How to Get Siri to Light Up Around Your Phone: 1 Minute to Mastering Siri's Lighting Features

Siri, Apple’s intelligent voice assistant, provides a hands-free, intuitive way to interact with your iPhone or iPad. One of its signature visual cues is the glowing waveform, or “light up” animation, that appears when Siri is activated. If you want Siri to light up around your device—using the edge-lit animation on newer iPhones, or simply ensuring Siri appears on your screen—here’s how you can achieve this effect:

1. 1. Enable “Hey Siri”: Go to Settings > Siri & Search, and toggle on Listen for ‘Hey Siri’. This allows you to activate Siri by saying the wake words, no button required.
2. 2. Use Side or Home Button: On iPhones with Face ID, press and hold the Side button. For Touch ID devices, press and hold the Home button. This instantly brings up Siri, making the light animation appear at the bottom or along the edges of your screen.
3. 3. Activate Visual Feedback: The “Siri lighting up around your phone” effect—where a colored waveform or ring ripples around the screen—appears by default when Siri is engaged. For iPhones with Face ID (iPhone X and newer), the animation expands across the bottom edge.
4. 4. iOS Updates Matter: Make sure your device is running iOS 14 or later. Apple introduced more dynamic Siri visuals in recent OS updates.
5. 5. Accessibility and Appearance Tweaks: Head to Settings > Accessibility > Siri, and you can adjust Siri’s visual and spoken responses, ensuring you always see the vibrant Siri waveform whenever the assistant is summoned.

As a designer, I appreciate how Apple uses visual interaction—like Siri's glow—to signal user engagement and enhance the overall experience. If you’re planning a smart home, office, or any multifunctional space that harmonizes tech with style, using home designer tools can help you visualize innovative layouts that accommodate modern, voice-activated devices seamlessly.

Tips 1:

Position your device in a well-lit environment to appreciate the Siri animation. If you're customizing lighting or interiors, consider integrating device placement into your floor plan for optimal accessibility and ambiance.

FAQ

Q: Why doesn’t Siri light up around my iPhone?

A: This feature is available on newer iPhones with updated iOS. Make sure “Hey Siri” is enabled, and your device is running the latest OS for the edge-lit effect.

Q: Can the Siri animation be customized?

A: Currently, Apple does not allow customization of Siri's glow colors or style—it aligns with the device’s default interface.

Q: Does Siri's light-up feature work on iPad or Mac?

A: Siri appears visually on iPad and Mac when activated, but the exact waveform animation may vary across devices.

Q: Will a case or screen protector affect Siri’s lighting effect?

A: No, screen protectors or cases do not interfere with Siri’s on-screen visual feedback.

Q: Can I activate Siri’s light up without saying “Hey Siri”?

A: Yes, you can press and hold the Side or Home button, depending on your iPhone model, to see Siri’s animation.