How to Use (and Turn Off) Do Not Disturb While Driving Mode on the iPhone
Hey there! Let me show you how to use the amazing Do Not Disturb While Driving mode on your iPhone. This feature helps you stay focused on the road by reducing distractions from notifications. It’s like having a personal assistant that looks out for your safety!
How does Do Not Disturb While Driving mode work?
When you enable this mode, your iPhone will detect that you’re driving and automatically silence incoming calls, messages, and notifications. It’s really smart! But don’t worry, your important contacts can still reach you in case of emergencies. They’ll receive a message letting them know you’re driving and that you’ll get back to them later.
How to set up Do Not Disturb While Driving mode:
1. Open your iPhone’s Settings.
2. Scroll down and tap on “Do Not Disturb”.
3. Look for the “Do Not Disturb While Driving” option and tap on it.
4. Choose either “Automatically” or “When Connected to Car Bluetooth” based on your preference.
Automatically:
When you choose this option, your iPhone’s motion sensors will determine if you’re driving and activate the mode accordingly. It’s magical!
When Connected to Car Bluetooth:
If you select this option, your iPhone will connect to your car’s Bluetooth system and trigger the mode when it detects the connection. This is perfect if you only want the mode to activate while driving in your car.
How to turn off Do Not Disturb While Driving mode:
If for any reason you want to disable this mode, it’s just a few taps away:
1. Access Control Center by swiping down from the top right corner of your iPhone’s screen.
2. Look for the car icon in Control Center, which represents the Do Not Disturb While Driving mode.
3. Tap the car icon to turn off the mode.
That’s it! Now you know how to use and disable Do Not Disturb While Driving mode on your iPhone. Drive safely, my friend!
In September 2017, Apple introduced a new feature called Do Not Disturb While Driving mode for the iPhone. Its purpose is to reduce the risk of accidents caused by distracted driving. Let me give you a quick overview of what this feature does and how to use it.
Distracted driving is a problem worldwide. According to the CDC Motor Vehicle Safety Center, distracted driving in the United States alone leads to a thousand incidents and nine deaths each day. If you consider the number of countries in the world, you start to realize why distracted driving is such a major concern.
Nowadays, cars are like little tech bubbles with WiFi, navigation systems, LCD screens, and plenty of soundproofing. This can make you feel disconnected from the world around you. When your phone buzzes or a social media notification pops up, it’s difficult to resist the urge to check it out.
And that’s exactly what Apple is trying to prevent.
How Does Do Not Disturb While Driving Mode Work?
Let me explain how Do Not Disturb While Driving mode works. It’s like putting your phone in airplane mode, but with a few differences. When you have this mode on, your iPhone won’t make any sounds or notifications when you receive messages or updates. If someone sends you a text message, they will receive a message saying that you’re driving and won’t be able to respond right away.
Incoming calls also won’t disturb you unless they are from your favorite contacts or someone who has called you repeatedly. Other calls will go straight to voicemail.
You have the option to set exceptions to these rules. If someone texts you the word ‘urgent’, your iPhone will accept it and notify you normally. You can then ask Siri to read the message aloud. Emergency alerts, alarms, and timers will still show up as well. And if you connect your iPhone to your car’s Bluetooth, you can still receive calls and use navigation.
Apparently, Do Not Disturb While Driving mode uses the iPhone’s accelerometer to detect if you’re in a moving car. If you try to use your phone while driving, you’ll have to manually select ‘I’m not driving’ to use it.
How to Use Do Not Disturb While Driving Mode
The great thing about Do Not Disturb While Driving mode is that once it’s set up, it will automatically activate. It might take some time for your iPhone to learn your habits, but it will be beneficial in the long run.
Here’s how you can set up Do Not Disturb While Driving mode:
- Go to Settings and then Control Center.
- Select Customize Controls.
- Find Do Not Disturb While Driving and select it.
- Choose the mode you want to activate.
In Automatic mode, your iPhone will use the accelerometer, GPS, and network connections to determine if you’re on the move. When Connected to Car Bluetooth is for those who use Bluetooth in their car, and Manual mode requires you to manually turn on the Do Not Disturb While Driving mode from the Control Center.
If you’re a parent of a young driver, you can also enforce Do Not Disturb While Driving mode:
- Go to Settings and then General.
- Select Restrictions and enter your PIN code.
- Choose Allow Changes and select Do Not Disturb While Driving.
- Select Don’t Allow Changes.
This will make sure that the selected Do Not Disturb While Driving mode is enforced, and your child won’t be able to change it without knowing your PIN code.
Turning Do Not Disturb While Driving Mode On or Off
Once you have set up Do Not Disturb While Driving mode, you can easily turn it on or off using the Control Center.
- Swipe up from the Home screen.
- Select the car icon to toggle Do Not Disturb While Driving mode on or off.
You will see a notification at the top of the screen indicating the current status of the mode.
If you don’t see the car icon in the Control Center, you need to add it. Here’s how:
- Go to Settings and then Control Center.
- Select Customize Controls.
- Tap the green plus icon next to Do Not Disturb While Driving.
Now the icon should appear in the Control Center, and you can easily turn the mode on or off as you wish.
Do Not Disturb While Driving mode is a great feature that might need some improvements to be truly excellent. Some iPhone users have mentioned that it occasionally activates when they are on a bus or subway. Although it’s just a prompt and can be easily dismissed, it’s still worth considering the potential for avoiding distractions while driving.
What do you think about the iPhone Do Not Disturb While Driving mode? Have you tried it? Share your experiences with us below!
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7 Thoughts on “How To Use (and Turn Off) Do Not Disturb While Driving Mode on the iPhone”
John Seaton says: I removed it by tapping the minus sign in Settings > Control Center, but it still activates when I’m driving. I don’t need that because my car has a button on the steering wheel to handle phone calls, and I use Siri to read messages to me.
Ava Guidry says: It’s really annoying. I’ve been missing calls because they go straight to voicemail even when I’m just sitting on my couch and not moving. Please, turn it off!
Alex Leslie says: As a First Responder, I receive emergency dispatch texts at all hours of the day. This feature has caused me to miss several important messages, which is a matter of public safety. I need to disable it.
Jacque says: It sometimes interferes with hands-free capabilities. That could be dangerous in certain situations.
Kathy says: I don’t like it because I was trying to use turn-by-turn navigation, and it didn’t give me the spoken directions.
Kristin Miller says: I always use hands-free options when I’m driving. My car answers my calls and reads my texts to me. I rely on Siri for navigation and music. Once, when I was a passenger, I couldn’t hear my phone ringing because it was in silent mode and got lost in the car’s crevices.