Silent mode

[Moparherb]

I very seldom use the silent switch on the side of my XS max. But yesterday I was at a concert and put the phone in silent mode. I observed the screen showing it was in silent mode. Just as the concert was ending I received a call which rang just as if I had not put the phone in silent mode. A couple of observations....first of all I just got (about a month ago) an Apple Watch series 4. Secondly the phone call was from my brother who is in my contact list. Now I’m pretty sure it has to do with some setting I have wrong but before I go randomly changing things I thought I might ask the experts here. I don’t often need to change the switch to silent but I would like to know that I can and get the desired results. Any advise will be appreciated.

 

[J. A.]

If your brother is one of your favourite contacts, the Ring/Silent switch won’t mute him.

To find out whether or not he is one of your Favourites, go to the contact, and check the phone number. He is a favourite contact, if there’s a tiny star next to it.

 

[Moparherb]

Thanks JA, but he is not a favorite so I still have the issue. I’m wondering if the watch has something to do with it.

 

[J. A.]

No, it shouldn’t, except if the iPhone is on silent, but the watch is not. In that case, you might have heard the Apple Watch ringing.

In the Watch app - Settings - Notifications - Phone: did you set it to mirror your iPhone (which would have muted the watch), or is Custom selected?
Another place to check is Settings - Sounds & Haptics - Silent Mode in the Watch app. Is it enabled or disabled?

Here’s what you can try in any case:
Restart your iPhone - turn it off an on again.
Force close the Phone app on your iPhone.

 

[scifan57]

Using theatre mode on your Apple watch will stop any audible alerts or ring tones but you will still get Haptic feedback when someone phones or texts. It also prevents the screen from turning on when you raise your wrist.

 

[Moparherb]

Nothing has helped. The problem is that I do not want the iPhone to ring when the silent mode switch is set to silent. The watch may not have any5hing to do with it. My daughters iPhone X works correctly. I firmly believe it is some setting but for the life of me I can’t figure which one.

 

[Moparherb]

Problem solved. Both my brother and my daughters contact have “Emergency Bypass” turned on. So no matter what I did with the switch the ringer would always ring. As soon as I disabled that feature for those contacts the phone only vibrated. Thanks for everyone who helped out. What a great group.

 

[J. A.]

I‘m glad you found the solution.

It‘s amazing. Although I know my iPhone and it‘s settings, more or less, I haven’t come over the Emergency Bypass until today. You never stop learning.

 

[Moparherb]

I feel really good, because like you I’m always learning and my Apple products keep amazing me.

 

[Maskoki3000]

I did not know Emergency Bypass was available. I actually use the silent switch at night. I receive notifications from my bank daily around 5 AM. Then I would receive alerts and replies on social media. I’m going to add my daughter on the Emergency Bypass.

Thanks