9 hidden Siri commands you probably don't know about — and they're actually useful

1. Set alarms and timers instantly

Creating an alarm through the Clock app requires multiple steps: open the app, tap the Alarms tab, tap the plus icon, set the hour, set the minute, add a label if needed. It's tedious.

Say: "Siri, set an alarm called Start Dinner for 6:15", and the alarm is created instantly with the exact time and label you specified. No tapping, no navigating through menus. The same applies to timers. Instead of opening the Clock app, simply say "Siri, set a timer for 12 minutes" and it starts immediately.

2. Create reminders with location triggers

Reminders work particularly well with Siri because voice commands handle both the title and timing in one step. Say "Hey Siri, remind me tomorrow at 9 a.m. to pay the water bill" and the reminder is created with the correct date, time, and title in one command.

Even better, Siri supports location-based reminders. Say something like "Siri, remind me to take my medication when I get home" or Hey Siri, remind me to pick up a birthday card when I leave work" and you'll get the reminder when you arrive at or leave the specified location — as long as you have Home and Work addresses set in your contacts.

3. Restart your iPhone

When your iPhone is acting sluggish or buggy, restarting it often fixes the problem, but the button combination varies by model.

Say "Siri, restart my phone" and Siri prompts you to confirm. Tap "Restart" on the screen and your iPhone restarts without needing to remember the button sequence.

This is especially useful when accessibility features are enabled or when you simply don't want to fumble with button combinations.

4. Identify songs playing around you

Shazam integration is built into Siri, so you don't need a separate app to identify music.

Simply say "Siri, what song is this?" while music plays nearby and Siri uses built-in Shazam to identify it. You get the song title, artist, and option to open it in Apple Music, all without needing the separate Shazam app.

This works anywhere you hear music you want to identify and is particularly good if you're at a gig or music event. The recognition is fast and accurate, using the same technology as the standalone Shazam app.

5. Take quick notes without typing

Voice dictation works well when you need to capture information quickly without interrupting what you're doing.

Say "Create a note", followed by what you want jotted down and Siri creates the note with that exact text. Any note you dictate gets stored in the Notes app for later reference.

This is particularly useful when you need to jot something down while driving, cooking, or when your hands are otherwise occupied. The note is saved immediately and appears in your Notes app alongside everything else.

6. Find your misplaced phone

This is one of those features you don't need often, but it's incredibly handy when you do.

Say "Siri, where are you?" and Siri responds with "Over here" while playing a sound, making it easy to track down your phone by following the voice.

You can also say "Siri, find my phone" and your iPhone will start pinging loudly, making it even easier to locate. The ping is loud enough to hear from another room, which helps when your phone is truly lost rather than just misplaced nearby.

This only works if your iPhone is within earshot and has battery life remaining, but it's surprisingly effective for everyday situations where you've simply forgotten where you put your phone.

7. Lock your phone remotely with your voice

Security features usually require physical access to your device, but this one works from across the room.

Say "Siri, lock my phone" and the screen locks immediately. The phone requires Face ID or your passcode to access again, even if someone is actively using it when you issue the command.

This works as long as Siri can hear you, making it useful in situations where you can't physically reach your device but need to secure it quickly, like if someone grabs your phone without permission.

8. Hear your unread messages

Hands-free messaging is where Siri shines, especially when you can't look at your screen.

Say "Siri, read my unread messages" and Siri reads aloud any messages you haven't opened yet. Siri reads the sender's name and the message content, letting you stay updated without picking up your phone.

You can reply using voice commands as well, making it a hands-free messaging solution. This can also work with some third-party messaging apps like Whatsapp though results vary by app.

9. Change Siri's voice or accent

You don't have to stick with the default Siri voice that comes out of the box. If you use Siri regularly or simply want a change, you can switch to a different accent or gender.

Go to Settings, then Apple Intelligence and & Siri, then Voice. Choose from American, Australian, British, Indian, Irish, and South African voices. Some accents also offer a gender-neutral option.

It's a small customization, but personalizing Siri's voice makes the feature feel more tailored to your preferences — especially if you're using these commands regularly.