Cmd Space Bar does not work. How do I get voice commands back?

So this function comes back with Siri Beta. I'm not using "Hey Siri", I'm using Cmd+Space instead, and getting Siri to listen right away, no clicking anything additionally. Here's this from Siri Help which solved my issue:

Advanced Steps to Restore "Hey Siri"

If the standard settings are missing, try these steps to force the option to appear:

• Check for Conflicting Accessibility Features: Go to System Settings > Accessibility > Voice Control. If Voice Control is turned on, try turning it off temporarily. Sometimes macOS hides "Hey Siri" settings if the system is already actively listening for Voice Control commands.

• Verify Your Input Device: Go to System Settings > Sound > Input. Ensure that your Internal Microphone is selected and that the input volume slider is turned up. If your Mac thinks there is no valid microphone connected, it will hide the voice activation settings entirely.

• Reset the Siri Process: Sometimes the background process for Siri needs a refresh. Open the Terminal app (found in Applications > Utilities) and type killall Siri followed by the Return key. Then, restart your Mac and check System Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri again.

• Check Screen Time Restrictions: Go to System Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy. Ensure that there are no restrictions enabled for "Siri & Dictation," as this can lock out specific features.

BenB wrote:

Before Golden Gate, it gave me voice command by default. How do I reset that default? I'm not making custom this and that. It was system settings, standard, easy. Still baffled how to reset back to how it was before. And this is for macOS, not iOS. None of that helps me get back to the previous behavior, nor explains why it's a forced change. Before Golden Grate, default for Cmd+Space was to take a voice command. Why change it?

Did you look in your Settings use the search feature

try Accessibility>Voice Control make some changes

I would Look at Microphone or Shortcut pop-up menu to choose your preferred key combination.

see if this gets you closer:

ref: Customize Voice Control on Mac - Apple Support

How to contact Apple for accessibility support

How to contact Apple for help with accessibility features - Apple Support

You can email the Accessibility team at [email protected] and they can respond via email. 

In earlier macOS versions, Siri had its own configurable keyboard shortcut that opened it ready for a spoken request. But it has been removed in macOS 27.

The setup was:

1. Open System Preferences → Siri (later System Settings → Siri / Siri & Spotlight).
2. Set Keyboard Shortcut to Hold Command–Space, or assign a custom shortcut.
3. Leave Accessibility → Siri → Type to Siri turned off, so Siri expected speech when activated. Apple documents both configurable Siri shortcuts and the Type to Siri setting.

With that setup, holding Command–Space activated Siri and its microphone, while a quick press opened Spotlight.

This explains the behavior I originally described, which again, has been removed in macOS 27. Why? I can't use "Hey Siri" with my desktop Mac, because then my iPhone and iPad both respond. The keyboard shortcut was invaluable! Now it's gone. Apple once again has made macOS more DIFFICULT to use.

Did you get to try just (press and hold) F5? It works for me, both with the built-in keyboard on my MBP and the external Apple keyboard on a Mac Studio. It may not work with a third party keyboard, though. I remember you said you had an extended keyboard, is it Apple?

BenB wrote:

Cmd Space Bar does not work. How do I get voice commands back? I used to hold Cmd and hit the space bar, and I could tell macOS what apps to open, etc. But now it just brings up the text typing Siri. I have to go the extra step to click the microphone before I can speak commands. All I did was update to Golden Gate, and TONS of stuff has stopped working like it used to. How do I get Siri to let me speak commands again, using Cmd+Space Bar?

Look at your keyboard shortcut modifications and make some changes...

Create a custom shortcut on Mac

Customize VoiceOver gestures and keyboard shortcuts on ...

Change the behaviour of the modifier keys on Mac

the default Command Space bar is for Spotlight search

Mac keyboard shortcuts - Apple Support

As a guess, y'all are probably getting Voice Commands and Siri conflated, and I usually add VoiceOver to my own personal list of features I get conflated.

As has been mentioned previously, ⌘-Space is Spotlight search by default, but can be used with Siri.

My guess here is that this isn't Voice Commands that was getting triggered with ⌘-Space, but was Siri.

Specifically this mechanism, here shown with macOS 26:

Enable the use of ⌘-Space for the Siri keyboard shortcut, and see if that's what y'all remember.

It used to be that pressing and holding Command-space would open Siri, but this does not seem to work anymore.

Pressing and holding F5 opens Siri directly. This may work as an alternative.

BenB wrote:

Before Golden Gate, it gave me voice command by default. How do I reset that default?

That’s not the default. Never has been. Cmd-space opens Spotlight. I have no idea how you set it to turn on Voice Control. You should check the Voice Control settings in Accessibility System Settings.

Before Golden Gate, it gave me voice command by default. How do I reset that default? I'm not making custom this and that. It was system settings, standard, easy. Still baffled how to reset back to how it was before. And this is for macOS, not iOS. None of that helps me get back to the previous behavior, nor explains why it's a forced change. Before Golden Grate, default for Cmd+Space was to take a voice command. Why change it?

It is not resolved, but yes, I'd his Cmd+Space, and say "Open Compressor" and it would. I guess that's Siri. That same little window opens, but it is not automatically activating the voice input. I have to now click the mic icon, something I never had to do before. And now in macOS 27, thinks are all changed up again. I should not have to take that extra step to run my mouse cursor all the way up to the top right to click an icon. I never had to do that before.

And none of this works... ugh... I guess that function was erased by Apple for some reason we'll never understand. Thanks for making things MORE work instead of less, Apple Inc. Moderators can just close this thread now. What a waste of time.

BenB wrote:

And none of this works... ugh... I guess that function was erased by Apple for some reason we'll never understand. Thanks for making things MORE work instead of less, Apple Inc. Moderators can just close this thread now. What a waste of time.

To be proactive you can submit your feedback here: Feedback - macOS - Apple

Well, it has been on my last two Macs, I've been doing this for many years. Voice Control in Accessibility has not effect on this.

BenB wrote:

Cmd Space Bar does not work. How do I get voice commands back?

So was that your issue, you are asking about "Siri" option?

It is unclear if that was the final resolve...

Tried 🌐-F5?

What is the globe key?

BenB wrote:

What is the globe key?

The same as fn key, at the extreme bottom left of your keyboard.

I don't have a Fn key, I'm on a full sized keyboard.

Cmd+Space brings up Siri to type into, not simply ready for a voice command, like it used to.