Siri, Apple Intelligence, and search
Announce Calls
Most people call this the phone saying who is calling.
Siri says the caller's name aloud before the phone rings properly, so you know whether to answer without looking.
This setting is present on your iPhone.
- We have this path on file but have not yet confirmed it against an official source.
Where to find it - iOS 16 and later
- Settings
- Apps
- Phone
- Announce Calls
What it does
You choose when it happens: always, only with headphones, only with headphones and in the car, or never. The name comes from your contacts.
What changes
When it is on
The caller's name is spoken before the ringtone.
When it is off
The phone just rings.
Should you turn it on?
Good reasons to turn it on
- You know who is calling without looking.
- Works well with headphones while walking.
Good reasons to turn it off
- Everyone nearby hears who is calling you.
- The announcement delays the ring slightly.
Battery
No real change
Privacy
Costs you something
Performance
No real change
Cellular data
No real change
Storage
No real change
Out of the box: Never.
Where this setting used to live
Apple moves settings between releases. This is every location we have on file.
-
iOS 16 and later
Settings > Apps > Phone > Announce Calls
-
iOS 13 to iOS 17
Settings > Phone > Announce Calls
Questions people actually ask
- Why does my iPhone say who is calling?
- Announce Calls is set to Always. Change it to Headphones Only or Never.
If it is not working
- Unknown numbers are announced as unknown, because there is no contact name to read.
- The Headphones Only option is the sensible middle ground.