Siri is the most powerful voice assistant integrated to the Apple Watch. From opening apps and calculating route to making calls and sending quick replies, there’s a lot it can do for you. But why is Siri not working on your Apple Watch in the first place?
Siri is not working on your Apple Watch because Wi-Fi connection is off, watchOS is not up to date, Hey Siri is not active, or the volume is down. Also, the watch’s speakers may be faulty, Raise to Speak may be defective, Siri Voice may not be available, or you may be experiencing a system glitch.
In this guide, you learn exactly how to fix each of these problems, so you can have Siri working properly on your Apple Watch again.
Let’s get started.
Why is Siri Not Working On My Apple Watch?
If Siri virtual assistant is not working on your Apple Watch, it could be because of one or more of the following reasons:
| Probable Cause | Possible Solution | |
| 1. | Your Apple Watch disconnected from the Internet. | Restore Wi-Fi connection to use Siri on your Apple Watch. |
| 2. | “Hey Siri” is off. | You need to turn it back on to get the most out of it. |
| 3. | Your Apple Watch and iPhone have a system glitch. | Restart your Apple Watch and your iPhone to fix system glitches. |
| 4. | The watchOS and iOS are not up to date. | You should update the iOS and watchOS operating systems to the current versions. |
| 5. | Siri may be experiencing an error. | Disable and enable the feature, then restart your Apple Watch. |
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How to Fix Hey Siri Not Working on the Apple Watch
Now that you know why Siri is not working on your Apple Watch, let me show you how to fix each problem to get your device back on track:
1. Disable and Enable Siri
The first thing I want you to do is to disable and then enable Siri on your iPhone as well as on the Apple Watch.
To disable and enable Siri on your Apple Watch:
- Tap the screen or press the home button to light up the display.
- Press Digital Crown to open the apps’ menu.
- Tap Settings, scroll until you find Siri, and then tap on it.
- Deactivate Press Digital Crown, Listen for “Hey Siri”, and Raise to Wake.
- On the next screen, confirm that you indeed want to disable Siri.
- Still on the same Siri screen, tap to enable Listen for “Hey Siri”.
As for your iPhone:
- Launch the Apple Watch app.
- Go to My Watch.
- Tap Siri.
- Deactivate Press Digital Crown, Listen for “Hey Siri”, and Raise to Wake.
- Then, turn these options back again.
Disabling and enabling Siri is a good enough trick to get the voice assistant to work on your Apple Watch.
However, if doing so doesn’t fix the problem, proceed to the next recommended solution.
2. Update Your Apple Watch and iPhone
Because Apple releases iOS and watchOS updates from time to time, it’s important to upgrade your Watch and iPhone’s firmware to the latest version.
Doing can go a long way to fix Siri not working on your Apple Watch. You can update watchOS from the watch or use the companion app to get similar results.
To update the firmware from the watch:
- Press the Digital Crown to open the apps screen.
- Tap the Settings app.
- Scroll the screen up to find General option, and tap it.
- Tap Software Update.
- Tap Down and Install.
- Now give the watch some time to update, after which it will restart automatically.
Ensure the watch has Wi-Fi, the battery is at least 50% full, and your iPhone is in range. Otherwise, the watchOS update won’t complete successfully.
If you wish to use your iPhone:
- Launch the Apple Watch app.
- Go to My Watch and tap General.
- Select Software Update.
- Unlock your Apple Watch if the app prompts you to.
- Tap Download and Install.
A progress wheel will appear on your Apple Watch. And once the update is complete, the watch will restart.
To update your iPhone’s iOS firmware:
- Open the Settings app.
- Select General.
- Tap Software Update.
- Download and Install the latest iOS version (if there’s any available).
Once the updates are complete, try to tell Siri to open an app or send a message to your friend.
3. Check Your Internet Connection
“Hey Siri” will only work if you have your Apple Watch connected to the internet.
