Airplane Mode

Updated: สิงหาคม 25, 2022 | Published: สิงหาคม 10, 2022

What is the Airplane Mode?

Once airplane mode is activated, all communication methods of the smartphone are disabled, i.e. WiFi, NFC, GPS, LTE and Bluetooth. Thus, no signals can be sent or received anymore.

By the way, the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth can also be turned on again later.

What is the purpose of aircraft mode for flight safety?

Before an aircraft takes off, the flight crew requires all passengers to switch off their cell phones and other electronic devices or, alternatively, to activate airplane mode.

The reason for this is that the network search of communication or Internet-capable technology can interfere with radio connections, making communication between the cockpit and the tower more difficult. This can pose a safety risk.

What happens in airplane mode is nothing other than the deactivation of all radio connections. This includes GPS, LTE, WiFi and Bluetooth, for example – without you having to switch off the device.

After all, modern smartphones can do much more than telephony and text messaging; laptops offer a wealth of functions even without the Internet. So you can still read e-books, listen to music or play games offline without your device causing interference on the plane.

Partly, certain functions like WiFi or Bluetooth can be activated separately again, for example to use the WiFi on the plane.

How to turn on the airplane mode?

Flight mode can be activated on the phone or tablet either via the drop-down menu or the settings. If you do that, the phone switches itself off and on again – at least as far as the send functions are concerned.

In the first variant, you simply drag down the toolbar at the top of the screen and eventually find a variety of different icons, including an airplane icon. By tapping on it, the device disables all its wireless connections.

In the settings, on the other hand, select the “Connections” tab, then you will find the option “Airplane mode” or else “Offline mode”. If you click on the button or move the slider, telephony, GPS and mobile data are also disabled.

Proceed similarly with a laptop or notebook:

Here, you also open the settings, either via the Start menu or the key combination Windows + i. Then select “Network and Internet” and click on the tab “Airplane mode”. If you activate the switch there, the device will automatically terminate all its wireless connections here as well.

Airplane mode means peace and quiet, which can also be an advantage in everyday life

In addition to ensuring flight safety, the offline profile of various devices, especially smartphones, can also be used in everyday life. For example, you can escape the stress of constant availability for a few hours.

Especially at night, it can be extremely reassuring to know that no one will disturb your sleep. But also during the day, for example after work, you can treat yourself to some peace and quiet without having to switch off your phone completely.

Among other things, the offline mode can be used to quickly mute your phone. This comes in handy during professional meetings, university lectures or other appointments, for example. Instead of deactivating the sound and vibration function individually or working your way through various menus to specific sound profiles, one click on the airplane button in the drop-down menu is enough to silence your smartphone.

Saving energy with airplane mode

Last but not least, Airplane Mode can help you save energy should your battery run low. The constant search for phone, WiFi or mobile networks as well as the transmission and collection of various signals ultimately drains the battery. If you deactivate the wireless connections, this automatically reduces the power consumption. Often, the predefined energy-saving mode of your phone also falls back on the flight mode.