Apple · Apple Privacy Policy

Siri and Voice Data Retention

Medium severity
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What it is

When you use Siri and Dictation, Apple processes what you say to improve Siri's understanding and to provide personalized suggestions. Voice recordings may be retained for a period of time to improve Apple's products and services.

Why it matters

Voice data can inadvertently capture sensitive conversations, third-party speech, and private information; its retention by a technology company for product improvement purposes raises significant privacy concerns, particularly if users are unaware of how long recordings are kept.

Consumer impact

Apple collects a broad range of personal data including location, health and fitness information, financial data, voice recordings, and browsing and search history across its entire ecosystem of devices and services, and shares this information with Apple subsidiaries worldwide, app developers, business partners, and advertisers. While Apple publicly commits to not selling personal data, the policy permits extensive intra-group sharing and third-party disclosures that may not be fully transparent to average consumers. You can review, download, correct, or delete your personal data by visiting privacy.apple.com and signing in with your Apple ID.

What you can do

⚠️ These actions may provide transparency or partial mitigation but may not fully address the underlying issue. Effectiveness varies by jurisdiction and individual circumstances.
  • Delete Your Data
    Go to Settings > Siri & Search and disable 'Listen for Hey Siri' and 'Press Side Button for Siri' to stop new recordings. To delete existing Siri history, go to Settings > Siri & Search > Siri & Dictation History > Delete Siri & Dictation History.

Applicable agencies

  • FTC
    The FTC has authority over unfair or deceptive practices related to voice data collection and retention under Section 5 of the FTC Act.
    File a complaint →
  • State AG
    State attorneys general, particularly in Illinois (BIPA) and California (CPRA), have authority over biometric and audio data retention practices.
    File a complaint →

Provision details

Document information
Document
Apple Privacy Policy
Entity
Apple
Document last updated
March 24, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
March 6, 2026
Last verified
April 4, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-001958
Document ID
CA-D-00024
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
SHA-256
36e54b8290f2d5f4441e7bfd5492920450a4d5b256d9353a74fa7946d1065115
Verified
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Change verified
How to Cite
ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: Apple | Document: Apple Privacy Policy | Record: CA-P-001958
Captured: 2026-03-06 20:19:48 UTC | SHA-256: 36e54b8290f2d5f4…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/apple/apple-privacy-policy/siri-and-voice-data-retention/
Accessed: April 4, 2026
Classification
Severity
Medium
Categories

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