I turned off Siri in macOS 27 — so why is it still running? Here’s what’s happening
Users of macOS 27 have reported that a process named Siri continues to run in Activity Monitor even after the assistant is disabled in System Settings. This behavior has been attributed to Apple's integration of Siri AI with the Spotlight search interface, which now shares the same executable file. Consequently, the system keeps the process active to ensure that the core search functionality remains operational regardless of the assistant's status.
- ▪macOS 27 users observe a persistent Siri process in Activity Monitor despite disabling the feature in settings.
- ▪The process is associated with Siri AI.app, which is read-only and cannot be deleted by the user.
- ▪Community analysis suggests the process handles Spotlight search, which is why it remains active even when Siri is off.
- ▪Force-quitting the process causes the Spotlight interface to flicker and relaunch, confirming its role in search functionality.
- ▪Apple has not yet provided an official clarification regarding why these processes continue to run after deactivation.
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| Publication time | Wed, 23 Sep 2026 06:45:00 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-09-23T06:54:30.434Z |
| Last seen | 2026-09-23T06:54:30.434Z |
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Software Operating Systems macOS I turned off Siri in macOS 27 — so why is it still running? Here’s what’s happening Features By Amanda Caswell Published 23 September 2026 macOS 27 still shows a Siri process after you turn Siri off, and Spotlight may be the reason When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Wes Hicks from Unsplash) Copy link Facebook X Reddit Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Turning off Siri on a Mac should mean Siri is off. But some macOS 27 users are finding that isn't necessarily what Activity Monitor shows.The issue picked up attention in a Hacker News thread posted this week.
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