Silent mode versus Focus

Focus has options while the Silent Mode switch is all or nothing.

Focus for example can allow notifications from selected people or apps to come through. See the following for more information: Set up a Focus on iPhone - Apple Support

Personally, I frequently use Control Center > Focus > Do Not Disturb > Until I leave this location when I want the phone silenced while I'm at an appointment at another location (e.g., doctor's office). The advantage for me is that I don't need to remember to turn it off, which I frequently forget if I turn Silent Mode on.

Dannymac22 wrote:

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/5b925ef2-bcd8-4e56-828c-e451165040a6

My "Sounds" simply doesn't have "Silent Mode". So, how do I put it there? We're having a hard time absorbing this, I guess.

This is abnormal and seems like a bug. I can’t think of any settings that would cause this to hide. As such, I suggest you contact Apple Support where they can run diagnostics and see if this is a present bug or not, then forward it to Apple engineers. The bottom of the page will have the Apple Support number for your region to call.

Contact Apple Support - Apple Support

It depends on how silent you want your iPhone to be. Both will mute sounds and haptics, but with Silent Mode notifications will still appear on your Lock Screen. Do not Disturb will also hide the notifications. If you only want the iPhone to be quiet, I suggest Silent Mode, and you will still be able to view notifications coming in.

By the way when Silent Mode or Do Not Disturb is on, the icon will show up in the top left of your iPhone screen, letting you know its enabled.

Dannymac22 wrote:

Thank you. Now, I'm not sure about haptics, because I had both turned on, and my phone vibrated noticeably when an e-mail came in. Now, with regard to "Silent Mode", is the ONLY way to turn it on and off with that inconvenient little switch? Ideally there is somewhere in Settings or the Control Panel that can not only turn it on and off, but indicate that it is on or off. With the switch, you are briefly told that it is on, when you turn it on, but after that you just have to remember it is on. Not obvious how to check whether it is on or off, except by feeling the switch.

Also, with regard to Focus "until I leave this location", how does it know you've changed location? I mean, do I have to move a few feet, or a kilometer? Or maybe it's looking at whether the local wifi is still available?

Well you can add the Silent Mode switch to your Control Center. You can tap it once to turn on and once again to turn off, and it will tell you if it is on or not.

Your iPhone uses location services, including GPS, Wi-Fi, and cellular network data, to determine when you leave a location, and then uses this information to automatically turn off a Focus if you've set it to "Until I leave this location. 

Dannymac22 wrote:

Not obvious how to add a "Silent Mode" switch to my Control Center. When I command to add to Control Center, and do "Search Controls", it can't find Silent Mode. Instructions?

Yes, I figured it used GPS, Wi-Fi, and cellular network data, to determine when you leave a location. But if I move a hundred feet, have I "left" the location? Yep, I left one office and moved to the one next door. How is "leaving location" defined?

Swipe down from the top right of your iPhone to access Control Center, tap the + in the top left, tap Add a Control in the bottom, search for Silent Mode and add. Still works for me.

I would assume 100 ft would be considering “left” the location. I have found it to be pretty accurate.

Dannymac22 wrote:

OK, as I said, when I search for Silent Mode , it can't find it. If I scroll down across all the choices, I don't see it.

Here’s what I see, can you please provide a screenshot?