In light of discussions about how folks use or do not use mute switch I thought it would be fun to see what folks do with the mute switch on their iphones.
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Other How many of you use mute switch all the time vs seldom or never?
- Thread starter rjjacobson
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I use the switch in two occasions…
A: i’m not wearing my watch because it’s dead.
B: I accidentally enable it when I’m taking off, or putting on a case.
Other than that, it’s pretty much always silent mode via the watch.
Also, in the 11 years of owning an iPhone, I have never been able to do the overly cryptic pocket flick of the switch people have been talking about lately.
Every single case I’ve ever used makes the mute switch very much recessed, and only accessible via a fingernail, if it doesn’t cover the switch entirely by a flap.
So the switch becoming an action button is a major improvement in my opinion, maybe now it’ll actually be used.
A: i’m not wearing my watch because it’s dead.
B: I accidentally enable it when I’m taking off, or putting on a case.
Other than that, it’s pretty much always silent mode via the watch.
Also, in the 11 years of owning an iPhone, I have never been able to do the overly cryptic pocket flick of the switch people have been talking about lately.
Every single case I’ve ever used makes the mute switch very much recessed, and only accessible via a fingernail, if it doesn’t cover the switch entirely by a flap.
So the switch becoming an action button is a major improvement in my opinion, maybe now it’ll actually be used.
In my case I seldom need it muted (as I am also retired so less meetings ) but with a case on all my iphones that switch is recessed but usually I have enough of fingernail so its not a problem. My concern is as a 100% case user the images showing a very flat button to have taptic responses will make it hard to reach in the case with my big fat finger LOL. I like the fact that the case covers the volume buttons with movable plastic so only the mute switch area is open.
Personal phone - no mute although I do have silence unknown callers turned on.
Work phone - stays muted
Work phone - stays muted
Being able to know if it's muted or not by just looking at the switch is something this iPhone 15 won't have. Therefore, no 15 for me. Even if it's viewable the AOD; I often just check by feeling the position of the switch, whilst it's still in my pocket.
Always muted. My phone needs to shut up unless I very specifically want it to emit sounds.
Well all of the rumors so far point to the buttons, being pressure sensitive, so the way they work in a case shouldn’t change at all.
It’s not like the home button or the trackpads that actually require a finger to function.
I hope that is true at the rumor stage it is hard to figure out or trust any details
I can’t remember the last time I intentionally had the switch in anything other than the muted position.
I pretty much only take off my watch when I’m in the shower (which is when I charge it). It handles most of my needs for alerts.
Also, I wear hearing aids. I don’t get many phone calls these days, but, when I do, even in silent mode, the ring tone goes straight to the hearing aids. Which is perfect: I can hear that somebody’s calling just fine, but nobody else is disturbed.
As such, for me, the switch is utterly useless. I know there are lots of people who can’t imagine their phones without the switch, but I would really, really rather it wasn’t there. All it does for me is occasionally switch itself to unmuted, which is never ever what I want.
I don’t know what I might do with an action button. On my Ultra, I use it for the flashlight; that would be on the short list for a phone. I could imagine using it to pull up the QR code reader, or maybe the camera.
I’m sure Apple is at least pretending to think about it, but my biggest concerns would be accidental activation of an action button. Hopefully, it’ll include if not a full-blown fingerprint sensor, at least a finger sensor. Or an option to require face attention before the button does anything. Or whatever.
Incidentally, it’s not hard to think of solutions for the many complaints I see from those bemoaning the imminent demise of the mute switch. For example, with the haptic engine, the switch could vibrate when you touch it lightly (without pressing) and it’s unmuted; touch it when it’s muted and it doesn’t vibrate. I wouldn’t expect a visual indicator, but a single tiny LED in or near the switch would do the job, as would an icon next to the battery / signal strength icons at the top of the screen. Or an LED in the middle of the Dynamic Island might make more sense, as such could be sensibly customized to, for example, indicate unread notifications (as the watch does) if you’d prefer instead of indicating mute status.
All things considered, I’m pretty sure this is a move in a direction that almost everybody will welcome once we see whatever actual implementation Apple goes with.
b&
I pretty much only take off my watch when I’m in the shower (which is when I charge it). It handles most of my needs for alerts.
Also, I wear hearing aids. I don’t get many phone calls these days, but, when I do, even in silent mode, the ring tone goes straight to the hearing aids. Which is perfect: I can hear that somebody’s calling just fine, but nobody else is disturbed.
As such, for me, the switch is utterly useless. I know there are lots of people who can’t imagine their phones without the switch, but I would really, really rather it wasn’t there. All it does for me is occasionally switch itself to unmuted, which is never ever what I want.
