Siri is Apple's voice assistant, which is integrated deeply into almost all Apple devices, including the Mac, allowing you to search for files, change system settings, and more using your voice.

If you're used to using Siri on your iPhone or iPad, you may also want to enable and use Siri on your Mac. We've covered using Siri on your Mac, so continue reading below.

What Is Siri?

Siri is Apple's digital voice assistant, most commonly used on iPhones and iPads. Apple brought Siri to the Macs in 2016, and it has been very popular since. You can use Siri to check the weather, search for files, change system settings, and more.

You may be asked to enable Siri the first time you set up your Mac or update to a new macOS version. However, if you haven't enabled it yet, you can do so from System Settings in macOS.

How to Enable Siri on Your Mac

Siri is available in macOS Sierra and later versions. So, if you haven't yet updated your computer to macOS 10.12 or higher, you'll need to update it to activate and use Siri on your Mac.

To enable Siri in macOS, follow the steps below:

  1. Open up System Settings on your Mac, and select Siri & Spotlight from the left-hand menu.
  2. To activate Siri, enable Ask Siri.
    Enable Siri on Mac
  3. You will need to enable Ask Siri to use your voice with Siri. Once you do this, you may be asked to say a few phrases to allow Siri to recognize your voice.

That's it. You've successfully set up Siri on your Mac. You can also customize your language and change Siri's voice (accent) from the same page.

How to Activate Siri on Your Mac

Once you have enabled Siri on your Mac, there are multiple ways to activate it. The most popular method to activate Siri is by using your voice and saying, "Hey Siri." However, you can also use the Siri button from your Mac's menu bar or a keyboard.

If you have a Mac with a Touch Bar, you may also be able to use the Siri button on the Touch Bar. You can also choose to use Type to Siri instead of speaking out loud if you wish to do so. We've covered these methods separately below:

1. Saying "Hey Siri"

Hey Siri Setup Phrases

The most popular way to activate use Siri is by using the "Hey Siri" command. This needs to be enabled from Siri & Spotlight in System Settings. Enabling "Hey Siri" allows your Mac to listen out for your voice and activate Siri whenever you say the command.

When you set this option up, Siri will ask you to say a few phrases so that it can recognize your voice. Once you've set it up, whenever you say "Hey Siri," you'll see the Siri window pop up in the top-right corner, allowing you to use your personal voice assistant.

2. From the Menu Bar

Siri Button in Menu Bar on Mac

If you'd prefer not to allow your Mac to continuously listen out for the "Hey Siri" phrase on your Mac, you can also activate it by clicking the Siri button in the macOS menu bar at the top-right corner.

It's located right next to the date if you're struggling to find it. Clicking the Siri button enables Siri (visible in the top-right corner of your Mac).

3. Using a Keyboard Shortcut

Another method to activate Siri is through a keyboard shortcut that you can set up from the Siri section in System Settings. Simply select one of the preset keyboard shortcuts or customize your own from the Keyboard Shortcut menu. This will allow you to activate Siri directly from your keyboard on your Mac.

4. Activate Siri With the Touch Bar

If you have a MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar, you may notice the Siri button on the right side of the touch bar. This can also be used to quickly activate Siri instead of the Siri button in the menu bar.

5. Type to Siri

Type to Siri on Mac

If you'd prefer to "Type to Siri" instead of using your voice to activate Siri through voice commands, you can do so by activating this in the Accessibility section.

To do this, open up System Settings > Accessibility and scroll down to Siri. Here, if you enable Type to Siri, you can type your Siri commands instead of speaking them out loud; this is handy when you're in public and don't want to seem awkward talking to Siri.

What to Use Siri For?

Siri is a multi-functional voice assistant you can use to do many different tasks on your Mac. For example, if you want to find a file or folder on your Mac, you can just ask Siri to search for it. Sure, you can do the same from Spotlight, but asking Siri to search for it is also equally convenient.

If you choose to use Siri for file searches, you can enable specific folders where you want Siri to be able to search for files in System Settings > Siri. Here, you can select the specific categories you want to see in Siri's search results.

For example, you can ask Siri to "search for documents created last week," and Siri will show you the relevant results. You can also use Siri to do other things, such as tell you the weather for the next day, read your emails, search Google, and so much more.

Another handy feature is Siri's Drag and Drop function. For example, you can ask Siri to search for a particular image or file and then drag this to your email to send as an attachment. This saves time in finding and attaching the specific file through Finder.

Using Siri in Your Daily Life

Once you have Siri up and running, you may want to integrate it into your daily routine. For example, setting reminders or alarms can be easier to do through Siri than opening a separate app to do so.

Most users find it helpful to activate Siri through the "Hey Siri" voice command; however, you can also activate it through the menu bar, Touch Bar, or a keyboard shortcut on your Mac.