Siri’s hiding way more talent than most people realize. Sure, it can call your mom and check tomorrow’s weather, but it can also roll a 20‑sided die, pronounce your name flawlessly, and search Twitter while you’re elbow‑deep in pasta sauce. Here’s a tour of Siri’s most underrated superpowers.
Refer to People by Their Relationship to You
Most folks know Siri can make calls, but saying someone’s full name, especially when you always say “Mom” or “Dad, can feel weird. Good news: Siri lets you assign relationships to your contacts. Once set, you can simply say “Call my sister” or “Call my boyfriend,” and Siri will dial the right person.
If Siri doesn’t know who “Dad” or “Boyfriend” is, that’s normal. Just say, “Hey Siri, Phillip Bridges is my father,” and it’ll update your contact card. After that, “Call my dad” works perfectly.
Make sure you have a personal contact card labeled My Card at the top of the Contacts app. If not, create one and assign it under Settings → Siri & Search → My Information.
Figure Out the Tip (and Other Math Problems)
Thanks to Wolfram Alpha, Siri can crunch numbers instantly. Need a tip? Say, “What is 19 percent of 87 dollars?” and Siri will spit out the answer. It can also handle currency conversions, square roots, exponential functions, and even basic geometry.
If you can phrase the math, Siri can solve it.
Find a Restaurant and Make a Reservation
Craving Italian? Thai? Something spicy? Just ask Siri to find restaurants near you. Say, “Hey Siri, find Italian restaurants near me,” and browse away.
Once you pick a spot, say, “Hey Siri, book a table.” Siri will check for reservation options and can even call the restaurant for you. Prefer zero talking? Connect the OpenTable app and let Siri book silently in the background.
Check Movie Showtimes and Play Trailers
Planning a movie night is easy. Ask, “What movies are showing now?” and Siri will list local showtimes. Still deciding? Say, “Play the trailer for [movie name],” and Siri will pull it up instantly which is perfect for quick previews.
Keep Your Commands Private
Talking to Siri in public doesn’t have to be awkward. You can control how loudly (or quietly) Siri responds. Go to:
Settings → Siri & Search → Siri Responses
Choose from:
- Prefer Silent Responses
- Always Speak Responses
- When Silent Mode Is Off
- Only with “Hey Siri”
Pick the vibe that fits your comfort level.
Search Specific Web Pages
Skip the typing and let Siri fetch answers for you. Say, “Search the web for [topic],” or get specific:
- “Search Pinterest for fall outfit ideas”
- “Search YouTube for yoga tutorials”
Siri will take you straight to results from that site.
Teach Siri to Pronounce Your Name
If Siri keeps butchering your name, fix it with: “Hey Siri, learn how to say my name.”
Siri will ask you to pronounce it, then offer options based on what it heard. Pick the best one, and Siri will remember it. Want a nickname instead? Say, “Call me [nickname],” and Siri updates your card.
Roll a Die With Any Number of Sides
Playing a tabletop game or making a quick decision? Siri can roll dice of any size.
“Roll a 6‑sided die.”
“Roll a 20‑sided die.”
Instant randomness at your command.
Find a Song From the Lyrics
If you only remember a line from a song, Siri can still help. Say, “What song has the lyrics ‘walking down the boulevard’?” and Siri will search Apple Music or the web to find a match.
Search for Tweets
Hands messy but curious what’s trending? Siri can search Twitter for you.
“Search Twitter for #CozyFallLooks.”
Tap the results when your hands are clean and scroll away.