I don’t know what I might do with an action button. On my Ultra, I use it for the flashlight; that would be on the short list for a phone. I could imagine using it to pull up the QR code reader, or maybe the camera.
I’m sure Apple is at least pretending to think about it, but my biggest concerns would be accidental activation of an action button. Hopefully, it’ll include if not a full-blown fingerprint sensor, at least a finger sensor. Or an option to require face attention before the button does anything. Or whatever.
Incidentally, it’s not hard to think of solutions for the many complaints I see from those bemoaning the imminent demise of the mute switch. For example, with the haptic engine, the switch could vibrate when you touch it lightly (without pressing) and it’s unmuted; touch it when it’s muted and it doesn’t vibrate. I wouldn’t expect a visual indicator, but a single tiny LED in or near the switch would do the job, as would an icon next to the battery / signal strength icons at the top of the screen. Or an LED in the middle of the Dynamic Island might make more sense, as such could be sensibly customized to, for example, indicate unread notifications (as the watch does) if you’d prefer instead of indicating mute status.
All things considered, I’m pretty sure this is a move in a direction that almost everybody will welcome once we see whatever actual implementation Apple goes with.
b&
I probably keep the switch in the mute config 95% of the time and the other 5% is when I know I am going to be getting a call that I do not want to miss. If I have my watch on then I may not switch it on for the possible call, but I do not always have my watch on me as I find myself not really using a watch lately
Ever since I got an Apple Watch? Always. Before that? Only when I was expecting calls/etc. Sometimes I have to flip it for an app to play audio, but that's been rare (headphones).
If I am at an appointment or meeting I will mute the phone. Otherwise, mute is always off.
I want to stay connected and I start getting suspicious about connectivity when my phone is silent for long periods. I choose what I will reply to and when so the phone not being on mute is my default.
Lastly…if my phone is on mute when my wife calls or texts me and I do not realize this until some time later, the next time I see my wife there will be hell to pay for me.
Yeah…I can set her contact to ring through - but then I forget the mute switch is on for everything else!
I want to stay connected and I start getting suspicious about connectivity when my phone is silent for long periods. I choose what I will reply to and when so the phone not being on mute is my default.
Lastly…if my phone is on mute when my wife calls or texts me and I do not realize this until some time later, the next time I see my wife there will be hell to pay for me.
Yeah…I can set her contact to ring through - but then I forget the mute switch is on for everything else!
It is muted(with vibrate of course) when I'm anywhere other than home. Ringer at a low volume at home
The only reason I ever use it is a nice fidget toy. Other than that it stays on silent and my watch handles the rest
Whenever I get a new iPhone, I use the mute button exactly once: to set it on mute.
Your question and the poll are contrary. I have my iPhone on mute since ~2012. I own an iPhone since 2010. Was unsure because it is on mute always (first answer), but this I never use it (last answer).
I never use it. Is comming from Android for years, and have assigned a button on homescreen for on/off sound with one push. Is working fine and fast. Dobbel push switch off screen.
I don't toggle it often, and that's exactly why a button would be worse for me. I'd never remember which mode it's in by feeling or looking at it.
And the Messages equivalent setting too. Add in call blocker app, Notification Summary reports, Focuses, pretty much silences the phone.
And sorta this. Watch gets most of the notifications/vibrations since phone usually on lock screen, so more silencing.
About only time I use the mute switch is when I'm at a movie/theater/etc, just to be safe. And I have an Automation that sets the device volume to zero (and put Watch into Theater Mode) when the movie/theater/etc or doctor's office Focuses turns on.
Speaking of call blocking, I do use Scam Shield by T-Mobile and it works very well. It is rarely needed on the personal phone but, it does see a fair amount of use on the work phone.
My phone lives on mute unless I'm expecting an incredibly important call. I don't remember the last time I used the mute switch.
I mute when praying or in a business meeting. That's about it.
I practically never use mute, leaving DND active almost constantly instead, so I'm excited to have the button freed up for other utility purposes.
I'll turn DND off temporarily only if there might be critically important notifications forthcoming. For emergency situations, I've the "repeated calls bypass DND" option enabled.
This works very well for me, leaving me completely unbothered/uninterrupted by notifications (even vibrations are distracting). Checking on a set schedule greatly reduces the number of context-switches done.
I'll turn DND off temporarily only if there might be critically important notifications forthcoming. For emergency situations, I've the "repeated calls bypass DND" option enabled.
This works very well for me, leaving me completely unbothered/uninterrupted by notifications (even vibrations are distracting). Checking on a set schedule greatly reduces the number of context-switches done.
I mute mine when I go to bed, and unmute it when I get home from work the following day. Of course, on weekends (or when I feel like working from home) I unmute it when I wake up.