As a general rule, we remember airplane mode when we take a plane because we know that, during the flight, we have to disconnect the mobile or put it, as they tell us over the public address system, the “airplane mode”.
But what is it exactly? What is it for? How do you put on and take off? Are there tricks with its use? If you also ask yourself, we will answer all of it.
What is airplane mode
Airplane mode is actually a setting that you have on your mobile device, although it is also present on tablets, laptops, computers... The purpose of this is to disconnect wireless connections, be it WiFi, phone data, call or message signal or even Bluetooth.
This means that the phone is totally unusable, since you will not be able to call or receive calls, nor SMS and the applications will not work. Only those that do not use the Internet could work, but the remainder would be suspended until this mode was deactivated.
The reason why it is called this way is because it alluded to the prohibition that existed years ago in which when traveling by plane you could not use your mobile and manufacturers, with the aim of not turning off the mobile , they designed this setting.
Although today it is known that nothing happens for not activating it on flights, they continue to recommend it, and even oblige. However, since 2014 it can be flown without activating it (allowed by EASA or the European Commission). Keep in mind that, despite this possibility, it is the airlines that have the last word on what can and cannot be done on flights.
What is airplane mode used for?
Surely you have used airplane mode at some time, and not precisely to fly. And it is that, although its main use is this, it actually has more uses on a daily basis. Some of the most common are the following:
to sleep better
Bearing in mind that we are increasingly connected to devices (mobile, tablet, computer), our body reacts to any sound that comes from them, to the point of waking up in the middle of the night just to know what has arrived.
And that hurts our sleep.
Therefore, using airplane mode is a way to pause the mobile without having to turn it off and allow you to have a few hours of tranquility and rest that your body will thank you for.
Save battery
Another common use of airplane mode is to save battery. Having internet, bluetooth, and many more connections open continuously is known to drain battery. If you have little left, activating it can help you maintain it, although it has a problem and that is that you would leave the phone without the possibility of communication.
Something less radical would be to remove the data and WiFi so that it does not connect.
Write on WhatsApp without being seen
This is perhaps one of the most used by many, and It consists of turning on the airplane mode to be able to see the states or respond to messages without the “sneak” appearing 'Writing' when we are answering.
That means you can take your time responding, or just take time out of the app without getting messages.
Restart the connections
It is a little known use, but very effective when the connections with your phone give problems (you have no signal, it cuts out, you can't hear well, etc.). If that happens, toturning airplane mode on and off within five minutes can help reset and restart the connections.
In many cases, this helps to fix the problems.
How to turn airplane mode on and off
Now that you know more about airplane mode, it's time for you to know how to activate and deactivate it on your mobile, be it Android or iPhone.
The truth is that it is very easy since it is usually in the quick controls of the phone. But if you have never needed it before and you don't know where it is, we make it easy for you.
Turn on and off on Android
We start with Android phones. The truth is that there are several ways to activate it (and therefore to deactivate it) so you have options:
Using the off button. There are phones that, when you press and hold the power button, it gives you a small menu before turning off completely, one of the buttons being that of an airplane. That is the airplane mode and with a click you can activate it (and deactivate it the same).
In the Android settings. If you enter the settings button on your phone, you may have a search engine, to search for it if it does not come out. But normally it will appear: at the top of the menu or in WiFi and mobile networks. You just have to activate it and that's it.
in the notification bar. If you lower the notification bar (you take your finger from the top to the bottom) and there, in quick access controls, you will have the airplane icon button to activate (or deactivate) it.
Turn on and off on iPhone
In case your mobile is an iPhone, you should know that you will almost always find it the same as on Android, that is:
- In the settings menu of your phone, either at the beginning or looking at WiFi and connections.
- In the control center of your iPhone.
Activate and deactivate on a computer
Before we have commented that there are many laptops and computers that have the airplane mode button. In the case of a tower computer, use is very rare, beyond perhaps resetting the connections you have, but in laptops it can be used more, especially if you travel and work with it during the trip.
Activating and deactivating it will depend on whether you use Windows, Linux or Mac on your computer, but in almost all of them you will find it easily by searching for it in the main menu search engine or by locating an icon with an airplane (the same as the one on your mobile).
Of course, remember to deactivate it afterwards, otherwise, no matter how hard you try to connect to a network later, it will not allow it.
As you can see, airplane mode, although it was originally designed for airplanes, today it has many more uses. You just have to give it a chance and try. Nothing happens to be a little while without the mobile.