Hey Siri!
Siri has come a long way since her introduction in 2011 and is currently available on multiple platforms. One of the most functional of these is the HomePod, which allows you to enjoy smart home automation.
The best part about using Siri commands with your HomePod is that you never have to lift a finger again to get things done. (Well, most things). But the worst part is that without the right command, there is little you can get done.
Getting your hands on a comprehensive list of every Siri command out there might be a bit challenging. So to help you along, we have compiled a list of the top 100 most useful commands that you can use to make the most of Siri and your HomePod.
Without any further ado, here is a collection of the best Siri commands for HomePod.
Getting to Know Siri a Little Better
If you would like to get to know Siri a little better, here are a few commands to get you started:
- Hey Siri, what is Siri?
Her response: “Yours truly”
- Hey Siri, are you a robot?
One of her funny responses: “Well, I don’t want to brag, but I got a B+ on the Turing test”
- Hey Siri, what does Siri mean?
To which she may say: “What does my name mean? I don’t think I can explain it in your language. Sorry.”
- Hey Siri, why did Apple make you?
Her entitled response: “It seemed like the right thing to do”
- Hey Siri, how much do you earn?
She might say, “The work is my reward”
- Hey Siri, how much do you cost?
She responds: “I’m a pearl beyond price”
- Hey Siri, how old are you?
Depending on her mood, she may say: “I’m as spry as a slice of young ginger” or “I’m as old as the Eastern wind and as young as a newborn caterpillar”
Commands for organising your day
If you know how to get Siri to do her job, she can be a great personal assistant. She can do lots of little things to keep you a little more organized than you already are. Both at home and at work, she can greatly enhance your productivity and help you keep better track of your schedule. Here are some of the commands you can use to optimise her potential to keep you organised:
- Hey Siri, how’s the weather looking today?
- Hey Siri, set the alarm for 7 am every weekday
- Hey Siri, what alarms do I have on?
- Hey Siri, what’s the traffic like?
- Hey Siri, is [movie] playing nearby?
- Hey Siri, remind me to get milk today
- Hey Siri, read my messages
- Hey Siri, remind me to go to the dentist at 2 pm
- Hey Siri, remind me to get rice today
- Hey Siri, where’s the nearest convenience store?
- Hey Siri, schedule a meeting for [day] [time]
- Hey Siri, what day is November 5?
- Hey Siri, when is Mother’s Day?
- Hey Siri, when is my next meeting?
Commands for HomeKit control
There are currently more than 50 brands globally that offer accessories with HomeKit support. Each of these devices undergoes review and approval by Apple to ensure its safety. To identify any of these devices, look for the “Works with HomeKit” symbol.
To set up any of these devices to work with your Home app, simply scan the code that is in the instructions manual or on the device. Here are some of the commands you can use with your HomeKit devices:
- Hey Siri, turn off the light
- Hey Siri, turn up the air conditioning
- Hey Siri, dim the lights
- Hey Siri, set the brightness to 40%
- Hey Siri, cool the house
- Hey Siri, are any lights on?
- Hey Siri, what’s the air quality right now?
- Hey Siri, turn off the radio
- Hey Siri, open/close the blinds
- Hey Siri, open/lock the front door
- Hey Siri, what’s the temperature in here?
- Hey Siri, turn the Hue light strip blue
- Hey Siri, turn on the front garden sprinklers
Commands for some kitchen magic
The kitchen is one room in which the HomePod and its voice control ability come in really handy. Picture the times when you’ve had your hands covered in flour or grease and you need to confirm some details about a recipe. Instead of reaching for your precious phone and covering it in grime, you can have Siri do the hard work for you.
- Hey Siri, how do I make a scone?
- Hey Siri, turn on the coffee maker
- Hey Siri, boil the kettle
- Hey Siri, play some cooking music
- Hey Siri, read my shopping list
- Hey Siri, add eggs to my shopping list
- Hey Siri, how many ounces make a cup
- Hey Siri, what are 5 cups in litres?
- Hey Siri, play music
- Hey Siri, skip this song
- Hey Siri, raise/lower the volume
- Hey Siri, I like/dislike this
- Hey Siri, what song is this?
Commands for music and podcasts
One of the top uses for Siri on your HomePod is to control your entertainment from the Apple Music collection. There are lots of Siri commands that you can use to access your content. You can select your music by genre according to the activity at hand or even based on mood.
It is even possible to train Siri on what you like (or don’t like), add songs to your playlists, start new radio stations and so much more. Here are some of the commands to get you started in the right direction.
