Cell phones play an important role in our everyday lives. We use our phones for basic activities like setting alarms, making calls, and sending messages. We also use our mobile devices for more complex operations such as surfing the internet, making online purchases, and many more.
Several settings are available on our devices, and it is normal not to know how they all work. One of the most misunderstood settings happens to be airplane mode and how it affects our phone’s operation. So, does alarm work in airplane mode?
The answer to this question is yes, alarms work in airplane mode. To make things clearer, we’ll be discussing airplane mode, what function it affects, and the alarm setting.
What Is Airplane Mode?
If you swipe your phone screen down, you’ll notice a small airplane icon in the popup menu. This airplane icon represents airplane mode, but how does it affect your device?
If you click on the airplane icon, you’ll notice features like your Bluetooth, Wifi, and some others become disabled. When airplane mode is on, all wireless connections to your phone are cut off.
As the name suggests, airplane mode stems from air safety regulations. Airplanes are heavily dependent on wireless signals to transmit information to control towers. However, mobile devices and other gadgets receiving wireless transmissions can interfere with signals to and from the control tower. That’s why airplane mode was invented in the first place.
Over time, people discovered that we could use airplane mode for a number of other reasons. We will look at some instances when you should use airplane mode later in the post, but now we want to answer our main question: does alarm work in airplane mode?
Does Alarm Work In Airplane Mode?
To make a long story short, alarm does work in airplane mode. Airplane mode disables wireless connections to your device. It is not impacted by loss of wireless connections.
Wireless connections are any connection that comes from an external source without any visible wire or plug-in. Some of these connections include:
Cellular Network or Mobile Network
The cellular network on your device gives you access to the internet and allows you to make calls. When you put your phone on airplane mode or flight mode, you aren’t able to make calls or send messages.
When you’re in airplane mode, you will also notice your mobile data will become unavailable. The mobile data is represented by two arrows pointing in opposite directions.
Bluetooth
If you connect your Bluetooth to your speaker or headphones and click on the airplane icon, you’ll notice it goes off. Bluetooth also requires a wireless connection with whatever device you’re pairing with. You can turn on your Bluetooth after activating airplane mode, but it should be noted that it will be deactivated if you turn on your Bluetooth before activating flight mode.
WiFi
Your WiFi or Hotspot requires a wireless connection to another source or router. Airplane mode will deactivate any active WiFi or hotspot connection.
You can still use your WiFi once your device is in airplane mode; however, you can’t use your hotspot once your phone is on airplane mode.
GPS
Your GPS also won’t function because you need a wireless connection to a satellite.
We can see that the function that requires a wireless connection is automatically disabled, so what actually works in airplane mode?
Airplane mode doesn’t affect most built-in apps like your camera, local music, alarm, offline game apps, and other things that don’t require a wireless connection.
Your phone’s alarm is a part of the in-built clock function. Whether you’re using an iPhone, Android, or other devices, your alarm is not affected by airplane mode. Your device will still display the time in airplane mode and will definitely permit your alarm. Another good example is your calendar; your device doesn’t need a wireless connection to display the in-built calendar.
Why Is My Alarm Not Sounding In Airplane Mode?
If your alarm is not sounding in airplane mode, it will still not sound off airplane mode. The reason your alarm is not sounding has nothing to do with the airplane mode setting; it has to do entirely with your clock setting. Here are some things to check:
On Setting
As simple as it might sound, it is possible you didn’t turn on the alarm. Most devices try to make simple look sophisticated, but this can be confusing. The same goes for the clock setting. Take your time to check whether you’ve actually turned on the alarm. You should also ensure that you set the alarm to go off on the correct day(s).
Volume
If you’re sure the alarm is on, check the volume setting. The volume control for the alarm is usually different from the regular media setting in most devices. You may be increasing the media volume instead of the alarm volume setting. Check the volume under the alarm and ensure you set it to the highest or a comfortable volume.
When you’re adjusting the alarm volume, your device will play your selected ringtone to match the selected volume.
Ringtone
Your ringtone can also affect your sensitivity to your alarm. If the ringtone is very soft, it is possible not to hear it or ignore the tone of your alarm. You can select a louder ringtone or one that will draw your attention more.
General Sound Setting
Asides from your alarm setting, you should check the general sound setting. The general sound settings include loud, vibrate, and silent. If it is set to silent for some devices, your alarm won’t sound. The alarms on some devices are not disturbed by the silent setting. Also, if it’s set to vibrate, your alarm will not ring out.
If the settings above have been programmed correctly, your alarm should start ringing.
When Should I Use Airplane Mode?
You can use airplane mode when you don’t want any disturbance from your device or for safety precautions. Let’s look at some instances when airplane mode can be used:
In the plane
Airplane mode was initially designed for traveling on an aircraft. The signals from your device can interfere with the control tower’s transmissions, which can be very dangerous. This is why you’re told to switch off your devices on the plane.
It is also better to use airplane mode when traveling to other parts of the world or another country. You can be billed for roaming charges when you use your phone during long-distance travel. You can save extra cost by turning on airplane mode at the start of the journey and off at your destination.
To Save Battery
Most of our phone’s functions depend on wireless connections, and the more we use our phones, the faster we run out of battery. You can effectively reduce your device’s power consumption by activating airplane mode.
On the other hand, you can switch off your device, but then you won’t be able to use any functions. Some apps still use background data even when you activate the power-saving mode. These apps increase the power consumption rate, but airplane mode guards against that.
Sleep Time
If you’re a light sleeper, airplane mode can be a huge lifesaver. Sometimes, a call comes in, or we receive a notification when we finally get ourselves to sleep, and now we’re awake and pissed.
We can avoid these situations with airplane mode. In airplane mode, our phones are blocked from the cellular network or mobile roaming, and there is no chance of calls, messages, or online chat waking us. The only thing that can wake you in airplane mode is your alarm.
We advise using this measure only when you’re sure no important call or message will come in.
In Meetings or Gatherings
Have you been in a situation where your phone rang in the middle of an important meeting, and all eyes fell on you? That must have been awkward. You can use airplane mode when you don’t want to be disturbed or disturb those around you.
Having looked at the major issues, let’s answer some FAQs:
Can My Phone Ring In Airplane Mode?
It is possible for your phone to ring in airplane mode, but it means you’ve done something. Let’s explain.
The only time your phone will ring in airplane mode is if it’s an online call like Whatsapp, Skype, Facetime, or any other form that requires an internet connection. Normally all wireless connections are turned off in airplane mode, but you can manually turn on your WiFi.
If you activate your WiFi after activating airplane mode, it is possible to connect to a data provider or hotspot.
Does iPhone Alarm Work In Airplane Mode?
Let’s remind you that airplane mode only blocks wireless connections, and it doesn’t affect in-built apps. The alarms of iPhone, Samsung, and any other device you can think of will work in airplane mode.
Conclusion
Airplane mode is a handy feature, and we’ve seen some instances where we can use it. This mode disconnects any wireless connection to our device, but we can still use some in-built apps.
Does alarm work in airplane mode? Yes, our clock and alarm are good examples of apps that work in airplane mode. We’ve also looked at the reasons why your alarm may not be going off.
You should learn more about wireless connections and signals – we’re here to teach you.
