blocked. For example, if your device has a protective case, remove it.
  6. If you're using an iOS device, try to use Siri with a headset. If Siri works, get more help with the microphones on your device.
  7. Contact Apple Support.

Happy Holidays!

47 replies

Feb 9, 2016 9:53 AM in response to conlad

I have been so frustrated by this Siri issue for the past two months that I went ahead and downloaded the iOS 9.3 beta too. I am so pleased to say that It seems to have resolved the issue, as far as I can tell. I can immediately call up music playlists, have my new messages read back and dictate replies, and many of the other functions that were reportedly not working. If you are looking for an immediate fix, and don't want to wait for the new official upgrade, this could help you too.


Now, let me say this: Could this issue be related to the apps on my phone or my settings, possibly interfering with the Siri service or connection to the server? I have wondered because my wife's iPhone 6S 64gb, activated at the same time with the same iOS version as 128gb model, has never had this problem. So I began to wonder if there are other security features or apps that could be impacting this. Just something I hope will help others determine why this is occurring infrequently.


I also found that iOS 9.2.1 (and it's beta update) did not resolve anything. My guess is that when the release of 9.3 comes along (estimated as this Spring, possibly as early as March), this issue will be fixed. Here are the resources that I used to learn about what we can expect in 9.3 and how to upgrade to the 9.3 beta now:


iOS 9.3 Preview: http://www.apple.com/ios/preview/

iOS 9.3 beta Installation Instructions: https://beta.apple.com/sp/betaprogram/guide

An unofficial account of Installing iOS 9.3 beta in more detail: http://www.imore.com/how-download-ios-93-public-beta

Feb 15, 2016 9:47 PM in response to Macidiot_1979

I've had the same issue for months. Siri would hear and understand what I say but not able to perform any actions unless it is the first time after a hard reset (power and home button). Went to the Apple Store and they replaced my iphone and it worked for about a month before it stopped working again. like others have mentioned, Siri still works on my apple watch. Very very frustrating.

Siri can't control phone functions

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