This iPhone feature is a lifesaver for emergencies: Here's how to enable it

The iPhone has several features that Apple does not openly talk about. As a result, most people do not know if they exist. One of them is the ability to allow calls from some contacts to ring even if the iPhone is in silent mode. Doing that allows you to be available for calls from important contacts, which could otherwise have been ignored. When you allow calls from certain contacts to ring, you ensure you attend to them in an emergency.

If you did not know about this feature, here are a few steps you can follow to let some calls ring even in silent mode.

How to allow some contacts to ring in silent mode

1. Open the Contacts app and select the contact you want to customise.
2. Tap Edit in the top right corner.
3. Look for the Ringtone option and tap on it.
4. Swipe all the way to the top of the ringtone options. You will see a toggle for Emergency Bypass.
5. Turn on Emergency Bypass for this contact.

Now, whenever this specific person calls, your iPhone will ring even if it is in silent or vibrate mode. You can repeat this process for any contact you want to ensure gets through no matter the phone setting.

Things to remember

The ability to bypass silent mode on your iPhone allows some calls to ring in case of emergencies. That is why if you allow several different contacts to ring, it defeats the purpose of silent mode on your iPhone. Putting your iPhone in silent mode prevents any sound in case of a call or text, especially during important meetings and situations where a phone’s ring may cause a disturbance. Letting your phone ring in such situations is also often considered rude. Another thing to keep in mind is that this bypass silent mode feature cannot bypass Do Not Disturb (DND) mode, so any incoming calls while DND mode is on will either not ring or go to voicemail, depending on your carrier.