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Voice assistants like Siri have become ubiquitous in recent years. From a quick check on the weather to managing our smart homes, Siri is there for everything. Many of us rely on Siri every day. But have you ever stopped to think about the privacy side of things? While there’s no dispute that Siri can make our lives easier, its use raises significant privacy issues, including how Apple uses recordings it receives when you use its voice assistant. And how it uses that information.
After all, to work effectively, Siri needs to know a lot about us. Our friends’ names, voice recordings and where we are at any given time are some of the things our devices send to Apple when we use Siri. Apple has taken steps to protect the data it collects, such as pairing Siri requests with a device to help maintain privacy using random identifiers not linked to a user’s Apple ID or email address. To use. Still, it’s important to remember that sharing personal information with any company comes with risks, including potential misuse or unauthorized access.
The good news is that if you’re not comfortable trusting Apple with all the information, there are some steps you can take to manage and limit the data that Siri collects. We’ll show you how to delete your Siri search history.
How to delete your Siri search history
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You may have opted to send your data to Apple when you enabled Siri on your device or during an iOS update. Apple often asks users to do this to improve Siri’s functionality and accuracy. It stores this information tied to your random identifier on its servers for six months, unless you choose to delete it earlier. Deleting your Siri search history deletes all audio recordings and computer-generated transcripts from Apple servers.
Follow these steps to delete your Siri search history on iOS devices:
- Go to the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Scroll down and tap Siri & Search.
- Within Siri & Search settings, find and tap Siri & Dictation History.
- Select Delete Siri and Dictation History.
- Confirm that you want to delete your search history.
For Mac computers:
- Click the Apple menu and choose System Preferences.
- Click on Siri.
- In Siri preferences, find and click Delete Siri & Dictation History.
- Confirm that you want to delete your search history.
For Apple Watch:
- Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
- Tap Siri.
- Select Siri History.
- Select Delete Siri History to delete your interactions with Siri from the device.
Keep in mind that deleting your Siri history on one device won’t automatically delete it on all your Apple devices. Instead, you’ll have to repeat these steps on each device on which you use Siri.
Why should you delete your Siri search history?
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Whether you type to Siri on your iPhone or use voice commands on your Apple Watch, maintaining control over your information is the biggest reason to delete your Siri search history. When you use Siri, Apple collects sensitive information, including your personal habits and preferences. Deleting your search history can help ensure that your past interactions with Siri aren’t stored for longer than necessary.
While Apple uses information collected from Siri to improve its responses, its extensive history may raise concerns about privacy and data security over time. Apple has tried to ease users’ concerns by implementing strict data anonymization, offering options to delete Siri history, and introducing an opt-in policy for sharing audio recordings with the company.
Even with these protections, any data stored or transmitted online is vulnerable to cybercriminals. Deleting your Siri history from time to time can help you keep your data safe, reduce the chance of your personal information being leaked, and give you peace of mind.