How To Make Your iPhone (And Other Devices) Stop Listening To You

AI-generated, human-edited. 

In the latest episode of Hands-On Tech, Mikah Sargent tackles a common privacy concern: how to prevent Apple devices from unexpectedly listening and responding in your space. Let's break down what's actually happening and how to take control of these features.

Understanding How Device Listening Works

Before diving into the solutions, it's important to understand that your devices aren't actually spying on you. Mikah explains it with a clever analogy: Think of it like a toddler's shape-sorting puzzle. Your device is simply waiting for specific "shapes" (wake words) to fit into place before activating. It's not storing or sending your conversations anywhere; it's just waiting for that specific trigger phrase locally on your device.

Sometimes mishaps occur when similar-sounding phrases are interpreted as the wake word - like a smaller shape accidentally fitting into the wrong hole in our puzzle analogy. While this can be annoying, it's not indicative of constant surveillance.

How to Disable Listening Features:

For Mac Computers:

1. Open System Settings
2. Navigate to "Apple Intelligence and Siri"
3. Under "Siri Requests"
4. Change "Listen for" to "Off"

For HomePods:

1. Open the Home app
2. Locate the room with your HomePod
3. Press and hold on the HomePod icon
4. Select "Accessory Settings"
5. Scroll down to Siri
6. Find "Listen for Siri"
7. Toggle off listening for individual HomePods

Pro Tip: If you still want occasional Siri access on your HomePod, keep the "Touch and hold for Siri" option enabled. This way, you can manually activate Siri by touching and holding the top of the HomePod when needed.

Alternative Devices

For those using Amazon Echo devices, Mikah notes that Amazon has made privacy controls more straightforward by including physical buttons or switches to disable the microphone completely. This provides a quick hardware solution for turning off listening features when desired.

Final Thoughts

While the "always listening" feature isn't as invasive as it might seem, it's completely understandable to want more control over when your devices are actively waiting for commands. These settings allow you to customize your experience and maintain the level of privacy you're comfortable with across your Apple devices.

Remember: You can always re-enable these features if you find yourself missing the convenience of voice commands. The key is finding the right balance between functionality and privacy for your specific needs.

By following these steps, you can ensure your devices only listen when you want them to, giving you more control over your digital environment and peace of mind in your space. Subscribe to Club TWiT and access the complete video, ad-free version of Hands-On Tech!