How to fix Siri that suddenly stops working on your Apple iPhone XS after updating to iOS 12.1.4 [Troubleshooting Guide]

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Siri is Apple’s very own intelligent assistant that was first introduced among other built-in features of the iPhone 4S. Since then, later iOS devices already integrate an enhanced and better version of Siri. With Siri, you can speak to your phone and ask it to execute various tasks from dialing a number to setting alarms, opening apps, and other actions through input voice commands.

Indeed it’s deemed among the vital features of an iPhone especially for hands-free executions. However, there are some factors that can adversely affect Siri. This is when Siri would suddenly fail or stop working. On the positive notes, most of the triggers are software-related and therefore fixable by end-users.

Highlighted below are applicable workarounds and potential solutions to a problem with Siri on the iPhone XS that suddenly stops working after installing the latest iOS 12.1.4 update. Read on for more detailed solutions.

Before anything else, if you have other issues with your device, try to browse through our troubleshooting page as we’ve already addressed several issues with this device. Odds are that we’ve already published a post that tackles similar problems. Try finding issues that have similar symptoms with what you currently have and feel free to use the solutions we’ve suggested. If they don’t work for you or if you still need our help, then fill up our questionnaire and hit submit to contact us.

How to troubleshoot iPhone XS with Siri that’s not working anymore

Before troubleshooting, verify and ensure that you have set up Siri to recognize your voice. In case you haven’t yet set up Siri on your iPhone XS, here’s what you should do first:

  1. Navigate to the Settings menu from Home.
  2. Scroll down and tap on Siri & Search.
  3. To set up Siri to recognize your voice, tap the option to Listen to Siri.
  4. Follow the rest of the onscreen instructions to finish setting up your personal assistant.

To test if Siri is working, simply utter “Hey Siri” to your phone then wait for it to recognize your voice and wake up Siri promptly.

Alternatively, you can wake up Siri by pressing and holding the Side button for about 2 to 3 seconds and then release. Siri will then launch and ready to execute your input commands.

First solution: Refresh Siri.

Like other iOS apps and system services, Siri also misbehaves or may become unstable after an update. This is a normal post-update reaction as apps are still trying to embrace the recent system changes. To get the app to working normally again, all you have to do is refresh it.

  1. Navigate to your iPhone Settings from the Home screen.
  2. Select Siri & Search.
  3. Toggle the switch next to Listen for “Hey Siri” to turn the feature OFF and then back on again.

This should give Siri a quick refresh and thereby restore its normal operation.

ALSO READ: How to fix an Apple iPhone XS that keeps losing cellular signal after updating to iOS 12.1.4

Second solution: Restart your iPhone (soft reset).

Another simple solution to minor post-update app glitches is a soft reset or restart on the phone. This clears out memory caches including those that were corrupted from the update that might have caused Siri to act up. There’s no need to back up files beforehand since this reset does not affect any saved data on the phone memory. For starters, soft reset on the iPhone XS is carried out this way:

  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 phone reboots.

Allow the phone to boot up completely then say “Hey Siri” to your phone to wake up Siri and issue some commands.

Third solution: Check and manage restrictions for Siri app.

Apps that are restricted on the phone may not be able to carry out certain tasks or may fail to work at all. There’s a chance that the update has overridden your current settings and enabled restrictions for Siri. As a result, Siri suddenly stopped working on the phone. To rule this out, check your iPhone restrictions and make necessary adjustments for Siri app if needed. Here’s how to get there:

  1. Tap Settings from your Home screen.
  2. Then, tap Screen Time.
  3. Select Content & Privacy Restrictions.
  4. Follow the onscreen instructions to disable restrictions for Siri on your phone.

After making changes, restart your iPhone to refresh iOS apps and built-in services including Siri. Then wake up Siri by saying “Hey Siri” to your phone.

Fourth solution: Reset all settings.

If you’ve previously customized your iPhone settings based on your preferences, then there’s a tendency that some of your customized settings were automatically altered and unfortunately resulted to some conflict. To rule this out, erase all customized settings and restore default options on your iPhone XS by carrying out all settings. This will also delete your network configurations, thus you will need to set them up again afterwards. Any erratic configuration will also be removed in the process. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. From your Home screen, tap on Settings.
  2. Select General.
  3. Scroll down to and then tap on Reset.
  4. Select the option to Reset all settings.
  5. If prompted, enter your passcode then follow the onscreen instructions to confirm all settings reset.

When the reset is finished, your iPhone will restart automatically. You can enable individual features and apps that are disabled by default after your phone reboots. Don’t forget to enable and set up Siri to recognize your voice.

ALSO READ: How to fix an Apple iPhone XS that keeps disconnecting from Wi-Fi network after installing iOS 12.1.4 update

Fifth solution: Reset and restore factory default settings on your iPhone.

A factory reset or master reset can be considered among the last options if none of the previous methods is able to solve the problem. Some tough bugs could be the underlying cause. Should that be the case, more advanced solutions are needed. Before you reset the iPhone though, be sure to back up your important data to iCloud or iTunes so you’ll be able to recover them later. A faster way to reset your iPhone XS to factory defaults is through settings. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. From your Home screen, tap on Settings.
  2. Select General.
  3. Scroll down to and then tap on Reset.
  4. Select the option to Erase all content and settings.
  5. If prompted, enter your passcode then follow the onscreen instructions to confirm factory reset.

You can also use iTunes to factory reset and restore your iPhone XS on a computer. To get this done, you will need to secure a Mac or Windows computer that has the latest version of iTunes app installed. Then connect your device to the computer via USB cable or Lightning cable. Once connected, just follow the command prompts and click on the controls to instigate system reset. After the reset, you can follow the initial setup wizard to set up your iPhone as new. System errors including iOS bugs that caused Siri to malfunctions should already be gone by then unless hardware issues (like damaged microphone or defective speaker) are present.

Other options

You may opt to restore your iPhone XS to a previous iOS backup if none of the above solutions is able to help and you’ve already run out of options. While this may be deemed a downgrade, it’s still better than running on the latest platform with some application malfunctions. You can escalate the problem to your carrier or contact Apple Support so they’ll become aware and do some further assessments on their end. If it’s found to be an iOS bug, then Apple will have to create a follow-up update as dedicated fix patch.

You can also take your iPhone to the nearest Apple service center in your place if you suspect that the problem is attributed to some faulty hardware. In that case, repair is likely needed. You may have to contact your iPhone carrier first before opting for service, so as not to void any warranties.

Connect with us

If you need more help with the use of certain functions and features of the Apple iPhone XS smartphone, feel free to visit our Tutorial Page. There you can find a list of how-to contents, step-by-step tutorials, as well as answers to FAQs regarding iPhone XS. If you have other concerns or encountered some troubles while using the phone, you can reach us through this form. Just be sure to tell us more details of the problem or device issue(s) you may have and we will be more than happy to assist you further.

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