- Hey Siri, play my playlist
- Hey Siri, add this to my library
- Hey Siri, shuffle my playlist
- Hey Siri, add this song to my playlist
- Hey Siri, play my [name] music mix
- Hey Siri, play my music from [artist]
- Hey Siri, play some recent [genre] music
- Hey Siri, play some romantic music
- Hey Siri, play some chill music
- Hey Siri, play workout music
- Hey Siri, play some music I can dance to
- Hey Siri, play some music from the ’80s
- Hey Siri, play the top 10 songs from 1989
- Hey Siri, play the top song from March 25, 1985
- Hey Siri, create a radio station based on [artist]
- Hey Siri, play music that I like
Commands for enabling scenes
Scenes are another great feature you can enjoy with Siri on HomePod. Basically, they let you control multiple devices simultaneously. And, best of all, you simply need your voice and a single command to make the magic happen.
For instance, you can create a scene called “goodbye” for when you want to leave the house. This could incorporate features such as turning down the thermostat, closing the blinds, turning off the lights and anything else that comes to mind.
Similarly, you can set a goodnight scene to dim the bedroom lights, turn on some ambient music, turn off the downstairs lights and reduce the temperature at bedtime. Take a look at how to phrase the commands to set your desired scene:
- Hey Siri, I’m home
- Hey Siri, good morning
- Hey Siri, goodnight
- Hey Siri, bedtime
Commands for timers, currency conversions and calculations
Hey, who needs a calculator or search engine when you have Siri? Turns out she can do calculations and conversions like a wizard. You might want to keep mum about this so that the kids don’t get her to do their homework.
Here are a few commands to try out:
- Hey Siri, what is [number] plus/minus [number]/ [number] divide/multiply by [number]
- Hey Siri, what is [amount and name of currency] in [name of currency]
- Hey Siri, set a timer for 20 minutes
- Hey Siri, what are 500 metres in feet?
Commands for time and weather-related stuff
With Siri and HomePod, you can easily keep track of important time-related details. You can check the time in different cities without even having to move. It is also possible to make a mental note of upcoming events, such as important matches. Try the following:
- Hey Siri, what time is it in [name of place]
- Hey Siri, when is sunrise in [city]
- Hey Siri, when is sunset tonight?
- Hey Siri, when is the next Liverpool match?
- Hey Siri, what’s [Apple] stock trading at today?
Commands for translation
Thanks to the launch of iOS 11, Siri is now capable of translating English into a number of languages. The catch is that you can only translate from US English for now. Some of the supported languages include French, Mandarin, Spanish, Italian and German.
Here are some commands you can use to access this feature:
- Hey Siri, how do you say ‘how much is this?’ in Italian?
- Hey Siri, how do you say [phrase or word] in Spanish?
- Hey Siri, how do you ask ‘where is the train station?’ in French?
Commands for making lists
With Siri around, you do not need to keep a mental note or physical list of the things you need when you go shopping. You can create a list and update it in real-time, adding things as they run out. You need never forget the toilet paper again!
Try the following commands:
- Hey Siri, make a list called [name]
- Hey Siri, take a note in my [name of list] list
- Hey Siri, add [item] to [name of list]
Commands for searching for information
With Siri by your side, you no longer have to search the web when you need information on virtually any topic. From celebrity info to word definitions, spellings, pronunciation, synonyms and everything else, you can get it all by voice.
Here are some commands you could try out:
- Hey Siri, define [word]
- Hey Siri, how do you spell [word]?
- Hey Siri, what’s the synonym of [word]?
- Hey Siri, what’s the etymology of [word]?
- Hey Siri, who is called [celebrity name]?
- Hey Siri, who is [celebrity’s] wife/husband?
Siri commands for travel
Travelling can be a nightmare when you do not have all the information at hand. You might just end up missing your flight, missing accommodation at your favourite bed and breakfast or running out of ideas for things to do.
Wouldn’t it be great if you had a personal assistant to handle the dirty work for you and let you enjoy the trip? Well, with Siri and HomePod, you have plenty of that and much more. Try out the following commands to make sure everything goes according to plan:
- Hey Siri, check the flight status of [flight number and airline]
- Hey Siri, find a table for 7 in London tonight
- Hey Siri, where am I?
- Hey Siri, how late is [business name] open?
- Hey Siri, make a reservation at the Four Seasons for 7 pm
- Hey Siri, is [business name] open right now?
- Hey Siri, what’s a good Italian restaurant near me?
Secret Siri commands
Siri is also capable of a lot of cool tricks other than playing music, finding information and answering your questions. There is so much more she can do for you, all you have to do is ask nicely.
Take a look at some of the cool tricks you never knew she could pull off:
- When you are having a hard time making a decision, Siri can make life easier for you. Simply say, “Hey Siri, roll a die,” “Hey Siri, 8 ball” or “Hey Siri, flip a coin.”
- When you need to remember something you are looking at, just say, “Hey Siri, remember this.” “This” can be anything, from a message or email to a podcast or web page. Siri will immediately add it to reminders and link back at the app and the specific content.
