Did you know: Google removed silent mode from Android 5.0 Lollipop (and everyone is outraged)

posted by Victor H. / Jan 13, 2015, 3:32 AM

Did you know: Google removed silent mode from Android 5.0 Lollipop (and everyone is outraged)

Android 5.0 Lollipop is widely advertized as one of the most significant upgrades to Google’s mobile operating system, bringing features like the all new Material Design language and a deep overhaul of the runtime environment as Dalvik has been replaced with ART, and the system is now fully 64-bit compatible.

However, as more and more users get it on devices, some surprising shortcoming show up and the most notable one (one of the highest rating on the Android Issue tracker) is the lack of ‘silent mode’ in Android 5.0 Lollipop.

Vibrate is the lowest setting on the volume slider, there is no silent mode in Android 5.0 Lollipop

We don’t know if that is a surprising oversight or a (terribly) deliberate decision, but since silent mode is available on earlier Android version it seems like the latter.

Android 5.0 Lollipop does bring a few new settings for notifications: you have a do not disturb settings (where no notifications pass through), you have a priority mode (where you can set notifications from certain apps and callers to filter through), and you have a volume slider that controls all notifications.

That slider however can only go down to ‘vibrate’, so that if you want to completely silence your phone while still receiving notifications from all people and apps, you have to do some complicated adjustments in priority mode.

Users are complaining that if you’re in a meeting or in the library and want to discreetly stay in touch with the world you cannot do that easily by just pressing the volume down button to silence the phone. Hopefully, Google takes note and brings that option back in a future update.

source: Reddit

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35 Comments

3. wando77

Posts: 1166; Member since: Aug 23, 2012

Somebody hates google this morning. First the 900 million users in trouble from hackers and now this

posted on Jan 13, 2015, 3:58 AM 7

19. Finalflash

Posts: 4062; Member since: Jul 23, 2013

Lol, this place isn't known as iPhoneArena for nothing. They probably got a call from their sponsor telling them they need as much anti-Android propaganda as possible.

posted on Jan 13, 2015, 7:09 AM 1

32. SuperMaoriBro

Posts: 533; Member since: Jun 23, 2012

Grow up. Im an android fan to. But just because every article isnt Android worship doesnt mean this is an anti android site. If you dont like it here then gtfo. So tired of people moaning and complaining.

posted on Jan 13, 2015, 12:34 PM 1

4. Andrewtst

Posts: 696; Member since: Jan 25, 2009

Ya, I read somewhere google will added back. Google must added back.

posted on Jan 13, 2015, 4:00 AM 0

5. DeDex

Posts: 119; Member since: Sep 01, 2014

This "silent mode" redesign is among the worst ones I've seen in Lollipop so far. The new approach is not user-friendly and, most importantly, flawed: some apps can bypass Priority mode and still ring when you don't want them to (for instance, Google's own Messenger app rings when you receive a new message in the thread you're currently reading, no matther whether you're in Priority mode or not). This new system that replaces the good old Silent mode is what you'd call a false good idea: some people at Google might have thought it would be a cooler replacement, but the truth is that it is just messy as hell. I know no one who actually likes this system rather than the old silent mode. I really hope Google will realize most users aren't satisfied with Priority mode and will bring back good ol' silent mode.

posted on Jan 13, 2015, 4:04 AM 4

6. phljcnth

Posts: 549; Member since: Apr 30, 2012

Noticed this too. And I've always thought it's Samsung's own Lollipop configuration. Now it turns out that Google's the real culprit. :/

posted on Jan 13, 2015, 4:04 AM 0

7. IgorEfremenko

Posts: 107; Member since: Nov 30, 2011

What's wrong with setting your phone to the Do Not Disturb mode? It does exactly the same thing.

posted on Jan 13, 2015, 4:05 AM 0

10. Victor.H

Posts: 1026; Member since: May 27, 2011

Not the same at all. DND does not pass through notifications, while silent mode means you DO get notifications, just silently. You can fifddle with Priority Mode to get a silent mode-like result, but I can't imagine anyone in their right mind would prefer doing that instead of just turning down volume to silence the phone.

posted on Jan 13, 2015, 4:26 AM 1

16. orphant

Posts: 35; Member since: Oct 22, 2014

phonearena.com/news/How-to-use-Android-5.0-Priority-Mode-aka-the-new-Silent-Mode_id62964

posted on Jan 13, 2015, 6:20 AM 0

20. DeDex

Posts: 119; Member since: Sep 01, 2014

Also, DND mode even cuts the sound of your alarms. No alarm clock for you in DND.

posted on Jan 13, 2015, 7:20 AM 0

27. IgorEfremenko

Posts: 107; Member since: Nov 30, 2011

Victor, I'm quite confused now. I have Lollipop on my Nexus 5 and I'm still getting all of the calls and whatsapp / viber / [any other app] messages in the DND mode. And yes, they come silently. So, I agree that you'll miss your alarms, but this totally makes sense to me. DND mode is like "Hey I'm on an important meeting, don't you dare to alert me in any possible way!" Which was basically the main use case for the silend mode for me.

