How to Use Blocking Mode on Samsung Galaxy S4

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.