The Apple Siri $95 million settlement resolves a class action, Lopez v. Apple Inc., alleging that Siri recorded private conversations through accidental activations and that Apple shared the audio with human contractors without telling users.1 Apple denied wrongdoing but agreed to the payout, and checks of roughly $8 per device started going out on January 23, 2026. The claim window closed on July 2, 2025, so no new claims are being accepted.
What the Lawsuit Alleged
Plaintiffs said Siri frequently activated without the “Hey Siri” wake phrase or a button press, capturing conversations users believed were private. The complaint described recordings that included medical discussions, business dealings, and intimate moments.
The suit also targeted what Apple did with those recordings. According to the complaint, Apple sent audio to third-party contractors under a quality-control program called “grading,” where people listened to and transcribed clips to improve accuracy. Users weren’t told humans were reviewing their audio. Plaintiffs further alleged the data was shared with advertisers to sharpen ad targeting.
The case followed a July 2019 Guardian report in which an Apple contractor said workers “regularly” heard confidential Siri recordings, including drug deals, sexual encounters, and doctor-patient conversations, paired with metadata like location and contact details. Fumiko Lopez filed the original complaint about a month later, on August 7, 2019, in the Northern District of California. Judge Jeffrey S. White granted preliminary approval of the settlement on February 10, 2025, and final approval came in October 2025. Apple did not admit wrongdoing.
Who Was Eligible
The class covered anyone in the United States or its territories who owned or purchased a Siri-enabled Apple device between September 17, 2014, and December 31, 2024, with Siri enabled. Qualifying devices included the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, MacBook, iMac, HomePod, iPod touch, and Apple TV.
Claimants also had to attest that they experienced an unintended Siri activation during a conversation they considered private or confidential. Apple employees, the company’s legal representatives, and judicial officers assigned to the case were excluded.
Claims had to be filed by July 2, 2025, through the settlement website, administered by Angeion Group as the Lopez Voice Assistant Settlement Administrator. Claimants entered device serial numbers and models, and could add identification codes from mailed or emailed notices.
What Claimants Are Receiving
The settlement allowed claims for up to five devices per person. On paper, the cap was $20 per device and $100 per claimant, but the real payout depended on how many valid claims came in. Estimates put the participation rate at 3% to 5% of eligible people.
Payments began going out on January 23, 2026, at $8.02 per device, with a top payout of $40.10 for anyone who claimed five devices. Money was issued by ACH direct deposit, digital check, or physical check. ACH deposits appeared under the label “Lopez Voice Assistant” or “Lopez Voice Asst Payouts.” Most distribution wrapped up by January 26, 2026, with some payments processed into early February.
The $95 million fund also covered attorneys’ fees of up to 30%, or $28.5 million, which the judge found “legally appropriate,” along with litigation expenses capped at $1.1 million. Plaintiffs’ counsel reported an unaudited lodestar of about $17.7 million as of December 2024, making the fee request a multiplier of roughly 1.6. The named class representatives each sought service awards of up to $10,000.
Changes Apple Made to Siri
Within weeks of The Guardian‘s 2019 report, Apple announced changes to how Siri data is handled:
- Apple stopped keeping audio recordings of Siri interactions by default, relying instead on computer-generated transcripts.
- Users must now explicitly consent before Apple can use their audio samples for improvement, and can opt out at any time.
- Outside contractors were removed from audio review; the work was limited to Apple employees.
- Apple committed to deleting any audio determined to have been captured by an inadvertent Siri activation.
Apple told The Guardian in 2019 that only a “small portion” of Siri requests were reviewed by humans, that the recordings were not linked to Apple IDs, and that reviewers worked in secure facilities under confidentiality requirements.
Not the Same as the Apple Intelligence Settlement
This is a separate case from a larger Apple settlement announced in May 2026. That case, Landsheft v. Apple Inc., involves $250 million to resolve claims that Apple falsely advertised “Apple Intelligence” features and an enhanced Siri that didn’t work as promised at the time certain iPhones were sold. It covers buyers of the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16 model between June 2024 and March 2025, with payouts of $25 to $95 per device. Different claims, different time period, different eligible group. Being paid or not paid under the $95 million Siri settlement has no bearing on the Apple Intelligence one.