You put your earbuds in, your iPhone buzzes with a new text — and then nothing. Siri should read the message out loud, but the announcement never comes. Before you blame the earbuds or the phone, know this: Siri reading your iMessages through earbuds is a specific feature called Announce Notifications, and it only works when a handful of conditions are met. Here is how to check your setup and switch it on.
First, make sure your earbuds are actually supported
Not every pair of earbuds can announce messages. According to Apple’s support page on Announce Notifications, the feature works with AirPods (2nd generation) or later, all generations of AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, and compatible Beats models such as Powerbeats, Powerbeats Pro, and Solo Pro. Your iPhone also needs iOS 15 or later. If you are using older earbuds or a third-party brand, Siri simply cannot read messages through them — that is a hard limitation, not a bug. Another common gotcha: some models only announce when you are wearing both earbuds, so pop both in before testing.
Turn on Announce Notifications
- Confirm your earbuds are connected. Open Settings > Bluetooth and check that your earbuds show as Connected. If they keep dropping out, re-pair them — our guide on fixing AirPods Max connection problems walks through the usual fixes that also apply to other models.
- Open the Announce Notifications setting. Go to Settings > Notifications > Announce Notifications and toggle it on. If the main switch is off, nothing will be announced no matter what else you change.
- Choose what Messages announces. Tap Messages in the app list and pick an announcement level. “Time Sensitive and Direct Messages” keeps things quiet except for people and priority alerts, while “All Notifications” has Siri read everything. If your iPhone keeps shuffling audio between your earbuds and the speaker while you listen, you may also want to stop the automatic audio switching that can interrupt announcements.
- Lock your iPhone. This is the step most people miss: Siri only announces messages while your iPhone is locked. If you are staring at the screen, announcements stay silent — Apple assumes you can just read them yourself.
If it still doesn’t work
First, double-check the per-app switch: Announce Notifications can be on globally while disabled for Messages specifically. Next, remove the earbuds from Bluetooth, restart your iPhone, and pair them again — a fresh pairing clears most flaky behavior. Also make sure Siri itself is working: ask Siri something simple and confirm it answers through the earbuds, not just on the phone speaker.
Frequently asked questions
Can Siri announce messages from apps other than iMessage?
Yes. Announce Notifications works with any app you enable in Settings > Notifications > Announce Notifications — WhatsApp, Telegram, Mail, and more. Each app has its own switch, so enable the ones you care about and leave the noisy ones off.
Can I reply to the message hands-free?
Yes. After Siri reads the message, it waits for your response — just say your reply without saying “Hey Siri” first. If Siri stops listening before you finish, you can make Siri listen for longer so you are not cut off mid-sentence.
The bottom line
Siri stays silent when one of three things is off: unsupported earbuds, the Announce Notifications switch, or the locked-screen requirement. Work through the checklist above — supported model, both earbuds in, feature on, phone locked — and your incoming iMessages will start arriving out loud.
