How to use ChatGPT as your iPhone's Action Button assistant

If you have an iPhone 15 Pro or a newer Pro model, you can assign ChatGPT’s voice mode to the Action button.

Apple still doesn’t let users replace Siri as the default assistant on the iPhone, but there is a simple workaround that gives you instant access to ChatGPT through the Action button. If you have an iPhone 15 Pro or a newer Pro model, you can assign ChatGPT’s voice mode to the Action button and launch it with a single long press.

OpenAI recently unified voice and text chats into the same window (Photo: Adobe Illustrator)

By Ayushmann Chawla

Ayushmann Chawla is the Deputy Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times. A seasoned tech journalist with years of experience working for some of the industry’s leading media organizations, his articles can also be read on Live Mint. His passion extends beyond journalism—he’s a dedicated automobile enthusiast, always ready to explore the latest in car technology and design. A self-confessed gadget lover, Ayushmann finds joy in testing new devices and sharing his findings with his audience. Instagram: ayushmannchawla

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This turns the Action button into a shortcut to a faster, more conversational assistant that many users find more capable than Siri.

Here’s how to set it up.

How to assign ChatGPT to the Action button

Step 1: Install ChatGPT

Download the ChatGPT app from the App Store, then sign in or create a new account.

Step 2: Open iPhone Settings

Launch the Settings app on your iPhone.

Step 3: Go to the Action Button menu

Tap Action Button to open Apple’s control selection interface.

Step 4: Choose a custom control

Swipe to the Controls section, then tap the small chevrons next to the currently selected control.

Step 5: Search for ChatGPT

Use the search field to type ChatGPT.

Step 6: Select Open ChatGPT Voice

Choose Open ChatGPT Voice from the list.

That’s it. A long press of the Action button will now launch ChatGPT in voice mode.

What happens when you press the Action button

The first time you trigger the shortcut, the ChatGPT app may request microphone access. Tap Allow, and from then on, you’ll jump directly into a voice conversation the moment you press the Action button.

OpenAI recently unified voice and text chats into the same window, so spoken responses now appear on-screen alongside generated text or visuals. You can switch between talking and typing without losing context.

You can leave the app mid-conversation

If you swipe away from ChatGPT during a voice chat, the session continues in the Dynamic Island, where you can see it listening or preparing a reply. You can tap the island to return or end the session.

What ChatGPT still can’t do

-Setting alarms
-Changing device settings
-Reading your calendar
-Sending messages through iMessage
-Those remain exclusive to Siri.

Still, for deep responses, creative tasks, explanations, planning, and natural conversations, ChatGPT on the Action button is the closest thing to having a next-gen AI assistant built into your iPhone.