How to Change Siri’s Search Engine (And Other Tricks)

Introduced in 2011, Apple’s digital assistant Siri has been central to the iOS experience. With each iOS iteration, Apple continued to make changes and add new functionality to Siri. Despite all efforts, the service was quickly overshadowed by the introduction of rival Google Assistant.

One of the reasons was Apple’s decision to use Bing as the default search engine for Siri. The company changed its behavior to Google in 2017 by making an exclusive partnership with the search giant.

Now the default Siri search, iOS search (Spotlight) and Safari browser are supported by Google. And while the majority are fine with that, the move has some worried about privacy. After all, it is not known that Google respects the best user privacy.

In this post, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Yahoo, etc. We’ll guide you through various ways to query Siri using another search engine, such as The article will also list a few tips and tricks for using Siri like a pro. Let’s dive.

1. Ask Siri to Search With Another Engine

As the title suggests, you can ask Siri to search for the term using Bing, Yahoo, or DuckDuckGo. It will open the results in Safari using the desired search engine.

In the example below, I asked Siri to search for Australia using Bing. Displayed the results from the Bing search engine in the Safari browser. Similarly, you can use ‘Search DuckDuckGo Australia’ and it will display results from the privacy-focused search engine.

There are some advantages to being a default choice on iOS though. With Google, you don’t have to say ‘Google Search Australia’ every time. The user can simply say the word and the results will open in the current UI and not switch to the Safari browser.

2. Change Default Safari Engine from Settings

I am someone who prefers to use text over voice. I am mostly surrounded by a noisy environment and therefore I prefer to type a query in the iOS search menu rather than asking Siri. As I mentioned earlier, the default Safari engine is set to Google. To change this, go to Settings > Safari > Search Engine and choose from the available options.

Now, when you type a query in the iOS search menu and hit search the web, the results will appear in Safari using the selected search engine. As you can see from the images, the Safari browser answers all queries using the Bing search engine.

3. Change Siri Voice and Language

Siri supports various languages ​​and voice accents to make the user comfortable with the virtual assistant. By default, it is set to American English.

You can change this by going to Settings > Siri & Search > Language or Siri Voice. It’s a long list of supported languages ​​and you shouldn’t have any trouble finding their native language.

From Siri voice to Indian, Irish, American, British etc. You can choose your preferred voice accent, such as The gender of the Siri voice can also be changed. My current setup is Indian Woman for Siri.

4. Delete Siri History

Google Assistant uploads all recordings and data to the Google cloud. For Siri, most of the AI ​​functions are performed on the device and a small sample of data is shared with Apple servers.

Earlier this year, it was revealed that Apple hired contractors to listen to a small percentage of Siri recordings to improve the reliability and accuracy of the assistant. Users criticized Apple for not making it clear in the first place.

Following the report, Apple announced a more transparent approach with iOS 13.2. With the latest update, users can now disable data collection and even delete all Siri history.

You can go to Settings > Privacy > Analytics & Improvements and turn off optimizing Siri and Dictation from the menu. After that, Apple will not share data with its servers.

To clear Siri history, go to Settings > Siri & Search > Siri & Dictation History and clear data.

5. Explore Siri Shortcuts

With iOS 12, Apple announced a new automation tool called Siri Shortcuts. The app did not come by default in iOS 12. With the launch of iOS 13, Siri Shortcuts are now built into every iPhone.

The service is similar to IFTTT (If This Then Where). The idea is that you can specify a specific phrase and Siri will perform accordingly. Here’s how I use it.

I set Siri to open my Guiding Tech profile page in Safari when I say ‘My Articles’. When I shout Office Alarms, Siri will automatically set three morning alarms to wake me up.

If you find it difficult to set up, look for Siri shortcut options in the third-party app.

For example, you can ask Siri to play any song in YouTube Music (it also works with Spotify). In BookMyShow (a movie ticket booking app), I tell Siri the movie name and it opens the booking details with a digital ticket.

If you want to explore more, I suggest you visit this dedicated website for Siri Shortcuts. You’ll see how other iOS users have discovered the Siri Shortcuts functionality.

Make Full Use of Siri

As you can see from the list above, Apple has taken a different path with Siri integration on the iPhone. The company offers enough customization options to personalize Siri and improve the end-user experience.

As of now, it has struck a perfect balance between privacy and automation. It will be interesting to see how Apple moves forward with future iOS upgrades.

Next: 2019 has been the year of dark mode in operating systems. Android, iOS and Windows have added dark theme with the latest update. To change the behavior back to the light theme, read the post below.