Siri Announce Notifications on AirPods iOS 16

In iOS 16, Apple provides granular control over how Siri reads incoming alerts through AirPods, preventing users from being overwhelmed by constant audio interruptions. By configuring the Announce Notifications feature, you can selectively filter alerts on an app-by-app basis, prioritize time-sensitive messages, and integrate announcements with iOS 16 Focus modes. This guide explains how to set up and fine-tune these selective announcement settings.

Enabling Announce Notifications

To start filtering notifications, the main feature must first be active on your iPhone:

  1. Open Settings on your iPhone running iOS 16.
  2. Tap Siri & Search (or navigate to Notifications).
  3. Select Announce Notifications.
  4. Toggle the switch for Announce Notifications to the ON position.
  5. Under the "Announce When Connected To" section, ensure Headphones is enabled.

Siri will now only announce notifications when your compatible AirPods or Beats headphones are connected and in your ears.

Customizing App-by-App Announcements

Siri allows you to choose exactly which applications are permitted to read notifications aloud, as well as the types of alerts they deliver.

  1. In the Announce Notifications menu, scroll down to the Announce Notifications From list.
  2. Tap any app you wish to customize (such as Messages, Mail, or Reminders).
  3. Toggle Announce Notifications on for that specific app.
  4. Select your preferred delivery style:
    • Time-Sensitive and Direct Messages: Siri will only speak if a message is sent directly to you or flagged by the app as urgent. This eliminates interruptions from group chats, marketing alerts, or general updates.
    • All Notifications: Siri will announce every alert the app generates.

To stop an app from ever interrupting through your AirPods, simply toggle the announcement setting off for that specific app.

Using Focus Modes for Dynamic Filtering

iOS 16 ties Siri announcements directly into Focus modes (such as Work, Personal, or Sleep), allowing your selective settings to change based on context.

  1. Open Settings and tap Focus.
  2. Select a Focus profile.
  3. Tap Options under the notifications section.
  4. Select Silence Notifications or adjust the allowed apps and people.

When a Focus mode is active, Siri adheres to the restrictions of that Focus profile. Notifications from silenced apps or contacts will not be announced through your AirPods, while allowed contacts or Time-Sensitive alerts will still break through.

Replying Without Confirmation

For apps that support two-way communication, such as Messages, Siri allows you to reply immediately using your voice. In the Announce Notifications settings menu, you can toggle Reply Without Confirmation on. When enabled, Siri reads the selected notification, listens for your spoken reply, and sends it instantly without reading the text back to you first, making the selective announcement experience faster and more fluid.