10 Things Siri Still Can't Do in 2026

Siri has been on the iPhone since 2011. That's 15 years. And while Apple has made real improvements, especially with Apple Intelligence, there's still a surprising number of everyday tasks that Siri just... can't do.

We're not talking about obscure edge cases. These are things you'd reasonably expect a "smart" assistant to handle in 2026.

1. Help You Figure Out What to Text Someone

You're staring at a message from your ex, your crush, or your boss, and you have no idea how to respond. This is probably the most common moment people need help, and Siri is completely useless here.

Siri can send a text you've already composed, but it can't read a conversation thread, understand the social dynamics, and suggest what you should say. It has no concept of tone, context, or subtext.

Newer AI assistants like Dot can actually read your message thread (locally, on your device) and help you craft a reply that matches the vibe of the conversation.

2. Do Multiple Things at Once

"Set my alarm for 7am, text Sarah I'm running late, and play my workout playlist."

Ask Siri to do this and it'll handle maybe the first request, then ask you to repeat the rest. There's no concept of chaining multiple actions together in a single command. You have to babysit every step.

Real productivity means being able to rattle off everything you need in one breath and having your phone just... do it all.

3. Remember Things About You

Tell Siri you're allergic to shellfish today, and it won't remember tomorrow. Siri has no persistent memory of your preferences, habits, or personal details. Every conversation starts from zero.

A smart assistant should learn that you like your lights warm in the evening, that you prefer afternoon meetings, or that you always order oat milk. Siri treats every interaction like it's meeting you for the first time.

4. Summarize Your Day

"What do I have going on today?" will get you a list of calendar events. But what about a real briefing? Your meetings with context, unread messages that need attention, tasks that are overdue, weather that might affect your plans.

Siri gives you data. What you actually want is a summary. Something that connects the dots and tells you what matters. That requires understanding, not just retrieval.

5. Track and Manage Ongoing Tasks

"Remind me to follow up on my job application next week" works. But Siri can't actually track all your applications, tell you which ones you haven't heard back from, or draft follow-up emails for the ones that have gone quiet.

Managing something over time (keeping track of state, updating as things change, proactively surfacing what needs attention) is just not something Siri can do.

6. Learn New Skills

Siri's capabilities are fixed by Apple. It can do what Apple has programmed it to do, and nothing more. You can't teach Siri a new trick.

But what if your assistant could learn that every Friday you want a grocery list based on your meal plan? Or that when you say "wind down" you mean dim the lights, start a specific playlist, and set your alarms? Some AI assistants can actually create custom automations, teaching themselves new abilities based on what you ask for.

7. Understand Context Across Conversations

"What was that restaurant my friend mentioned?" Good luck getting Siri to answer that. It has no ability to search across your messages, pull context from past conversations, or connect dots between different interactions.

Siri operates in isolation. Each request exists in a vacuum. It doesn't know what you talked about yesterday, what your friend recommended last week, or what you were researching an hour ago.

8. Give You Advice

"Should I take this job offer?" "Is this a good deal on flights?" "What should I get my mom for her birthday?"

Siri will do a web search. That's it. It can't weigh your options, consider your specific situation, or offer a recommendation based on what it knows about you. It's a search box with a voice, not an advisor.

9. Automate Complex Routines

Apple Shortcuts exist and they're powerful, but Siri can't create them for you. If you want a morning routine that checks your calendar, reads the weather, adjusts your smart home, and gives you a briefing, you have to build that shortcut yourself step by step.

Imagine just telling your phone what you want to happen and having it build the automation for you. That's not science fiction. AI assistants that generate iOS Shortcuts on the fly already exist.

10. Actually Have a Conversation

This is the big one. Siri is still a command-response system. You give it an instruction, it executes (or tries to), and the interaction is over. There's no back-and-forth, no follow-up questions, no building on previous context.

Modern AI has moved way past this. You can explain a situation, go back and forth on options, refine what you want, and end up with something useful. Siri still feels like talking to a vending machine.

So What Actually Works?

Siri is fine for basics. Setting timers, making calls, checking the weather. But if you want an assistant that actually assists, one that remembers you, learns new abilities, understands context, and can handle complex requests, you need something different.

Dot is built to fill these gaps. It runs on your iPhone, stores everything locally (no cloud), and can actually do things, not just answer questions. It reads your messages, learns your preferences, creates custom shortcuts, and gets smarter the more you use it.

It's what Siri should have been by now.