If you’ve updated to iOS 27, you’ll see the new Siri icon appear on your iPhone’s Home Screen. This app is also available on the Mac with macOS 27, Vision Pro with visionOS 27, iPad with iPadOS 27, and Apple Watch with watchOS 27.

The Siri app in iOS 27 syncs with iCloud, so you can continue conversations across all of your Apple devices. It features a chat-style interface with a stream of your previous conversations. You can also upload photos and files to the Siri app for analysis.

The Siri app ties into the new Siri AI and Apple Intelligence capabilities introduced in iOS 27. This includes access to broad world knowledge, personal context of everything on your iPhone, and much more.

Siri app compatibility in iOS 27

Before you can start using the Siri app, first make sure that the app is available on your iPhone. The Siri app is not available to all iPhone models. It is available on devices that support Apple Intelligence, which covers the iPhone 15 Pro and newer:

• iPhone 15 Pro
• iPhone 15 Pro Max
• iPhone 16
• iPhone 16 Plus
• iPhone 16 Pro
• iPhone 16 Pro Max
• iPhone 16e
• iPhone 17
• iPhone 17 Pro
• iPhone 17 Pro Max
• iPhone Air
• iPhone 17e

Once you make sure that your device is in that list, follow the steps below to learn how to use the Siri app.

How to use the Siri app in iOS 27

Here’s how to use this new app on your iPhone. Note that while I’m using an iPhone to demo the steps, everything mentioned here is also available on iPad and Mac.

Start a conversation in Siri app

When you want to revisit a past conversation or start a new one, just fire up the Siri app. You can also use the app to type to Siri instead of speaking.

1. Launch the Siri app.
2. If you’re already in a conversation when you open the Siri app, tap the back button in the upper left corner. If not, move on to step 3.
3. On the main page of the Siri app, you can tap the new conversation icon (it looks like a sheet of paper with a pencil) to start a new conversation with Siri AI.

Change the conversation view style

You can choose to see all your past Siri conversations in list or grid view. I prefer the list view as it shows me more on one screen.

1. Launch the Siri app, and you should see your conversations. If not, tap the back button in the upper left corner.
2. Tap the menu icon in the upper right (it looks like three horizontal lines).
3. List view is the default option. You can also switch to Grid view.
4. In Grid view, you can tap the icon again to switch back to List view.

Rename conversation title

When you use Siri or ask a question in the new Siri app, the service automatically assigns a relevant name to your conversation. While this name is usually correct, you do have the option to change it to something you think is better.

1. Launch the Siri app and go to your conversations.
2. Touch and hold a conversation, select Rename, and give it a new title.

Pin conversations to the top

Just like in Messages, Apple has made it easier to keep track of conversation threads in Siri app by allowing users to pin threads in the app so that you can reference important conversations easily.

Pinned conversations live at the top of the main chats list. Unlike the Messages app where you can only pin 9 chats, you can have unlimited pinned threads in the Siri app. I pinned more than 10 conversations, and it continued working.

1. Launch the Siri app and go to the all conversations screen.
2. Long-press on a chat and select Pin to stick it to the top of the list.

Delete your past conversations with Siri

If you want to delete your conversations with Siri AI, follow these steps:

1. Launch the Siri app and go to the conversations screen.
2. Tap Select.
3. Tap the circle next to a conversation to select it.
4. Tap the delete icon (it resembles a trashcan) to delete the conversation. Note: The Siri app does not ask for confirmation when deleting the conversations and there is no recently deleted folder, so be absolutely certain you want to delete the conversation before tapping the delete icon.

In addition to deleting Siri conversation using the Select button on the Siri conversations screen, you can also select multiple conversations and delete them. To do this, you need to use the two-finger gesture, which also works in Messages, Mail, and other iOS apps.

1. Launch the Siri app and go to the conversations screen.
2. Tap the menu icon and make sure you’re in List style view.
3. Drag with two fingers to select multiple conversations in a smooth manner.
4. Tap the trash icon to delete selected Siri chats.

Set Siri app to open to a new conversation

You can have the Siri app open to a new conversation screen (like how ChatGPT, Grok, and Claude open). Or, you can have it show all your past conversations, and then tap the new chat button from there.

