How to Improve Silent Mode on Your iPhone 16 with a Simple Action Button Hack
Do you ever forget your iPhone is in Silent mode? A simple hack that leverages Focus filters and the Action button can make it easier to remember when you’ve silenced ring notifications on your iPhone 16.
In 2023, Apple replaced the Ring/Silent switch with an “Action” button on the iPhone 15 Pro (and Pro Max). This change became universal on all iPhone 16 models in September 2024.
The Action button can trigger all kinds of actions on your iPhone, including opening the camera, turning on the flashlight, recording a voice memo, bringing up the magnifier, running a shortcut, and much more.
By default, the Action button toggles between Silent mode and Ring mode for calls and alerts (just like the old switch used to do). For my everyday use, toggling Silent mode on and off is still the most useful option for the Action button.
However, when I upgraded my iPhone 12 Pro to an iPhone 16 in October 2024, I discovered one major annoyance with the change from the Ring/Silent switch to the Action button. I could no longer look at the side of my phone to check which mode I was in (i.e. whether the switch was in the on or off position).
Even with a physical Ring/Silent switch, I had a habit of forgetting I had turned on Silent mode, resulting in missed calls and messages. My new phone was likely to worsen this problem since the Action button doesn’t have a visible on and off state.
One solution would be to configure the Action button to trigger a specific Focus (instead of toggling Silent Mode). Since each Focus can have a custom wallpaper, I could use a different wallpaper as a visual indicator/reminder that my iPhone was in a specific Focus.
The drawback of this approach is that Focus modes are fussy to configure, and you have to manage the notification settings carefully. For example, you can list which people or apps can break the silence and notify you even when a Focus is enabled.
I preferred something simple, like the classic Silent mode — which makes all notifications vibrate instead of “ring.”
I started to wonder: was there a way to achieve the best of both worlds? Could I combine the wallpaper customization of a Focus with the simplicity of traditional Silent mode?
After some web research, I found the answer: YES!
The key was a deeply buried option called “Focus Filters” that enabled me to combine the functionality and visual appearance I wanted.
Here are the steps:
Part 1: Create a Custom Focus
Open Settings and press Focus.
Press +.
Press Custom.
Name your focus and set a color and icon for it.
On the setting screen for your new Focus, leave everything at default, except for the options below.
In the “CUSTOMIZE SCREENS” section, choose or create new lock and home screens.
The idea is to choose a design that looks dramatically different from your regular lock and home screens. I chose a bright red wallpaper to catch my eye when my iPhone is in Silent Mode. (I also set a different clock font.)
In the “FOCUS FILTERS” section, press “Add Filter.”
Swipe up to the bottom of the next screen and press “Silent Mode.”
Press “Add.”
Part 2: Configure the Action Button
Now that your custom Focus and screen customizations are in place, it’s time to connect them to the Action button.
- Open Settings and press Action Button.
- Swipe left to the Focus option.
- Select your new Focus from the menu.
I’ve found that this configuration provides an improved user experience over the old Ring/Silent mode switch. As I mentioned above, with the switch, I could easily forget I was in Silent mode, unless I noticed my phone vibrating or I happened to look at the physical switch on the side of the phone. On my iPhone 12 Pro, nothing on-screen reminded me that Silent Mode was enabled.
However, with my Action button configuration (and its screaming red wallpaper), I can’t imagine ever again forgetting that my iPhone 16 is in Silent Mode.
In practice, after living with this “hack” for a few weeks, I love this setup.
Your Turn
If you find this hack useful, please let me know in the comments. Also, feel free to share any similar hacks you’ve tried.
(Note: I moderate all comments so you may experience a delay before your comment appears on the post. For any SPAMMERS out there, don’t waste your time submitting as I will reject your comment.)