Apple 95 Million Lawsuit, Apple Siri Privacy Settlement Explained Payments & Deadlines

The Apple $95 million Siri privacy settlement — formally Lopez et al. v. Apple Inc. — has closed. The claim deadline was July 2, 2025, and payments were distributed between January 23–26, 2026. If you filed a claim before the deadline, your payment has already been sent. If you did not file, no extensions exist and no further payments are possible from this settlement.

Key Dates (Historical Reference)

What This Lawsuit Was About

In 2019, a lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court of Northern California alleging that Apple contractors had come across Siri activations that appeared inadvertent, capturing private conversations. The lawsuit followed a report from The Guardian that cited a source who claimed the recordings sometimes contained medical information and other sensitive audio, and included allegations from multiple plaintiffs who said their personal data from unintended Siri recordings ended up in the hands of advertisers.

Plaintiffs claimed Apple then shared recorded conversations with advertisers to target consumers more likely to purchase specific products and services. Two plaintiffs in the case said they received targeted ads for Air Jordan shoes and Olive Garden after speaking about them near an Apple device with Siri. Apple agreed to a settlement to avoid further litigation while continuing to deny all wrongdoing, stating that “Siri has been engineered to protect user privacy from the beginning.”

Settlement Amount Breakdown: The Complete Math

The $95 million was the gross settlement amount, from which attorney fees, litigation costs, service awards, and administration costs were all deducted before any money reached claimants.

Here is the full financial picture using figures from official court filings:

A California federal judge indicated he would grant final approval and called the plaintiffs’ attorneys’ request for a 30% cut amounting to $28.5 million “legally appropriate.” The exact amount approved and the final administration costs were determined at the October 14, 2025 final approval order, which is available on the court docket at Case No. 4:19-cv-04577.

Important note: Under the settlement, if funds remained after all class members and attorney fees were paid, the leftover money would not revert to Apple. Instead, attorneys on both sides would meet to negotiate how to allocate remaining funds. Court documents estimated that as many as 97% of eligible customers did not file claims. This means a very large portion of the net fund was likely subject to cy pres distribution negotiations.

Who Qualified

The settlement class covered all individual current or former owners or purchasers of a Siri Device who resided in the United States and its territories, whose confidential or private communications were obtained by Apple and/or were shared with third parties as a result of an unintended Siri activation between September 17, 2014 and December 31, 2024.

To be eligible, a class member had to confirm all four of the following under oath:

• They purchased or owned a Siri-enabled device in the U.S. or its territories during the class period
• They enabled Siri on that device
• They experienced at least one unintended Siri activation
• That unintended activation occurred during a conversation they intended to be confidential or private

Qualifying Siri devices included iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, MacBook, iMac, HomePod, iPod touch, and Apple TV.

Who Was NOT Eligible

Excluded from the settlement class were Apple itself; any entity in which Apple has a controlling interest; Apple’s directors, officers, and employees; Apple’s legal representatives, successors, and assigns; and all judicial officers assigned to the case as well as their staff and immediate families.

Also not eligible: anyone who simply owned a Siri-enabled device but could not truthfully claim under oath that an unintended Siri activation occurred during a private or confidential conversation. Merely owning a Siri-capable device, or having it listening in standby mode, or experiencing Siri misinterpreting a non-confidential remark, did not qualify a person for the settlement. Claims were submitted under penalty of perjury.

Residents outside the United States and its territories were also excluded. This was a domestic class action only.

Payment Calculation: How Much Did Claimants Receive?

Step 1: The Payment System

This was a per-device, pro rata, capped settlement. Each valid claim earned one payment unit per qualifying Siri device on which an unintended activation occurred during a private conversation.

Step 2: Exact Payment Structure from Settlement Documents

Settlement class members could submit claims for up to five Siri devices on which they claimed to have experienced an unintended Siri activation during a conversation intended to be confidential or private. Settlement class members who submitted valid claims received a pro rata portion of the net settlement amount for a class payment up to a cap of $20 per Siri device.

• Maximum possible payment: 5 devices × $20 cap = $100 per person
• One-device payment: Up to $20 (if pro rata share met or exceeded the cap)
• Actual amount: Dependent on total valid claims filed — could be less than $20 per device if claim volume was high enough to exhaust the net fund

Step 3: Real Payment Examples

The actual per-device payment depended on the final number of valid claims filed. Here are examples based on confirmed real-world data and documented settlement math:

One payment email obtained by WMAQ-TV, received on February 3, 2026, showed a payment of $40.10 — consistent with a two-device claim at slightly above $20 per device, suggesting the pro rata per-device value landed near or at the $20 cap given the low claim participation rate.

Step 4: Why Per-Device Values May Have Reached Near-Cap Levels

Court documents estimate that as many as 97% of eligible customers did not file claims. With a net fund estimated at roughly $65 million and dramatically fewer claimants than eligible class members, the per-device value likely approached the $20 cap. The confirmed $40.10 payment for two devices supports this.

How Claims Were Filed (For Reference)

The claim window closed July 2, 2025. This information is provided for transparency and to help readers recognize the process for future settlements.

