iOS 18’s vocal shortcuts can give Siri a new name

Reddit customers have found a brand new use for iOS 18’s Vocal Shortcuts, MacRumors studies. Whereas primarily supposed as an accessibility characteristic, Vocal Shortcuts will also be used to provide Siri a brand new identify.

That is proper: Now you can name Siri something from Jarvis to HAL 9000 to — gasp — Alexa.

Here is how:

First, you will should arrange Vocal Shortcuts in your iPhone. Go to the Settings app, then Accessibility, then scroll till you discover Vocal Shortcuts. When you’re there, choose “Set Up Vocal Shortcuts” and decide Siri. Then, enter the brand new identify you are planning on giving Siri.

You may even have to show your iPhone to acknowledge the brand new identify by saying it 3 times. As soon as that is all accomplished, your iPhone will be capable of decide up that phrase and use it as a set off phrase for Siri.

As MacRumors notes, there are some catches to the Siri re-naming course of. First, this course of will not sync to different units, that means units like HomePods will nonetheless must be Siri in the intervening time. Second, you will should pause each time you name on Siri utilizing the brand new identify. As a substitute of claiming, “Hey HAL 9000, what is the climate like?” abruptly like you are able to do for Siri, you will should take a beat after talking the set off phrase to provide Vocal Shortcuts time to activate Siri. So whereas the cool factors of giving Siri a unique identify are excessive, the decrease comfort of it could be sufficient to show customers off.

Don’t fret although: You possibly can at all times rely on a dependable “Hey Siri” to wake Siri up, even for those who’ve given it a brand new identify.