Hey Siri is a cool new feature of iOS 8 but contrary to what most people believe you don’t necessarily need to be connected to a charger to use it.

First, activate the Hey Siri feature by tapping Settings > General > Siri, and then tap Allow Hey Siri. Next, activate Siri in the usual way by pressing and holding the Home button, but say something simple like “Hello”. This will cause Siri to appear, greet you, but then stick around waiting for further commands.

From now on while Siri is waiting for a command you can invoke it hands-free by saying “Hey Siri” – regardless of whether or not the device is charging! Obviously this only lasts until your phone or iPad goes into Auto Lock power-saving mode, but you can also adjust this in Settings.

Read our complete guide to Siri for more Siri tips

And our tips to extend battery life on your iPhone

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