Perplexity voice assistant is the new Siri alternative for iPhone users: what it is and how to use

Published On: 25 Apr, 2025

Perplexity AI has introduced an AI-powered voice assistant for iPhones dubbed the ‘Perplexity iOS Voice Assistant‘. This new voice assistant comes as part of the Perplexity app that is already available on Apple’s App Store, and it comes almost three months after the company introduced a similar voice assistant for Android devices in January 2025.

Perplexity iOS Voice Assistant: top features

According to the details shared by Perplexity AI in a post on X (formerly Twitter), the newly launched voice assistant for iPhones uses web browsing and multi-app actions to perform tasks such as booking a reservation, sending emails, sending calendar invites, and playing media files from the Perplexity iOS app.
In a subsequent post, the company said that the app can search and play podcasts, YouTube videos and other media files on iPhones.
It can also look up details and draft emails.
Additionally, it can also book a ride on cab-hailing apps such as Uber.

However, it cannot do some other actions, such as set an alarm, click a picture or mute notifications on iPhones.
It also cannot access the iPhone’s camera to ‘see’ what you see and answer questions about it, something other AI assistants, such as ChatGPT can do. Interestingly enough, this feature is available on Perplexity AI’s voice assistant for Android phones.
It is worth mentioning that some of these features, such as the ability to draft emails and book a ride on a cab-hailing service, are already available on Apple Intelligence-powered Siri. Others, like making a reservation at a restaurant, aren’t available on Siri yet.
Interestingly enough, unlike Apple Intelligence, which is available on select iPhone models (iPhone 16 series and iPhone 15 Pro series), Perplexity’s voice assistant is available on older iPhone models.

How to access Perplexity iOS Voice Assistant on iPhone

There are two ways iPhone users can access Perplexity’s newly launched voice assistant on iPhones:

Using the Perplexity’s iOS app

Step 1: Download the latest version of the Perplexity app on your iPhone.
Step 2: Tap the voice icon in the input box.
Step 3: Ask your query.

Using the Action Button

Step 1: Open the Settings app on iPhone.
Step 2: Scroll down and tap the Action Button option.
Step 3: Swipe through the available options to reach the Shortcuts option.
Step 4: Select Perplexity from the list of available apps.
Step 5: Then select the Start Voice Conversation option.

Once Perplexity AI has been configured, iPhone users will be able to access the company’s voice assistant simply by pressing the Action Button on their iPhones.