Recently, I was behind a woman at a store when her smartphone started ringing. Several rings later, I wondered whether she didn’t hear it among the bustle of the shoppers, or if she was ignoring it. Either way, it was annoying to everyone around her.
Many of us hate to miss incoming calls so we put our ringers on full volume to make sure that doesn’t happen. Not a bad idea if you’re at home waiting for a call, but loud ringtones in public or the workplace are taboo.
Perhaps we can learn a thing or two about phone etiquette from the millennial generation. They’ve created a norm where smartphones are seen and not heard – where silent mode has replaced the sound of a ringing phone.
Today’s younger generations carry their phones in their jeans pockets, jackets or place them in clear view, so the vibration of a call or text coming in is their alert. Most of them answer calls and texts instantaneous, while they keep whatever they’re doing moving forward.
You need to ask yourself, does every call and text require an immediate response? If you’re like me, the answer is no. So the next time you go into a a theater, restaurant or store, turn off the ringer. Changing most smartphones to silent is as easy as sliding a side button to vibrate mode. An other option is to turn the volume down on your ringer.
But let’s say that you really don’t want to miss that incoming call from a family member or friend. Customizing your ringtone is another way to manage incoming calls on your phone. Did you know you can assign certain ringtones to people in your contact list? For example, you can pick a specific ringtone for a family member so when the call comes in you can easily identify the caller.
Smartphones come with over 30 types of ringtones that can be assigned to incoming calls, text messages and notifications. It’s simple to do, and the hardest part will be selecting the right ringtone from the long list of sound options.
Here is how to do it:
- Visit Settings > Sounds > Ringtone
- Test out the ringtones listed by tapping them and listening (have your volume up to hear them). Once you find one you like, give it a tap to check it.
And here’s how to assign a ringtone to a specific person:
- Find the person in your Contact list that you want to assign a unique ringtone to.
- Choose to Edit Contact.
- Scroll down to the Ringtone option and choose a specific sound. On an Android phone you will see an option called, Set Ringtone.
Customizing your phone’s ringtone can take time. Find a quiet place so you can listen carefully to all the options available to you. Find one that fits your lifestyle. Embrace the ring, just be respectful of those around you when it is turned on.