How to Change Vibration Settings on an iPhone

In addition to sounds, your iPhone can vibrate to get your attention. And just as you can customize ringtones and alert tones, you can customize iPhone vibration to get silent alerts. This article provides step-by-step instructions on how to change the iPhone vibration settings and even how to create your own vibration patterns.

How to Change iPhone Vibration

Think of vibrations as being just like ringtones or alert tones, except silent (they're great for situations in which you don't want your phone making noise but still want to be notified). And, just like audio tones, you can choose different vibrations for different events on your phone. Here's what to do:

1. Tap Settings.

2. Tap Sounds & Haptics.

   On iPhone 6S and earlier, the menu is called Sounds.

3. To change the vibration when you get an incoming call, tap Ringtone.

   

4. Tap Vibration.

5. Choose Default, pre-installed vibrations, or None if you don't want a vibration during an incoming call. Tap each option to preview the vibration pattern.

   This sets the same vibration for all incoming calls. Just like with ringtones, you can set a different vibration for different people. That way, you'll know who's calling just by their vibration. Follow the steps to assign a custom ringtone to a specific person, but choose a vibration instead of a ringtone.

6. When you find one you want, make sure the checkmark is next to it and then tap Ringtone > Back.

   

7. You can customize vibration settings by following the same steps for Text Tone, New Voicemail, New Mail, Sent Mail, Calendar Alerts, and Reminder Alerts.

8. You can also choose whether vibrations play when your iPhone is Ring mode, Silent mode, or both. Ring mode is when you have your ringer switch (on the left side of the phone) set to play your ringtone and alerts. Silent mode mutes ringtones and alerts. Control these options with the sliders for Play Haptics in Ring Mode and Play Haptics in Silent Mode.

   

How to Create New Vibration Patterns on iPhone

Just like with ringtones, the iPhone comes with a set of pre-defined vibration patterns, but you can also create your own custom patterns. This can allow you to know—just by the vibration of your phone—who has called or texted, or to create a specific vibration to go with a reminder to do a task. Here's how to create custom vibration patterns on iPhone:

1. Tap Settings.

2. Tap Sounds & Haptics.

3. Tap the alert type you want to create the new vibration pattern for.

   

4. Tap Vibration.

5. Tap Create New Vibration.

6. Tap the vibration pattern on the screen.

   

7. When you're done, tap Stop.

8. Tap Play to preview the vibration.

9. If you want to record it again, tap Record and tap the screen again. If you're happy with it, tap Save.

   

10. Give the new vibration pattern a name in the pop-up window and tap Save.

11. The new vibration is available in the Custom menu and can be applied to all ring and alert tones, not just the one you started with in step 3.