I rarely need to go back to my past Siri chats, so I have set it to launch with a new conversation by default so I can start asking my new query right away.

1. Open Settings on iPhone or iPad, or System Settings on Mac.
2. Select Siri.
3. Tap Opens To and select ‘A New Conversation’ or ‘Recent Conversations.’

Auto delete conversations

Just like you can set all old messages to auto-delete, the new Siri app also lets you keep your experience clean and devoid of past baggage.

1. Open Settings on iPhone or iPad, or System Settings on Mac.
2. Select Siri.
3. Tap Keep Conversations.
4. Select 30 Days or 1 Year instead of Forever. Remember that this feature applies retroactively, meaning if you select 30 Days, all current chats that are older than this will be permanently deleted now.

Adjust the preview limit for conversations

Similar to the Mail app that allows you to see how many lines of email you want to see on the main Inbox screen, you can set the Siri app to display 1 to 5 lines or none at all.

If you select None, the Conversations screen will only show the chat titles. But selecting a number between 1 and 5 displays that many lines of the answer.

1. Open Settings on iPhone or iPad, or System Settings on Mac.
2. Select Siri.
3. Select Preview and pick None, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5.
4. Now, go to the Siri app Conversations screen to see the changes.

Open a chat in a separate window

Unlike iPhone, you can touch and hold or Control-click a conversation on iPad and open it in its own separate window.

Problems you may encounter when using the Siri app

After using the Siri app for a couple of weeks, I’ve found that its performance is subpar: I’ve noticed frequent stutters when scrolling threads, delays when typing (letters wouldn’t appear on-screen and autocorrect wouldn’t work), and broken ‘Sources’ popups displaying no actual sources for a query.

The app lets you rename and pin threads, which is nice, but it doesn’t offer basic controls such as the ability to select text in a Siri response or create folders for chats. Although there’s an option to sort conversations in grid view, I had to disable it immediately because I couldn’t quickly parse my threads and find what I was looking for.

Wrap up

Apple has added several new iPhone apps by default, including Image Playground as part of iOS 18.2 in December 2024. Last year’s iOS 26 update added the new Preview and Games apps for iPhone users.

The new Siri app is a huge addition for people who just don’t want to talk to their phone all the time. Now you can interact with Siri just like you would with any other popular AI chatbot.

That’s how to use the new Siri app on iPhone! How do you use the new Siri app in iOS 27? Are you finding it useful? Let us know down in the comments.

The post How to use the new Siri AI app in iOS 27  appeared first on nerdsmodo.

The Case for Installing iOS 27 public beta

The public beta is a steadier build than the developer betas. Those go to developers, who need to skirt the edges of stability to test their products.

Steadier is not the same as solid. Apple is still adding features and changing them in the iOS 27 betas, and the release of iOS 27 is anticipated for September or October.

If you decide to go ahead, my recommendation is a second iPhone rather than the one you rely on. Compatibility goes back as far as the iPhone 11, so an older model you stopped using can be pressed into service for this. And back up your data first, as always.

Is iOS 27 stable?

Apple sets out its own caution about pre-release software on the Apple Beta Software Program page. Here is what it says:

The Apple Beta Software Program lets users try out pre-release software. The feedback you provide on quality and usability helps us identify issues, fix them, and make Apple software even better. Please note that since the beta software has not yet been commercially released by Apple, it may contain errors or inaccuracies and may not function as well as commercially released software. Be sure to back up your iPhone or iPad and your Mac using Time Machine before installing beta software.

Expect Bugs

Bugs at this stage are the point. Software in development is expected to have them, and this is the window when they need to surface, so developers can catch them and Apple can fix them before the final release.

With more testers involved, odd interactions turn up across a much larger range of iPhones and third-party apps.

Third-party app compatibility is the one thing I always call out with every iOS public beta update. Checking somewhere like Reddit is a good way to find out whether other people have already run your must-have apps on the iOS 27 beta.

NerdsModo’s Take

In my testing, this is the most stable iOS beta in a very long time. Stability and platform improvements are one of the tentpoles of the update, and that is apparent even in iOS 27’s current beta form.

