Apple finally lets you control how fast Siri talks — and how much feeling it puts into every word
Apple has quietly flipped the switch on one of the most personal AI features yet. In the latest iOS 27 developer beta, testers can now tweak Siri’s pace and expressivity — two sliders that change not just the assistant’s speed, but its emotional tone.
First teased back in June at WWDC 26, the controls were labeled “Coming soon” in earlier beta releases. With iOS 27 beta 3, which landed today, they’re finally live. And they signal a bigger shift: Apple is rebuilding Siri around generative AI, and it wants the voice to feel less like a robot and more like a person sitting next to you.
What the new Siri voice controls actually do
The customization goes far beyond the old choice between a male or female voice. In beta 3, you pick from a set of voices with different accents, then adjust two sliders: one for Pace (slow to fast) and one for Expressivity (flat to animated).
As you move the sliders, Siri immediately demonstrates the change by speaking sample phrases — things like “You have one new message” or “Reminder set for 3 p.m.” It’s a live preview, so you can hear exactly how your settings sound before committing.
The effect is subtle but real. A faster pace sounds more efficient, while a slower one feels more deliberate. Crank up the expressivity, and Siri’s pitch rises and falls more naturally, almost like a human reading with emotion. Dial it down, and the voice becomes more monotone — useful for quick, no-nonsense replies.
How it compares to ChatGPT’s voice customization
OpenAI’s ChatGPT has offered voice-style controls since December 2025, letting users adjust warmth and enthusiasm, plus pick from pre-set styles like friendly, professional, candid, or quirky. ChatGPT’s approach changes not just the voice, but the tone of the response itself — a friendly mode might add emojis, while a professional one keeps things concise.
Siri’s sliders are more about delivery than content. You can make Siri speak faster or slower, and sound more or less expressive, but the words it chooses stay the same. It’s a narrower kind of personalization, but also more predictable — you know what you’re getting.
That said, Apple has the advantage of deep integration. The new Siri isn’t just a voice; it’s woven into the OS. You can start a conversation by speaking, by swiping down from the Dynamic Island, by tapping the side button, or by opening the brand-new standalone Siri app. ChatGPT, by contrast, is a third-party app you have to launch.
How to find and use the new Siri controls
If you’re running iOS 27 beta 3, here’s where to look:
- Open Settings → Accessibility → Siri.
- Under Voice Customization, you’ll see the new Pace and Expressivity sliders.
- Tap the play button next to each sample phrase to hear the effect in real time.
- You can also switch between different accent voices from the same menu.
The controls are also accessible from the Siri settings in the main Settings app, though Apple has tucked them under Accessibility for now — likely because they affect how the assistant communicates, which is a core usability concern.
What else changed in iOS 27 beta 3
Beyond the voice sliders, beta 3 brings a few smaller updates. The Reminders app icon has been refreshed — a minor visual tweak that aligns with Apple’s ongoing design language. More notably, some testers on X (formerly Twitter) report that after updating, their phones have started re-indexing data. That’s the first step in optimizing Siri AI for search, and it’s normal for a beta. A few users also say they’ve temporarily lost access to the new Siri after the update, though a restart usually fixes it.
Why this matters for the future of Siri
Apple is clearly betting that a more expressive, customizable voice will make Siri feel less like a tool and more like a companion. The generative AI rebuild, which started rolling out in pieces over the past year, aims to make Siri capable of more natural conversations — understanding context, remembering past requests, and even generating responses on the fly.
The pace and expressivity sliders are a small part of that puzzle, but they’re an important one. Voice is the primary interface for AI assistants, and small changes in tone and speed can dramatically affect how users perceive the interaction. A Siri that sounds rushed might feel impatient; one that’s too slow might feel dim. Letting users dial in their preference is a smart move, especially as Apple tries to catch up with rivals like ChatGPT and Google Assistant.
Will it be enough to win back users who’ve switched to other assistants? That’s a bigger question. But for now, anyone on the iOS 27 beta can finally tell Siri: slow down, speed up, or show a little more emotion.
