Facebook for iOS Getting 'Quiet Mode' to Mute Push Notifications

Facebook on Thursday announced an all-new "Quiet Mode" for its app that will mute "most push notifications." According to the company, the mode will be "remind" users that they "set this time aside to limit your time in the app." The update comes at a time when people around the world are staying indoors to curb the spread of novel coronavirus. With Quiet Mode, Facebook aims to help users to "find the right balance" whilst using the app. The company has reportedly rolled out the feature on iOS, however, iPhone users in India are yet to receive the update. Android users will reportedly get Quiet Mode in May.

Although Facebook does not clarify how the feature fully works or what type of push notifications will be hidden, The Verge in a report highlighted that the Quiet Mode can be manually activated/deactivated in addition to being scheduled. It was also pointed out that if users open the Facebook app while Quiet Mode is activated, a message will also appear reminding them of the mode. The report further claims that users will not get to see the badges that frequently appear over Facebook Watch icon inside the app when Quiet Mode is activated. Currently, Facebook offers the option to mute push notifications (can be enabled via the Notification Settings), however, the feature does not hide notifications or badges when the users are on the app.

Facebook in a note explained that the Quiet Mode comes at a time when people across the world "adjust to new routines" due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"Whether it's to help you focus on your family and friends, sleep without distraction or manage how you spend your time at home, we have tools that can help you find the right balance for how you use Facebook," the company said.

Quiet Mode is reportedly added to the app's "Your Time on Facebook" dashboard that can be found under the Settings & Privacy section. To access Settings and Privacy, users can click on the three vertical-line-icon available at the bottom right corner on the homepage of the app.

Speaking more about the new mode, Facebook told Verge that the Quiet Mode is a part of a "larger update to the [Your Time on Facebook] dashboard". The company added that the dashboard will add features such as week-over-week trends, usage tracking for daytime versus night, and a counter for the total number of visits. It was further reported that new updates are being rolled out on iOS but Android users will receive it in May.

Facebook also claimed that it has added shortcuts to Notification Settings and News Feed Preferences. However, the shortcuts are not yet rolled out in India.