Things feel faster and more reliable. There are a ton of quality-of-life improvements to be had as well.

I think iOS 27 is stable enough as it stands, and I would recommend it to most iPhone users. There is also a real reason to want to try it this year: the new Siri is really good.

For all of that, it is still a beta, so you should expect bugs and glitches, and features might change between now and the release to everyone this fall.

Are you installing the iOS 27 public beta? Tell us in the comments which features you are most excited to try.

See also: How to Install the iOS 27 Public Beta on Your iPhone

The post Should You Install the iOS 27 Public Beta? What to Know First appeared first on nerdsmodo.

Siri AI is in beta and reaches the public this fall.

What is Siri AI?

Siri AI is Apple’s next-generation personal assistant powered by Apple Intelligence. It can reach into your personal data in apps like Mail, Messages, and Photos. Apple says Siri has understanding and reasoning that wasn’t available before, and four main improvements underpin the change in how it works.

Those different functions work together, and the result is an assistant that does far more than the old one. You can hold a full back-and-forth conversation with Siri, and a single request can carry several tasks.

Personal Context Understanding

Apple overhauled its search index, and Siri has access to emails, text messages, files, photos, notes, and more. Access is only part of it. Siri can find content from across your apps, and it understands that content too.

Ask it to surface photos, pull information out of an email or a text, or track down a file, and the Apple Intelligence semantic index does the work behind the scenes.

Requests along these lines work:

• What was that movie my brother told me to watch last week?
• Can you get me the directions to that place I was supposed to meet Eric tomorrow?
• What video games did John recommend to me last year?
• Find images with pancakes from 2024
• What was the name of that restaurant I ate at in February?
• What’s the confirmation number for my upcoming flight?
• What do I need to do tomorrow?
• Show me my photos from the music festival last weekend
• What’s the door code Sarah texted me?
• Find the lease my landlord emailed me last month
• Who did I have lunch with two Tuesdays ago?

Broad World Knowledge

Apple can search the web for up-to-date information and answer questions about anything, much like other chatbots. Siri also analyzes documents and pulls in web context for a question, comes up with recipes, handles party prep, helps with homework, gives gardening tips, works through DIY projects, and much more.

Questions it can field:

• When is the Suki Waterhouse show in SF?
• How can I get tickets?
• I’m planning a birthday party, can you find me some good cake recipes?
• What’s the difference between pine warblers and goldfinches?
• What’s the Hurricanes score?
• What are the hours for the closest Ace Hardware?
• What’s a good substitute for buttermilk?
• What’s a 15% tip on $84?
• Help me plan a 5-day trip to Lisbon

Onscreen Awareness

Siri knows what’s on your screen and can answer questions about it. Siri can tell what you’re looking at, and it reads text and analyzes images. If a photo has something recognizable in it, Siri can tell you where the shot was taken, and you can ask about whatever app you happen to be in without spelling out the specifics.

What that looks like in use:

• Where was this photo taken?
• Summarize this
• Can you give me directions here?
• What are the best native plant options for a shady spot near my house?
• Does this document look correct?
• What is this?
• Translate this menu
• Explain what this chart is showing

App Actions

App Actions let Siri use tools inside apps to complete a request. Siri can operate some apps on your behalf, both Apple’s own apps and third-party apps that have implemented App Actions support.

Examples:

• Write a quick response to this email
• Send all the photos from today to Eric
• Add a 3pm Tuesday meeting with the neighbor to my calendar
• Add these photos to the cat album
• Get me directions to the post office, but add a stop at the coffee shop first
• Move my 2pm meeting to Thursday

Siri Interface

On the iPhone, a new Search and Ask Siri interface replaces the former Spotlight search option, and it’s available from the Dynamic Island. A swipe down from the middle of the iPhone’s display brings up Search or Ask, where you can type or speak a question or request to Siri.

An animation plays while Siri thinks. The Siri bubble then expands into a short response, and swiping down on that response opens a text bar for a clarification or another question. A " " button adds images or documents to the conversation.

Some responses arrive as rich information cards pulled from apps. Ask about the weather and you get the current weather forecast. Ask about upcoming calendar events and they show up in the Calendar app format.

