If your AirPods keep announcing every text, alert, or notification out loud, you’re not alone. Many iPhone 17, 16, and older iPhone users say Siri’s “Read Messages” feature can get annoying—especially when you’re working, driving, or listening to music.
The good news? Turning it off in iOS 26 is extremely simple once you know exactly where Apple moved the settings.
What Is “Siri Read Messages with AirPods”?
This feature automatically reads incoming notifications through your AirPods, Beats, and some CarPlay setups.
It works with:
- AirPods Pro (all generations)
- AirPods 3
- AirPods Max
- Some Beats models
- iPhone 17 / iOS 26
Useful feature? Yes.
Annoying feature? Also yes — especially when it interrupts music or calls.
How to Turn Off Siri Read Messages on AirPods (iOS 26)
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll to the Notifications.
- Tap on Announce Notifications Option.
- Please scroll to the Messages Option and tap on it. Disable the option “Announce Notifications.
- That’s it. Now Siri won’t read the Text from Messages Notification on AirPods.
But if you are looking to completely turn off Siri Read the Notification on AirPods, then follow the steps below,
Stop for all Notifications on iPhone
- Open settings app on iPhone > Scroll Notifications. Find and Tap on Announce Notifications.
- For Turn of, Turn On Announce Notifications or Turn Off Toggle for stop.
- Also, you can enable Announce When Connected to “Headphones” option. for Disable this toggle for stop Listenng on Headphones like airpods.
Why iPhone Users Turn Off Siri Read Messages (From Reddit)
Here are real reasons Reddit users gave for disabling this feature:
🔹 Interrupts everything
“I’m blasting music at the gym and suddenly Siri reads 3 paragraphs from my group chat.”
🔹 Reads private texts out loud
“I was around family and Siri read a VERY personal message. Nope. Turned it off instantly.”
🔹 Delays audio playback
“My AirPods dip the volume every time Siri ‘prepares’ to announce something. Annoying.”
🔹 Buggy after updates
“After iOS updates it randomly turns on again.”
🔹 Car mode chaos
“Siri reads every notification while driving. Even spam texts.”
Extra Troubleshooting (If Siri Still Reads Messages)
If it doesn’t turn off after toggling the setting:
✅ 1. Restart your iPhone
Small bugs clear after reboot.
✅ 2. Reset AirPods and reconnect
Hold the back button on the AirPods case for ~15 seconds. To reset the AirPods Pro 3rd generation, tap the front of the charging case three times in order, as there is no back button. For more information, watch a video.
✅ 3. Turn off Siri entirely (not recommended)
Open Settings App → Accessibility → Siri → Turn off Always Listen for “Siri.”
✅ 4. Check Focus mode
If a Focus mode is set to “Announce notifications,” it can override settings.
Final Thoughts
Siri reading messages on AirPods can be helpful, but for most users, it becomes annoying quickly—especially after upgrading to iOS 26. Luckily, disabling it takes just a few taps:
- Settings → Notifications → Announce Notifications → OFF
Your AirPods will work normally again without random interruptions.
