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How to Use Blocking Mode on Samsung Galaxy S4

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The Samsung Galaxy S4 offers a tool called Blocking Mode, which helps users stop annoying intrusions from the phone during meetings, sleep or a period of needed respite or focus. We’ll show users how to engage the Blocking Mode on Samsung Galaxy S4 to keep the phone from making noise or interrupting the user. This is one of the 25 Hidden Features of the Samsung Galaxy S4 we shared earlier.

So why would a user want to use Blocking Mode? Phones can make a lot of noise, keeping users awake at night. Also, a meeting isn’t the place for ringtones and alarms. If someone wants to keep the phone from intruding on their rest, a meeting or just a period of needed focus, set Blocking Mode and the Samsung Galaxy S4 will leave the user alone. The person can go back later and check phone calls, voice messages, email or texts after turning off Blocking mode.

blocking mode

To start Blocking Mode open Settings, either from the menu button at the bottom left of the phone or from the notifications area, which we find by sliding down from the top of the screen. There’s also a settings app icon in the App drawer.

Tap on the My Device tab. Look for Blocking mode near the bottom of the screen. Tap the menu item to configure it, or just the OFF/ON switch to turn it on after its already configured.

blocking mode settings

After tapping the menu item a new screen opens. To interact with the configuration items turn Blocking mode on at the tope of the screen by tapping the ON/OFF switch. Select on, or all of the four items included in the Blocking mode configuration screen, by tapping the check box to the right. They are:

  • Disable incoming calls – the phone won’t ring or vibrate when someone calls
  • Disable notifications – keeps the phone from making a notification sounds or vibrating when email arrives or an appointment begins among other things
  • Disable alarm and timer – keeps the alarm or timer a user previously set from making noise
  • Disabler LED indicator – stops the LED on the front top left from flashing during notifications

The user can choose one, all or any combination of these four items. For example, to keep things quiet, choose the first three but keep the LED flash turned on by unchecking it. That way the user gets a visual cue but not an audio cue or vibration.

The next screen lets the user set the time when the Blocking Mode starts and stops. Choose always to turn it on and keep it on until it’s turned off manually. Or uncheck that item and set a start and stop time.

blocking mode time setting

Once the start and stop time are set, the phone will automatically start and stop Blocking mode at the set times.

A third option lets users choose which contacts will ring the phone even in Blocking mode. For example, if a person needs to take an important call from her boss, she can set Blocking mode, but make an exception for that contact.

blocking mode contacts

Tap on Allowed contacts and choose from one of the four options.

  • None – no contacts will get through
  • All contacts – only people in the contacts on the phone will get through
  • Favorites – only contacts added to the phone’s Favorites lists will get through
  • Custom – lets the user choose which contacts get through

Set Favorites by going into the Contacts and opening a Contact. Tap the star in the upper right corner to add them to the Favorites list.

 

 

17 Comments

17 Comments

  1. Top 5 Android Free Keyboards

    08/04/2013 at 4:04 am

    Nice feature to avoid disturbance

  2. tonys

    08/04/2013 at 2:44 pm

    Verizon does not have this on their galaxy s4 which sucks

    • bill

      08/25/2013 at 10:53 pm

      Thought I was missing something in the steps. as I couldn’t find it either. Can’t understand why THAT would be a feature they’d omit :(

  3. Kent H

    08/04/2013 at 10:41 pm

    No such setting on my Galaxy S4
    :-(

    • Kent H

      08/04/2013 at 10:45 pm

      Forgot to mention, mine is also Verizon.

  4. Dotty Walker

    08/19/2013 at 8:50 pm

    Do not have this feature on my Verizon Galaxy S4.

  5. jason

    08/31/2013 at 6:38 am

    well its great to have such a feature on our smartphone, no matter whether its android or iPhone. I always use this option with the help of some antivirus software or some blocking software available in the Google market.

  6. Re-Re

    09/11/2013 at 3:55 pm

    I love my s4 from T mobile

  7. williet

    10/06/2013 at 6:44 pm

    Try the “Do Not Disturb” app. It is free

  8. Andrea

    10/31/2013 at 9:13 am

    Can you tell me for the blocking mode option does notification also include text messages / bbm along with the stated emails?

  9. Bryan

    11/02/2013 at 10:50 am

    Nice. But I’ve been using the Quiet Time app, which allows you to set schedules, not just a single “off” time frame. For instance, I set different silent hours for Friday and Saturday nights/mornings so I can sleep in. Nothing worse than being awaken by a spam text after a long night of….fun.

  10. lisa

    12/23/2013 at 7:31 pm

    Great feature, I have Verizon and so far so good.

  11. Carl Kohn

    02/13/2014 at 11:01 am

    “… keep it on until it’s turned off manually. Or uncheck that item and set a start and stop time.”

    My Galaxy S4 from Wind Mobile does not seem to have this option. I would like my phone to automatically go back to its previous state after the blocking period. It does not do this and I end up missing appointments and calls.

    Any suggestions?

  12. jegari

    11/15/2014 at 5:50 am

    Samsung is sending annoying websites and i havent had the phone a week.
    Bastards.

  13. Lugenia Sapp

    05/22/2015 at 11:41 am

    This doesn’t work since the recent lollipop update. Do you have a ‘workaround ‘ yet?

  14. Lawrence

    06/05/2015 at 3:09 am

    Can someone tell me where to find blocking mode on Samsung 4?? Does not appear in menus :-( cheers

  15. saditsgone

    06/06/2015 at 3:13 pm

    sorry to have to tell you this but ‘blocking mode’ was removed with the lollipop update.

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