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How to Create Custom Vibration Notifications for iPhone

Jul 10, 2012 10:16 PM

Jul 11, 2012 09:04 PM

Smartphone displaying various apps on its screen.

Custom ring and text tones are great for knowing who's attempting to contact you without having to actually look at your iPhone. However, this feature is useless when your device is in silent/vibrate-only mode.

With a simple change in settings, you can unlock custom vibrations for anyone in your contact list. This way you will always know who is on the other side of communication and if it is important enough to pick up.

Enable Accessibility

In order to have the custom vibration creation screen available, you must first enable the "Custom Vibrations" option from the "Accessibility" menu. To locate this option, navigate Settings > General > Accessibility > Custom Vibrations. The photo gallery below will give a visual guide.

Settings menu on an iPhone showing the 'General' option highlighted.

Settings menu on an iPhone with "General" options highlighted.

Accessibility settings on a mobile device showing Custom Vibrations option turned ON.

Vibration

Navigating back to the main "Settings" page, you now want to go in to the "Sounds" menu item. At the bottom you will find a new menu item "Vibration".

Settings menu on a mobile device with "Sounds" option highlighted.

Settings menu for sound alerts on a smartphone, featuring options like New Mail, Calendar Alerts, and Vibration settings.

Upon entering the new menu item you will be given a list of standard vibration patterns. You may just want to use these. Otherwise you can create your own.

Creating Custom Vibrations

Select "Create New Vibration" from the bottom of the page. You will be taken to a mostly grey screen. Touching the screen will record a vibration; releasing your touch will stop the vibration. By touching, holding, and releasing, you will be able to build your vibration tones.

Vibration settings interface on a smartphone.

Once satisfied, press "save" and name your vibration pattern.

Apply to Contacts

Once you have recorded and saved you custom vibration (or decided which standard on to use), open your "contacts" app and navigate to the desired individual.

Once on their contact card, press "edit" in the upper right corner, then scroll down to Vibration. The "default" vibration will show, as it is the standard for the entire contact list. Select the menu item, then chose the appropriate vibration.

Settings menu for mobile device with options for ringtone, vibration, and homepage.

You can also create new custom vibrations from right inside this contact card.

With all the important contacts set with custom vibrations, your call display is now "ears-free" with you being able to feel who is calling!

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