Online claims were submitted at lopezvoiceassistantsettlement.com. Claimants either used a Claim Identification Code and Confirmation Code from a notice they received by email or postcard, or filed as a new claimant by providing: name, address, Apple ID email, and the serial number and model of each qualifying device, or proof of purchase.

Some consumers received emails with the subject line “Lopez Voice Assistant Class Action Settlement” containing their Claim ID and Confirmation Code. Those who didn’t receive a notice but believed they qualified could still file by clicking “New Claim” on the settlement website.

Mail-in claims were sent to:

Lopez Voice Assistant Settlement Administrator P.O. Box 6609, 614 Cranbury Rd East Brunswick, NJ 08816

Payment options were: physical check by mail, ACH direct deposit, or electronic/digital check.

What You Should Know

On taxes: Settlement payments may constitute taxable income depending on your circumstances. This article does not provide tax advice. Consult a tax professional if you received a payment and have questions about how to report it.

On payment legitimacy: Digital check payments arrived from ClearPath Payments or Checkbook Inc., names unfamiliar to most Apple users, and the emails included images of checks and links prompting recipients to click and deposit. Settlement administrators urged claimants to check their spam folders, where email filters often flagged legitimate settlement emails alongside actual scams. Physical checks included return addresses matching the settlement administrator’s verified information.

If you filed and have not received payment: Contact the settlement administrator at 1-888-981-4106 or [email protected]. Distribution concluded January 26, 2026, and all payment methods have had time to process.

On remaining unclaimed funds: Because an estimated 97% of eligible class members did not file, a significant portion of the net settlement fund was unclaimed. Per the settlement terms, unclaimed funds do not revert to Apple, and class counsel for both sides negotiate the allocation of leftover funds, likely to privacy-related organizations or charities (a cy pres distribution).

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How much did people get from the Apple Siri settlement? A: Settlement officials said claimants could receive up to $20 per qualifying Siri device, meaning a maximum of $100 for five qualifying devices. The payout could increase or decrease based on the number of valid claims. One confirmed payment was $40.10 for a two-device claim, suggesting per-device values landed near the $20 cap given low claim participation.

Q: Can I still file a claim for the Apple Siri settlement? A: No. The claim deadline closed July 2, 2025, and payments were distributed in January 2026. No appeals or extensions exist — the settlement is now closed.

Q: What Siri data practices does this settlement cover? A: The settlement covered allegations that Siri activated without the user saying “Hey Siri” or pressing a button, recorded private conversations during those unintended activations, and that Apple then shared those recordings with third-party contractors for review or with advertisers for ad targeting — all without user consent.

Q: Did I need proof of device ownership to file? A: The claim form required class members to confirm under oath that they owned or purchased a Siri-enabled device during the class period, enabled Siri on that device, experienced an unintended Siri activation, and that the activation occurred during a conversation intended to be confidential. Claimants needed to provide the serial number and model name for each device, or proof of purchase such as a receipt.

Q: Do I need to do anything if I already received my payment? A: No further action is required. By receiving the payment, you have accepted the settlement terms and released your legal claims against Apple related to the Siri practices covered in this case.

Q: What happened with the attorney fees? A: Plaintiffs’ counsel petitioned the court for attorney fees not to exceed 30% of the settlement fund ($28,500,000), plus litigation expenses. The presiding judge indicated at the August 22, 2025 hearing that the 30% request was “legally appropriate.” The exact amount awarded is in the final approval order at Case No. 4:19-cv-04577 on PACER.

Q: Which Apple devices were included? A: Qualifying devices included iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, MacBook, iMac, HomePod, iPod touch, and Apple TV — any device with Siri enabled that was owned or purchased between September 17, 2014, and December 31, 2024.

Q: Why was September 17, 2014 chosen as the start date? A: Apple launched the “Hey Siri” always-on feature on that date as part of its iOS 8 software update, which let users wake a device with Siri using trigger words — the technology at the center of the unintended activation allegations.

Q: What if I received a payment email but am worried it is a scam? A: Legitimate payments referenced the Lopez case specifically and came from the designated settlement administrator, not random companies or individuals. Those who chose direct deposit should have seen transactions labeled with the case name. Physical checks included return addresses matching the settlement administrator’s confirmed information. If you still have concerns, call 1-888-981-4106 to verify.

Q: What was the legal basis of the lawsuit? A: The complaint included claims for violations of the Wiretap Act, California privacy statutes, common law privacy, and breach of contract. Earlier claims under the Stored Communications Act and California Consumer Legal Remedies Act were dismissed during litigation, and the case proceeded on the remaining grounds to settlement.

Last Updated: February 17, 2026

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or tax advice. Settlement terms, eligibility, and payment amounts are subject to court approval and may change. For official information, always refer to the settlement administrator or the official settlement website.

About the Author

Sarah Klein, JD, is a licensed attorney and legal content strategist with over 12 years of experience across civil, criminal, family, and regulatory law. At All About Lawyer, she covers a wide range of legal topics — from high-profile lawsuits and courtroom stories to state traffic laws and everyday legal questions — all with a focus on accuracy, clarity, and public understanding.
Her writing blends real legal insight with plain-English explanations, helping readers stay informed and legally aware.
Read more about Sarah