What happened
With iOS 27, Siri AI can read content from Apple apps by default, and the EFF outlines controls: disable "Show Content in Search" per app, opt out of "Improve Siri & Dictation," or switch back to "Siri Classic."
Why it matters
By default, third-party apps are only searchable if their developers choose to add support, so what Siri AI can see depends on both developer choices and user settings.
What to watch
EFF says there is currently no way for you or app developers to block the on-screen awareness feature, so avoiding it may be the only protection for secure chats. Apple appears to be planning a single privacy toggle in a future update.
WHO IT HITSiPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max and iPhone 16-and-newer owners running iOS 27 will need to review per-app search settings if they want to keep Siri AI out of sensitive chats and notes. App developers, especially of secure messaging apps, face pressure to decide whether to enable Siri AI indexing.
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The EFF's guide arrives as Apple has combined Siri and Spotlight into a single interface and turned Siri into an app-like assistant. That unification means searching your phone and asking Siri are now the same act, and by default Siri AI looks through Apple apps like Notes, Messages, and email. For third-party apps, access depends on whether the developer chooses to index their contents, unless the user disables "Show Content in Search" for that app. The EFF notes that on-screen awareness, a feature that lets Siri explain or act on whatever is visible, cannot currently be blocked by users or developers, which matters for apps like Signal and WhatsApp. The piece also points out that Apple's new Siri will only reach iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max, iPhone 16 and newer, and is currently only available in English and not worldwide. Apple could improve things by offering an on-device only option and a single setting to block all AI features in a specific app, and the EFF says a single privacy toggle looks to be planned for a future update.
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