posted on Jan 13, 2015, 10:08 AM 1

41. DeDex

Posts: 119; Member since: Sep 01, 2014

I agree, DND makes complete sense. The problem is that several people said "well, DND is the old equivalent to silent mode, duh", which is not true because there's no mode that will effectively silence all your notifications _except_ alarms, as the old silent mode did. That's supposed to be how Priority mode works by default, but some apps manage to bypass the restriction, so that's not actually the case.

posted on Jan 14, 2015, 2:45 AM 0

31. AfterShock

Posts: 4146; Member since: Nov 02, 2012

Leave it set to all incoming, turn ringer down to vibrate and set phone on something soft. A quick tap will dispel callers that may cause it to buzz and buzz, but not any worse then it already flashing like a discothèque.

posted on Jan 13, 2015, 12:24 PM 0

8. legiloca

Posts: 1674; Member since: Nov 11, 2014

I am one of those people who loves to just toggle between silent mode & sound mode and I find this update ridiculously annoying for removing silent mode.

posted on Jan 13, 2015, 4:06 AM 2

11. metaphysical

Posts: 1; Member since: Jan 13, 2015

I do miss it, but found a work-a-round that is OK for me. I use the "Simple Sound Profile Widget" from play store. Once installed I choose "Silent" from the widget and then choose "Silent" a second time from the widget. Then my phone (Nexus 5) is in full silent mode (priority mode, but silences alarms etc as well).

posted on Jan 13, 2015, 4:33 AM 0

13. just_sinisa

Posts: 1; Member since: Jan 13, 2015

On my G3 i have silent mode,same like it was on kitkat... But when i updated my S5 on lollipop ,that option has gone... Why Samsung,why???

posted on Jan 13, 2015, 5:07 AM 0

14. RareCandy

Posts: 61; Member since: Nov 20, 2014

iPhone had this features even with the physical silent mode switch. Android have miles away to catch up :)

posted on Jan 13, 2015, 5:35 AM 1

22. Exempt1 unregistered

Android, catch up? Haa. It's not even a problem, everyone keeps moaning about it but it's actually really sweet once you give the 2 whole minutes to just tap what apps you want to notify and not. Besides, if you press that 'None' toggle, it removes sound/buzzing, but you still get the notification. AKA, silent mode....

posted on Jan 13, 2015, 7:28 AM 0

28. Settings

Posts: 2942; Member since: Jul 02, 2014

But turning on silent is much much faster in iPhone compared to Android.

posted on Jan 13, 2015, 10:14 AM 1

38. EclipseGSX

Posts: 1770; Member since: Oct 18, 2011

It even goes to silent in your pocket sometimes it knows you that well...ZING

posted on Jan 13, 2015, 4:14 PM 0

39. Exempt1 unregistered

I don't care. I don't think anyone cares. Is this what Apple users have come to now? "Hey, hey guy, watch this" *FLICK* "OMG DID YOU JUST PUT YOUR PHONE SILENT GAAAAAHHHHHHHHH TOTES AMAZEBALLS". But we can play this game.... Know the cable for my phones? I got like a billion around my house, and in my car, and every home in the UK has at least 10, cuz every normal company uses them for almost every usb connection. Know what this means? Can charge my phone wherever I go. Know what is also awesome? It charges my Android phone in just under 2 hours. Know how I charge my phone in the house? Place it on the table, starts charging wirelessly. Know how I silence my phone when it's put away? With my watch.

posted on Jan 13, 2015, 8:48 PM 0

15. ARPEE

Posts: 3; Member since: Jan 13, 2015

Or just hit the NONE option in the priority menu. You get the notifications, just no buzz or light up.

posted on Jan 13, 2015, 5:37 AM 2

17. Hotzb22

Posts: 109; Member since: Mar 30, 2009

^ this

posted on Jan 13, 2015, 6:52 AM 0

21. DeDex

Posts: 119; Member since: Sep 01, 2014

But no alarm clock.

posted on Jan 13, 2015, 7:21 AM 0

23. Exempt1 unregistered

Take two seconds to setup a priority profile, and you will have your own custom Alarm Mode.

posted on Jan 13, 2015, 7:29 AM 0

18. AfterShock

Posts: 4146; Member since: Nov 02, 2012

I myself prefer Priority to just silent. Silent blocks everyone so no chance of an emergency type message or call getting your attention versus a mild interruption to get it. In silent case you would not know or be checking it like a crack hooker for her next hit.

posted on Jan 13, 2015, 6:59 AM 0

24. tokuzumi

Posts: 1800; Member since: Aug 27, 2009

Google will probably do nothing about this. That idiot Duarte still won't put back separate ringtone/notification volumes. While he's done some amazing work since he started at Google, sometimes I think he can't see the forest for the trees.