While browsing certain forums on the Internet, I have come across posts that seem to complain that true silent or vibrate only modes are no more available in the latest version of Android, namely, Lollipop. Actually it is not so. Not only are these options there, there are many other possibilities too.
In earlier versions one could choose between Mute, Vibrate and Sound (Normal) modes after a long press of the Power button. This was in addition to choosing between Power off, Airplane and other actions. In Lollipop (stock version) the only option that you get after long pressing the Power button is Power off.
But now you get three options when you press the Volume Up or Down button while on one of the Home screens. These options are labelled None, Priority and All. These are the three Interrupt Levels. None means that you don't want any interruptions in your work. If you choose None, the phone goes silent. Silent here means no sound and no vibration either. Though, any alarms set by you will sound. If you want to mute the alarms too, you have to additionally set the volume to zero. This is the equivalent of Silent mode that some users are not able to figure out. Option All is the default and, of course, means the Normal mode. The normal mode means that all sounds for incoming calls, messages, events and alarms will sound as configured. If you have the option All chosen and just turn the volume down all the way to zero, the phone gets into Vibrate mode. Also you may choose the option Priority and turn the volume to zero. In this case the phone will vibrate only when there is a call (or message) from an important (starred) contact.
The Silent mode now has an additional feature. If you press Volume Up or Down and choose the option None, you get an additional choice between Indefinite and defined number of hours. So if you choose 1 hour, the default, the phone automatically reverts back to Normal mode after the defined period.
This feature of a preset time is also available for Priority interruptions.
Settings also allow you to automate Priority mode during predefined hours on chosen days of the week.
This finally brings us to the question, what is Priority? To understand this we have to go to Settings->Sound & Notification->Interruptions. The screen looks as follows:
Here, the very first item "When calls and notifications arrive" presents you three choices. These are the same that you get when you press Volume Up or Down button. Though the wordings are different, these correspond to All (Always Interrupt,) Priority (Allow only priority interruptions,) and None (Don't interrupt.)
The next item lets you choose what are priority interruptions for you. You can specify whether you consider calendar messages (Events and Reminders) priority or not. You can also define whether Messages are priority or not. And, of course, you can specify whether or not phone calls are a priority for you.
For phone calls and messages you can further specify whether your choice applies to all calls and messages or are calls and messages from important contacts only to be considered a priority and allowed while all others may be muted depending on setting. The contacts to be considered important have to be starred. Any contact can be starred by touching the star at the top when you display that contact. The star is a toggle and touching a starred contact unstarrs it. It may be noted that calls and messages are not "prioritized" together but separately by turning their respective toggles on or off. So you may consider calls priority while choosing not to do so for messages, or vice versa.
Alarms are always a priority and there is no way to set priority off for them. But in case you want absolutely no interruptions including alarms, you can do so easily. You have to turn the volume to zero using Volume Down key and choose None from the three options. With this setting even alarms will not ring.
It may be noted that priorities and interruptions apply only to sounds. The display always comes on when any interruption arrives.
It is always a good idea to have your important contacts starred.
You would have noticed from the screen above that you can also configure your phone for automating only priority interruptions during defined hours on selected days. One would normally do that for normal sleeping hours. If you want absolute silence during your sleep you can turn all the three Priority interruptions off.
This design is quite exciting and presents many possibilities through proper combinations of settings and quick options.
I will be happy to answer any queries in this matter.
In earlier versions one could choose between Mute, Vibrate and Sound (Normal) modes after a long press of the Power button. This was in addition to choosing between Power off, Airplane and other actions. In Lollipop (stock version) the only option that you get after long pressing the Power button is Power off.
But now you get three options when you press the Volume Up or Down button while on one of the Home screens. These options are labelled None, Priority and All. These are the three Interrupt Levels. None means that you don't want any interruptions in your work. If you choose None, the phone goes silent. Silent here means no sound and no vibration either. Though, any alarms set by you will sound. If you want to mute the alarms too, you have to additionally set the volume to zero. This is the equivalent of Silent mode that some users are not able to figure out. Option All is the default and, of course, means the Normal mode. The normal mode means that all sounds for incoming calls, messages, events and alarms will sound as configured. If you have the option All chosen and just turn the volume down all the way to zero, the phone gets into Vibrate mode. Also you may choose the option Priority and turn the volume to zero. In this case the phone will vibrate only when there is a call (or message) from an important (starred) contact.
The Silent mode now has an additional feature. If you press Volume Up or Down and choose the option None, you get an additional choice between Indefinite and defined number of hours. So if you choose 1 hour, the default, the phone automatically reverts back to Normal mode after the defined period.
This feature of a preset time is also available for Priority interruptions.
Settings also allow you to automate Priority mode during predefined hours on chosen days of the week.
This finally brings us to the question, what is Priority? To understand this we have to go to Settings->Sound & Notification->Interruptions. The screen looks as follows:
The next item lets you choose what are priority interruptions for you. You can specify whether you consider calendar messages (Events and Reminders) priority or not. You can also define whether Messages are priority or not. And, of course, you can specify whether or not phone calls are a priority for you.
For phone calls and messages you can further specify whether your choice applies to all calls and messages or are calls and messages from important contacts only to be considered a priority and allowed while all others may be muted depending on setting. The contacts to be considered important have to be starred. Any contact can be starred by touching the star at the top when you display that contact. The star is a toggle and touching a starred contact unstarrs it. It may be noted that calls and messages are not "prioritized" together but separately by turning their respective toggles on or off. So you may consider calls priority while choosing not to do so for messages, or vice versa.
Alarms are always a priority and there is no way to set priority off for them. But in case you want absolutely no interruptions including alarms, you can do so easily. You have to turn the volume to zero using Volume Down key and choose None from the three options. With this setting even alarms will not ring.
It may be noted that priorities and interruptions apply only to sounds. The display always comes on when any interruption arrives.
It is always a good idea to have your important contacts starred.
You would have noticed from the screen above that you can also configure your phone for automating only priority interruptions during defined hours on selected days. One would normally do that for normal sleeping hours. If you want absolute silence during your sleep you can turn all the three Priority interruptions off.
This design is quite exciting and presents many possibilities through proper combinations of settings and quick options.
I will be happy to answer any queries in this matter.
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