- If you are accessing the internet via Wi-Fi, check to ensure there is an established connection between the watch and the Wi-Fi network.
- If the Wi-Fi network is active but Siri will still not work, restart your Wi-Fi network.
4. Restart the Apple Watch and iPhone
Let me say this:
Your Apple Watch and iPhone are incredible gadgets. In theory, they should work optimally all the time. But in reality, they’re subject to system glitches that hinder better performance at time.
So if you notice that Siri is not working on your Apple Watch, it could be that your setup has developed a system glitch.
Fortunately, this is one of the simplest issues to fix, as all you have to do is to restart your Apple Watch, as well as your iPhone.
To restart the watch:
- Press and hold the side button and the Digital Crown until you see the power off slider.
- Drag the slider to the right.
- Hold down the side button until the Apple logo appears on the screen.
Restart your iPhone, too, as you wait for your Apple Watch to complete the restart process.
To do this:
- Press and hold down the side button and one of the volume button until you see the power-off slider.
- Drag the slider and wait a few seconds for your iPhone to turn off.
- Then, press and hold down the side button until the Apple logo appears on the screen.
5. Adjust Siri’s Volume on Apple Watch
Here’s the deal:
Siri may be working fine on your Apple Watch. Only you can’t hear the virtual assistant’s reply because the volume is low.
Now, this isn’t difficult to fix, as you can easily adjust the volume from your iPhone or the Apple Watch itself.
For the iPhone:
- Launch the Apple Watch app.
- Go to My Watch.
- Tap Siri.
- Swipe up the screen until you see Siri Responses.
- Scroll to Voice Volume and adjust the volume accordingly.
If you wish to use your Apple Watch instead:
- Press the Digital Crown to open the apps screen.
- Choose Settings.
- Select Siri
- Tap Siri Responses.
- Scroll up to Voice Volume – Speaker.
- Tap the volume bar, and then use the Digital Crown to adjust the volume.
6. Unlock Apple Watch Speakers (If Blocked)
If you’ve adjusted Siri’s volume but you still can’t hear the virtual assistant’s responses, it’s likely the speakers are blocked.
Let me explain:
All Apple Watches are water-resistant by design, meaning the watch can bar water from getting into the inner components during swimming workouts.
However, water or dust may still find way to the speaker dent, making it difficult for you to communicate with Siri, even when the microphone is in good condition.
Fortunately, this problem is easy to fix.
- Swipe up on your Apple Watch to open Control Center.
- Select the Water Lock icon.
- Press and hold down the Digital Crown to eject water.
Your Apple Watch will make a sound loud and strong enough to force water out. And Siri should start working fine thereafter.
7. Download and Activate Siri Voice
If Siri is active but responding to you with visuals instead of voice, it means Siri’s voice package isn’t available to your Apple Watch yet.
To download Siri Voice:
- Press the Digital Crown to open the apps screen.
- Select Settings.
- Tap Siri and scroll until you see Siri Voice.
- Choose your preferred language under the Variety section.
- Allow your language to download and install.
Keep in mind that your Apple Watch can only download Siri Voice when connected to the Internet via cellular data or Wi-Fi. And you must have your watch connected to a charger for the process to complete.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why Can’t I Hear Siri Talk on My Apple Watch?
You can’t hear Siri talk on your Apple Watch because Listen to “Hey Siri” is off. It could also be because your watch has lost internet connection.
Check these two issues and fix them just as I’ve recommended, and Siri will start working well for you.
Final Thoughts
The availability of Siri on Apple Watch means you have a private digital assistant that can help you do more and get responses to questions without lifting your finger.
Siri even reminds you to do important things that you would have forgotten otherwise, making it such a robust communication tool.
But while Apple optimizes its watches for better performance, it’s going to fail you at times, and Siri won’t work the way it should.
Should you have the problem of Siri not working on Apple Watch, simply refer to my recommended fixes to get the device working well for you again.
