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Airplane mode and phone calls.

Is is possible to sleep with your iPhone in airplane mode, but still receive phone calls?


iPhone 7

Posted on Oct 14, 2019 6:22 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 14, 2019 7:47 AM

No. And maybe.


Airplane mode was designed to allow a cell phone user the ability to disable its two-way radios without removing power from the entire device, so you could continue to listen to music, etc., during flight. With the advent of in-flight WiFi services, newer phones allow the WiFi and Bluetooth radios to be turned on again after invoking Airplane mode.


So -- in Airplane mode your cellular radio will be off, so you will not be able to use it for any voice or data service.


But -- if you turn WiFi on, services that use only internet for communication will continue to function. This includes FaceTime, Skype, VoLTE (with some providers), etc.


If you turn on Airplane mode, but don't then turn on WiFi, your phone will remain incommunicado for the duration.


As an alternative, what works for me is to invoke scheduled Do Not Disturb ( Settings | Do Not Disturb | Scheduled ) from 11:45 PM until 7:00 AM each night. The phone won't ring or vibrate if the phone is locked during these hours, but the screen will show notifications if you lift the phone to see its Lock Screen.

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Oct 14, 2019 7:47 AM in response to bridgetfromchicago

No. And maybe.


Airplane mode was designed to allow a cell phone user the ability to disable its two-way radios without removing power from the entire device, so you could continue to listen to music, etc., during flight. With the advent of in-flight WiFi services, newer phones allow the WiFi and Bluetooth radios to be turned on again after invoking Airplane mode.


So -- in Airplane mode your cellular radio will be off, so you will not be able to use it for any voice or data service.


But -- if you turn WiFi on, services that use only internet for communication will continue to function. This includes FaceTime, Skype, VoLTE (with some providers), etc.


If you turn on Airplane mode, but don't then turn on WiFi, your phone will remain incommunicado for the duration.


As an alternative, what works for me is to invoke scheduled Do Not Disturb ( Settings | Do Not Disturb | Scheduled ) from 11:45 PM until 7:00 AM each night. The phone won't ring or vibrate if the phone is locked during these hours, but the screen will show notifications if you lift the phone to see its Lock Screen.

Airplane mode and phone calls.

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