It isn’t easy to silence your phone at a meeting when you don’t want to be disturbed. Certainly, you can put your phone on Silent mode; you may be worried the whole time about what might happen if an important person or a loved one were to call. You wouldn’t want to be out of their reach.
If this is a problem that you’ve faced, these options should be of interest.
Using Android’s own Do Not Disturb feature
Android has had this function ever since Lollipop, in a feature called Do Not Disturb. The modern version of Do Not Disturb has been around since Marshmallow. It’s a useful feature, but it’s somewhat limited in its usefulness. You get to set overrides for calls from all people on your contacts list, or people whom you highlight with a star. The problem is that you may want to star those contacts for another reason. Messing with those stars for your call screening may upset choices you’ve already made elsewhere. But Android does have a toggle switch that lets you make an exception for anyone who calls multiple times
Setting overrides
NverMiss is a simple and useful idea. If there are specific people whom you would like to maintain contact with no matter what meeting you’re in, you save those numbers or email addresses in the app. When they try to contact you through a phone call, a WhatsApp message, a text message or email, you get a notification even if your phone happens to be on Silent mode. These functions are actual features on iOS. Since Android doesn’t have it, NverMiss can be an excellent idea.
Another take on the idea with a password
TeXTe takes a different approach to the screening problem — it only works for text messages. You set up the app with a keyword, and you share it with whoever it is that you want to call you. If they feel the need to contact you, they can do so with a message with the TexTe keyword.
While this app hasn’t been updated in a while, it does work.
Programming for automation
If an app that merely lets you choose from a set of options isn’t good enough, MacroDroid may be your only option. MacroDroid allows users to automate complex functions needed in specific circumstances. There are dozens of choices to use, and for not just silencing your phone in an intelligent way. You get to set any kind of trigger — such as a call from someone – and use the trigger to set off any kind of function, like sending out a certain kind of message or starting a call recording app.
In many ways, Android is far more customizable and user controllable than iOS, and it becomes apparent in such situations that require complex controls. Customization is always easier on Android.
