You can use the stem on AirPods Pro to invoke Siri and use noise control options at the same time. Here’s how to set it up.

Invoke Siri on AirPods Pro without saying the ‘Hey Siri’ command - simply press and hold the stem instead

Right out of the box, when you press and hold the AirPods Pro stem, it will switch between active noise cancellation and transparency modes. This gesture works on both earbuds, and it’s super convenient as well. But that’s not all; you can even ask Siri to do the exact same thing. Just say, ‘Hey Siri, turn on noise cancellation,’ or ask the assistant to switch to transparency mode, and it will be done instantly.

However, there’s only one way to access Siri using your AirPods Pro and that’s by saying, ‘Hey Siri.’ While that is convenient for a lot of people who use the assistant on a daily basis, it can trigger multiple devices around you if you say it out loud and even become an inconvenience if you don’t want to look awkward in public.

Did you know you can actually use your AirPods Pro’s stem to invoke Siri? It’s exactly how the noise control feature works, just press and hold the stem and issue your voice command. The way this works is that you assign Siri to one stem and noise control to the other one. This means you can use the left earbud to switch between noise cancellation and transparency mode while the other can be used to invoke Siri and vice versa.

Here’s how you can make use of this feature if you haven’t figured it out already.

Tutorial

Step 1. Connect your AirPods Pro to your iPhone or iPad.

Step 2. Launch the Settings app.

Step 3. At the very top, you’ll see a new option called‘(Your name) AirPods Pro.’ Simply tap on it. It’s right above Airplane Mode and very tough to miss.

Step 4. You’ll see a bunch of options. Find the ‘Press and Hold AirPods’ section.

Step 5. Tap on either Left or Right. And inside these settings, you can either choose Siri or Noise Control. If you want to use the left earbud to access Siri, then tap on Left and then select Siri at the top. If you want to use the right earbud for noise control only, then tap on Right and select Noise Control.

Flip things around according to your liking. By default, your AirPods Pro are set to switch between noise control options.

There you have it. Whenever you want to use Siri without ever saying Hey Siri, just press and hold the stem to which Siri is assigned, and you’re good to go. This is a great way to use Siri in a public place when you don’t want to trigger multiple iPhones at the same time around you. Just press and hold the stem and speak your request.