In iOS 13.2, Apple has integrated some new features in the area of Siri and data protection - we'll show you how to delete the Siri and dictation history on iPhone, iPad and HomePod and manage the Siri data protection settings on all three devices.
At the beginning of the year, the British Guardian revealed Apple's approach to improving Siri. The company commissioned companies to evaluate anonymized Siri recordings in order to improve the virtual voice assistant. However, this was not officially communicated, which is why Apple came under pressure and had to act. In response, Cupertino integrated new options in iOS 13.2. Users can now decide for themselves whether or not the audio recordings can be shared with Apple for analysis purposes. They can also delete the entire Siri and dictation history from their devices - at any time of the day or night. We'll show you how it all works below.
How to enable / disable sharing of audio recordings with Apple on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch
As already described above, Apple leaves it up to the user to decide whether or not to share the audio recordings with Apple. The option “Improve Siri & Dictation” can be found in the iOS settings under “Privacy” in the “Analytics & Improvements” section. The option states:
Help improve Siri and Dictation by allowing Apple to store and analyze audio recordings of your interactions with Siri and Dictation from this device.
Apple explains the procedure in a further link. The data is analyzed anonymously by Apple itself and is not passed on to third parties. The decision as to whether you want to participate in the improvement is therefore entirely up to you.
How to delete Siri and dictation history on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch
In addition to the opportunity to help, Apple offers every user the option of managing the data that has been recorded so far. This is stored on Apple's servers for each individual device. If you want to delete these recordings from Apple's servers, you must open the "Siri & Search" section in the iOS settings and then tap the "Siri and Dictation History" menu item. All data can be deleted here. Important: The command must also be confirmed.
How to enable / disable sharing of audio recordings with Apple on your HomePod
The privacy settings relating to audio recordings on the HomePod can of course also be managed. To access the HomePod settings, you have to open the Home app and press and hold the respective Siri speaker. A new window should now open. You will find a small gear in the bottom right - please tap it.
Next, navigate to the "Analysis & Improvements" section further down. Now you can activate or deactivate the "Improve Siri & Dictation" option. Please note: If you are using two HomePods as a stereo pair, you must open the "Speakers" menu item and press and hold the individual HomePod. Now you can control the "Improve Siri & Dictation" function via "Analysis & Improvements". Please remember - you must carry out these steps for each HomePod individually.
How to clear Siri history on your HomePod
To delete the entire Siri history, you need to open the Home app and hold down the respective Siri speaker until a new window with the gear appears at the bottom right. You will then find the menu item "Siri history" further down. Now you can remove all recordings from Apple's servers. Note: If you use two HomePods as a stereo pair, you must first ungroup them in order to be able to delete the recordings. Whether you want to contribute to the further development of Siri in the future is of course up to you. Apple's promise to handle sensitive data carefully should be taken seriously. Please remember - to be able to carry out the above steps, you need at least iOS 13.2 or later on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and HomePod. (Photo by leungchopan / Bigstockphot)
