Apple Intelligence Redesigns Siri Voice Customisation in iOS 27 With Pace and Expressivity Sliders

A Redesigned Voice Control Hub

Apple has unveiled a significant upgrade to its virtual assistant with the introduction of Siri AI, a more capable and personal assistant integrated into iOS 27 and macOS 27. As part of this new Apple Intelligence experience, users will be able to customise how Siri sounds using new interactive settings. The voice customisation process has been streamlined in iOS 27, with Apple redesigning the Siri Voice settings page to place all options in a single, unified location. To access these settings, users can navigate to the Settings app, select Apple Intelligence and Siri, and tap Siri Voice. From this menu, users can choose a preferred voice, select specific voice variations, and listen to a preview before saving their changes. Once configured, the customised voice will be heard across various system applications, including Maps and Safari.

Fine-Tuning Emotion and Speed

The two core controls introduced in this update are the Pace and Expressivity sliders. The Expressivity slider controls the amount of emotion and emphasis Siri uses when speaking. Dragging the slider to the right makes the assistant sound more energetic, expressive, and conversational, while sliding it to the left produces a calmer, more neutral tone. The Pace slider gives users direct control over Siri's speaking speed, allowing them to make the voice faster or slower depending on their personal listening preferences. Together, these tools allow users to make the assistant feel more natural and personal.

Beta Status and Future Release

While these customisation tools are highly anticipated, their rollout has seen some adjustments during the developer testing cycle. In iOS 27 beta 2, the Pace and Expressivity settings were temporarily labeled as coming soon. However, previews of the expressive voice settings have continued to emerge as Apple refines the software through subsequent builds like beta 3. This indicates that while the full capabilities are being prepared for the final public release of iOS 27, the underlying infrastructure for a highly conversational Siri AI is already being integrated into early builds.

Whether these granular sliders can truly transform Siri into a natural conversational partner remains to be seen once the finalized software officially rolls out to the public.