Fix Apple iPhone XS Max that won’t respond to “Hey Siri” command

This article highlights a set of instructions on how to fix Siri that is not working on iPhone XS Max after updating to iOS 12.2. Read on to find out what to do if you can’t get Siri to respond or carry out voice input commands after installing the latest iOS update.

Siri is one of the key iOS features Apple entrenched into an iPhone. It is a voice-controlled personal assistant designed to provide logical way of interacting with your iOS device through text and speech, providing you with answers to queries, recommendations, and executes tasks that end-users have requested. In fact, Siri has access to almost all the Apple built-in applications which enable it to search for requested information. All these are carried out with the starting key phrase “Hey Siri!”

If however, you are looking for a solution to a different problem, drop by our troubleshooting guide for we have already addressed the most common issues with this phone. Find problems that are similar with yours and use the solutions we suggested. If they don’t work for you or if you need more help, then feel free to contact us through our iPhone issues questionnaire.

What causes Siri to stop working on your iPhone XS Max?

Several years after its introduction, Apple has made Siri even more refined and stable. But just like other sturdy features, Siri would also encounter some errors and therefore may fail to work as intended. In most cases, software issues can provoke a certain application to act up. In the case where Siri has stopped working after installing iOS 12.2 update on your iPhone XS Max, the problem is most likely due to an update bug that affects audio-related services including Siri. But there are also other factors that need to be scrutinized aside from bad updates. Among other culprits would include invalid settings, random app glitches, and even hardware issues on the iPhone’s audio components such as microphone or speakers. Network problems are also among other factors to look into as Siri requires Internet connection to access online facts and data requests.

Things to check prior to troubleshooting your iPhone XS Max:

Here are some of the requirements in order to use Siri on your iPhone. Be sure to meet all these to avoid having issues with Siri:

  • Siri requires internet connection. Ensure that your cellular or Wi-Fi network is enabled on your phone.
  • Make sure that Siri is turned on or enabled. To check: Go to Settings-> Siri & Search->Hey Sir or Press Side Button for Siri->Enable Siri.
  • Check the microphone of your iPhone XS Max. Make sure it is clean and free of debris. Remove the phone case if necessary.
  • Be sure to state your request clearly so that Siri understands it easily. Speak loud and clear with your mouth closed to the iPhone’s microphone.
  • Make sure that your phone is not on Low Power Mode. Some apps including Siri may not be able to execute properly or become limited when the device is set to low power mode.
  • Lastly, make sure that Siri is set up to recognize your voice. To check: Go to Settings-> Siri & Search-> Listen to Siri and then follow the onscreen guide to complete the set up.

To check if Siri is already working by saying “Hey Siri”. You can also press and hold the side button of your phone for at least five seconds, and then release. If Siri still failed to recognize your voice or haven’t launched, move forward and start troubleshooting your phone.

Troubleshooting software-related problems affecting Siri after iOS update

Below are basic procedures and potential solutions to problems with Siri including those inflicted by minor iOS update bugs. After performing each procedure, test Siri to see if the problem is corrected. Proceed to the next workaround, if needed.

Solution #1: Refresh Siri.

Keeping your iPhone up-to-date will allow you to benefit from new features and system enhancements for optimum device performance, stability and security. But along with these benefits are update bugs that would trigger occurrence of minor and major symptoms on the receiving device. Should this be just a minor update bug that caused Siri to act up, then this can be rectified by restarting Siri. By restarting means that you will turn Siri off and then back on again. Here is how you do it:

  1. From the Home screen, go to Settings.
  2. Select Siri & Search.
  3. Toggle the switch indicator beside Listen for “Hey Siri” to turn it off and then on again.

When Siri is re-enabled, test and see if it’s already working properly. If it’s not, restart your iPhone XS Max or perform a soft reset with these steps:

  1. Press and hold the Side/Power button and either Volume buttons simultaneously for a few seconds.
  2. Release the buttons when the Slide to Power Off command appears and then drag the power off slider to the right.
  3. After 30 seconds, press and hold the Power/Side button again until the iPhone reboots.

Performing a soft reset refreshes the phone memory and corrects errant apps and services. All saved information on the internal storage of your device won’t be affected in the process.

ALSO READ: Apple iPhone XS Max System Resets Guide: Soft reset, Force restart, Reset all settings, Reset network settings, Factory reset

Solution # 2 Turn Dictation Off and on .

Other people who have had trouble using Siri were able to find remedy by turning Dictation off and on. This could be the underlying cause if the recent update automatically turns off dictation on your device. To rule this out, follow these steps to verify and manage dictation settings on your phone:

  1. From the Home screen, go to Settings.
  2. Select General.
  3. Tap Keyboard.
  4. Toggle the Enable Dictation switch to turn it off.
  5. Tap Turn Off Dictation to confirm.
  6. Toggle the switch again to turn the feature back on.

After making necessary changes, launch Siri and see if it’s already working. If that doesn’t solve the problem, move on to the next applicable solution.

Solution #3: Force Restart your iPhone XS Max.

A force restart on your iPhone is also an alternative method to clearing caches and corrupted files from your phone’s memory and system folders that might have triggered Siri to act up or suddenly fail. This also kills all background apps and services including those that were left opened during the recent update and have gone rogue afterwards. Here’s how it works:

  1. Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
  2. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
  3. Then, press and hold the Power button on the side of your iPhone and then release when the device restarts.