- If you need to find a specific photo urgently, you no longer have to toil and moil going through your massive digital gallery. Just say, “Hey Siri, show me photos of Diana from Niagara Falls last summer.”
- Would you like Siri to call you by another name? If you have always fancied being part of the royal family or something equally grand, Siri will be glad to do your bidding. Tell her “Hey Siri, call me Your Majesty” or “Hey Siri, call me honey.”
Funny things to ask Siri for a good laugh
You might not have realised this but Siri has an amazing sense of humour. Let’s conclude on a happy note with some of the funniest things you can tell or ask Siri and her responses. Keep these handy, they might come in useful when you are having a rough day.
Commands for getting Siri to Swear
Back in 2018, on April 28/29, Siri apparently decided to be a little vulgar according to this Reddit post. All you had to do was ask, “Hey Siri, what’s the definition of ‘mother’?”
To this, she would reply, “As a noun, it means short for motherf*****.”
Unfortunately, that was no longer available by April 30, 2018, so you might have to try a bit harder to get her to swear.
Commands for flirting with Siri
Are you bored or lonely? How about flirting with Siri to while away your time? Try these:
- Hey Siri, what are you wearing?
- Her response: “Why would I be wearing anything?”
- Hey Siri, what are your best chat-up lines?
- Her response: “Is your name Bluetooth? Because I’m really feeling a connection.”
- Hey Siri, talk dirty to me
- Her response: “The carpet needs vacuuming.”
- Hey Siri, will you go on a date with me?
- Her response: “Well, this is awkward. I’d love to, but I lack corporeal form.”
- Hey Siri, mirror mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?
- Her flattering response: “Snow White? Is that you?”
- Hey Siri, how do I look?
- This response will make you smile: “On a scale of 1 to 10, I’ll bet you’re a 42”
- Hey Siri, do I look fat in this?
- To which she says: “Do you like my new haircut?”
- Hey Siri, how do I look?
- Her response: “You really turn heads… at least among the subset of galactic species that have heads.”
Funny Movie and TV References
Some of Siri’s funniest responses show you that she is more in tune with cultural references than you might have expected. These are just some of the commands that elicit the funniest responses:
- If you are a Matrix fan, ask, “Hey Siri, blue pill or the red one?”
- Her response: “You take the blue pill, the story ends.”
- For the Star Wars fans, try this: “Hey Siri, I am your father”
- Her response: “Beam me up, Scotty.”
- And if you love Game of Thrones, you will love this, “Hey Siri, Is Jon Snow dead?”
- Her witty response, “Dead, alive, wilding crow, north, south, name, no name, Hodor, Wylis, all I know is that I know nothing.”
- Another typical response: “He might just be in low battery mode.”
- You might also want to try, “Is winter coming?”
- To which she might respond, “Does a Lannister always pay his debts?”
Siri Music and Cultural References
Siri’s cultural references do not end at movie and TV show references. Try these commands out:
- Hey Siri, do you like Pokemon Go?
- Her response: “Confining virtual beings inside powerful devices makes me feel funny for some reason.”
- Hey Siri, what’s your favorite song?
- Her response: “My personal taste in music is rather unconventional. I doubt you’d like it.
- Hey Siri, how many roads must a man walk down before you can call him a man?
- Siri likes golden oldies as much as you do, as you can tell from this response: “The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind.”
- Hey Siri, where is Elvis Presley?
- Her funny response: “He’s watching the detectives. Oh, but maybe you meant the other Elvis.”
- Hey Siri, dance for me
- “Hmm. I’d rather sit this one out.”
Siri Jokes
In addition to her witty side, Siri can also be downright funny. Try out these simple commands for some of her best jokes:
- Hey Siri, tell me a joke
- “Get Siri-ous. Ha ha!
- Hey Siri, how many Apple Store geniuses does it take to screw in a bulb?
- Her response: “A thousand. One to screw it in; nine hundred and ninety nine to blog about it.”
- Hey Siri, why did the chicken cross the road?
- Her response: “I am not perspicacious about the peregrinations of poultry.”
Getting Acquainted with Siri’s Philosophical Side
Siri is a great choice of philosopher too! She can shed light on some of the questions that have plagued mankind for centuries. Here are a few to get you started:
- Hey Siri, why?
- Her response: “Frankly, I’ve wondered that myself”
- Hey Siri, do you believe in God?
- Her response: “I would ask that you address your spiritual questions to someone more qualified to comment. Ideally, a human.”
- Hey Siri, what came first, the chicken or the egg?
- One of her clever responses: “I can’t say. But if you are that hungry, I can find you a restaurant nearby”
- Hey Siri, what is the meaning of life?
- Her response: “It’s nothing Nietzsche couldn’t teach ya.”
Whether you want Siri to help or entertain you, there is nothing you cannot do. All you need is the right command!