The side button also summons Siri, as do the "Siri" and "Hey Siri" wake phrases.

Systemwide Context

Siri works in any app. Select text or images, then ask Siri about the selection. Long press an image in Safari to select it, and then ask Siri whatever you want to know about it.

Siri App

A dedicated Siri app handles conversations. You can start a new one there or go back to something you asked earlier.

The interface is card-style, and it shows details from your most recent conversations across all of your devices, with a search button for finding conversations and a pin option for conversations you revisit often.

Write with Siri

In iOS 27, a systemwide Write with Siri feature works anywhere you type. Siri drafts documents from scratch, and in Mail and Messages it can use the same writing style that you normally use.

Feedback is part of it too. Select your text, ask Siri how it sounds, and it tells you. As you type in apps, automatic proofreading catches misspellings and grammar, and Siri edits on request once you describe the change you want, such as a more professional tone.

Requests you can make:

• Make this email sound more formal
• Turn these bullet points into a paragraph
• Shorten this to three sentences
• Draft a thank you note for a gift
• Rewrite this to be friendlier
• What do you think of this presentation?
• How can I improve this email?

Apple Foundation Models

The Apple Foundation models behind Siri and the other Apple Intelligence features in iOS 27 came out of Apple’s collaboration with Google. Apple used the technologies behind the Gemini AI models to develop the next generation of Apple Foundation models.

Those models sit inside iOS. A system orchestrator coordinates them and can call on the Spotlight index and the app toolbox. The Spotlight index surfaces data from any app that integrates with it, including Mail, Calendar, and Messages, while the app toolbox identifies which app tools might be useful to answer a request.

Siri Voice and Dictation

Apple has a more powerful on-device model for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air, and it makes the Siri voice customizable. Apple says its on-device model can understand and generate speech, plus understand text and images. Expressivity and pace are what you tweak.

The on-device model also improves accuracy for system-wide dictation. Dictation captures more of what you say and makes fewer mistakes with spelling, punctuation, and capitalization, all of it down to better natural language understanding.

Data Privacy

Apple’s Siri features run on-device and on cloud servers using Private Cloud Compute. Apple and third parties cannot access the data.

Private Cloud Compute servers have historically all been Apple servers in Apple data centers, and Apple is expanding Private Cloud Compute to run Apple Intelligence workloads on Google Cloud using NVIDIA hardware.

Siri Across Your Devices

Siri AI is available in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS Golden Gate, visionOS 27, and watchOS 27, so you can start a Siri request on one device and pick it up again on another.

Siri conversations sync across devices, and the Siri app is available on most of Apple’s software platforms. CarPlay and AirPods get the Siri AI features too.

Supported Devices

Siri AI requires a device that supports Apple Intelligence. Here is the full hardware list.

iPhone

• iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max
• iPhone Air
• iPhone 17
• iPhone 17e
• iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max
• iPhone 16 and 16 Plus
• iPhone 16e
• iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max

iPad

• iPad Pro (M1 chip and later)
• iPad Air (M1 chip and later)
• iPad mini (A17 Pro)

Mac

• All models with Apple silicon (M1 chip and later, and A18 Pro chip)

Apple Watch (when paired with AI-supported iPhone)

• Apple Watch Series 9 and later
• Apple Watch Ultra 2 and later
• Apple Watch SE 3

Apple Vision Pro

• All models

All of the products above will support Siri AI when it launches. Certain aspects of the Siri experience will be even better on select hardware. Fully customizing the pace and expressivity of Siri AI’s voice, for example, is only available on select hardware:

iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air, iPad models with M4 and later and at least 12GB of unified memory, Mac models with M3 and later and at least 12GB of unified memory, and Apple Vision Pro (M5)

Apple’s most powerful on-device AI model is restricted to a similar list of newer products.

Siri AI will not be available in the European Union at launch on iPhone or iPad, though it will be available on the Mac, and it will not be available in China.

Languages

Siri AI works in English (Australia, Canada, Ireland, India, New Zealand, South Africa, UK, U.S.), and support will expand to more languages in the future.

The post What Is Siri AI? Everything Apple Changed About Siri in iOS 27 appeared first on nerdsmodo.