When the phone is completely back up and running, press the Side button to wake up Siri or just say “Hey Siri” to your iPhone. If Siri recognizes and responds to you, then everything is well now. If not, then proceed to the next solution.

ALSO READ: How to fix Apple iPhone XS Max apps that won’t update, unable to download and install app updates [Troubleshooting Guide]

Solution #4: Check and disable Restrictions for Siri.

Whenever a certain app is restricted on your phone, the functionality of that app will also be limited or the app may not be working at all. Often times, system updates could revoke the current settings on your device, thus resulting to some apps being disabled or restricted automatically.  To make sure that Siri has not been disabled in Restrictions, check your iPhone settings:

  1. From the Home screen, tap Settings.
  2. Select Screen Time.
  3. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.
  4. Navigate to the Allowed Apps section and make sure that Siri and Dictation is not restricted.

If the switch next to Siri and Dictation is turned on, it means that restriction is enabled for these applications. That therefore must be turned off.

Solution #5: Reset Networking Settings on your iPhone XS Max.

Since Siri requires internet connection either via cellular data or Wi-Fi to work, network connection issues can also be the main reason why Siri fails to respond or stops working. Network problems may occur from an update due to incorrect network settings override as well as network bugs. In this case, performing a network settings reset can help. The process will not affect any data saved on your phone, but will erase your current network configurations. After the reset, network-related settings options are restored to defaults. That said, you will need to set up and reconnect your iPhone to the Internet in order to use online apps and services too. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. From the Home screen, go to Settings.
  2. Select General.
  3. Scroll down to and tap Reset.
  4. Select Reset Network Settings.
  5. Enter your passcode, when prompted. Then tap Reset Network Settings to confirm.

After which, your phone will restart automatically. Once your phone is completely back on, turn on your cellular data or connect to available Wi-Fi network. Then, try “Hey Siri” to check if it has fixed the problem. If this action doesn’t fix the issue, try to reset all settings on your iPhone XS Max. Just refer to the next procedure.

Solution # 6: Reset All Settings on your iPhone XS Max.

Another reason as to why a certain app would suddenly malfunction is due to invalid or incorrect customization. If you’ve customized your device, there’s a chance that the updated settings had caused conflicts. As a result, some of the key services including Siri are adversely affected. To clear this out, reset all settings on your iPhone with these steps:

  1. From the Home screen, go to Settings.
  2. Select General.
  3. Scroll down to and tap Reset.
  4. Select Reset All Settings.
  5. Enter your passcode, when prompted. Then tap Reset All Settings to confirm.

Your phone will then reboot automatically. As soon as it’s finished booting up, re-enable the features that you want to use on your device including Siri and Dictation.

Solution #7 Restore iPhone XS Max to factory default settings

If Siri is still not working after performing all the above procedures, then you may have to consider performing a full system reset to erase your iPhone and restore its factory settings. A factory reset is by far very effective in resolving software-related issues including those inflicted by update bugs. But before you do so, make sure that all your important data from your phone are backed up to iCloud or iTunes as they will also be erased in the process. A factory reset or master reset can be carried out through your iPhone settings or using iTunes on a Windows or Mac computer. Here is how you do it on your phone settings:

  1. From the Home screen, tap the Settings app.
  2. Select General.
  3. Scroll down to and tap Reset.
  4. Select Erase all content and Settings.
  5. Enter your passcode, when prompted. Then tap Erase all Content and Settings to confirm.

After the reset, your device should restart and then loads the default values and settings. To use your device, you will need to set it up first just like when you first have it. You can use the setup wizard to configure your device accordingly.

You can also perform a factory reset via iTunes using a computer. To get this done, computer must have the latest version of iTunes installed and stable internet connection. Once these requirements are met, connect your iPhone XS Max to your computer using the provided USB cable. Then follow the onscreen commands and controls to reset your iPhone in iTunes.

Still couldn’t get Siri to work properly on your iPhone XS Max?

Once you tried all the solutions provided above and still Siri is not working, then you are most likely a very complex iOS bug. In that case, you may opt to restore your iPhone from a previous backup. While this may be considered as downgrading, this may be the only way to keep things, particularly Siri back to its normal working state. In this case, you can proceed and carry out a recovery mode restore or DFU mode restore on your iPhone XS Max. Both these restore methods can help fixed complex system errors including the ones inflicted by some tough iOS update bugs. The only downside is that you would lose critical information from doing so unless you’ve got them backed up before. Nonetheless, this could be the only way for your device to be fixed.

Should you wish to continue, you may refer to a more detailed walkthrough on how to perform recovery and DFU mode restore that can be found on the tutorials section of this site. Just visit the iPhone XS Max troubleshooting page for more details.

Aside from iTunes, you can also resort to some third-party tools to restore and repair iOS without losing any data content on your phone. You can download and install any of these tools on your computer just like iTunes.

For further assistance and official recommendations, you may escalate the problem to your carrier or directly report the issue to Apple Support. Just let them know exactly of what happened or how you ended up facing problems with Siri on your iPhone XS Max and what you’ve done so far, in an attempt to resolve the problem on your end.

I hope that we’ve been able to help you fix the problem with your device. We would appreciate it if you helped us spread the word so please share this post if you found it helpful. Thank you so much for reading!

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