What is airplane mode?

It’s on phones, it’s on tablets, it’s even on laptops and now smartwatches: that little icon with a picture of a jet on it AKA airplane mode. And while you may have gotten excited thinking it was going to deploy a set of wings from your device, allowing it to fly, it’s actually simpler than that. So what is airplane mode? We’ll go over that in this blog, as well as how to use it, when to use it and why it’s important—with just a couple layovers along the way.

What does airplane mode do?

Airplane mode is essentially a “kill switch” that turns off anything that emits or receives a wireless signal on your device. This includes:

• Cellular
  • The ability to make & receive calls, send & receive text messages or access mobile data via a cell tower
• Wi-Fi
  • The ability to connect to a Wi-Fi network 
• Bluetooth
  • Any connection to a bluetooth speaker, wireless headphones, etc 
• GPS
  • The navigation feature used for your maps app
• NFC
  • The wireless connection you use whenever you “tap to pay” that can also be used to send stuff like photos & videos to nearby friends

Why is it called airplane mode?

So why do they call it airplane mode? Well, because the main reason it exists is for whenever you’re traveling by plane. Since the 1950s, the aviation industry has had concerns about radio signals interfering with the communication systems in airplanes. If you’ve ever received a text message while listening to your car radio, you may remember hearing a grating noise over the speakers as the message arrived. Now imagine dozens of phones doing that for hours on an airplane. It’s critical that pilots have a clear, stable connection to air traffic control and other pilots, thus, the need for airplane mode.

When to use airplane mode

Obviously the most common time to use airplane mode is for when you’re in the air. The flight crew should remind you to switch to airplane mode before takeoff, of course. But there are a few other reasons airplane mode may come in handy:

• Save battery life
  • If you find yourself in a place with limited signal for an extended period of time (like on a theme park ride, in a submarine or just in your friend’s basement apartment), switching to airplane mode stops your phone from constantly searching for a signal, which can eat up some battery. You can also charge your phone a bit faster if you switch to airplane mode while it’s plugged in.
• Peace and quiet
  • Maybe you just need a digital detox. Airplane mode is essentially a leveled up version of “Do not disturb.” But instead of not receiving notifications, airplane mode makes it so you won’t receive any calls or messages at all, so don’t do this if you’re expecting an important message to come through.
• Save on international roaming
  • If you’re traveling internationally without a local SIM or an international roaming option from your wireless carrier, you risk being charged roaming rates when your phone connects to a local tower. Enabling airplane mode will keep your phone from using a local network and you can still turn on Wi-Fi to use data and enjoy Wi-Fi Calling (if your phone and carrier support it). 
• Limit data usage
  • Similar to saving battery life, switching to airplane mode can keep your phone from eating up some of your data. Background app refresh uses data even while your phone is in your pocket, but airplane mode shuts all that down (just remember, it also disables calls & texts from coming through).

How to turn on airplane mode

Turning on airplane mode is even easier than figuring out how to return your seat to its upright and locked position. The steps may vary slightly, depending on your phone make and model.  

How to turn on airplane mode on Android

1. Go into Settings
2. Select Network & Connections (or just Connections)
3. Toggle the switch next to Airplane mode on

You can also swipe down from the top of the screen to view several different shortcut buttons and tap the one labeled Airplane mode (with the picture of a plane on it) to turn it on.

How to turn on airplane mode on iPhone 

1. Go into Settings
2. Toggle the switch next to Airplane mode on

You can also go into Control Center and tap the airplane mode icon (with the picture of a plane on it) to turn it on.

You are now cleared to use airplane mode

We covered a lot of ground together, discussing what airplane mode is, how to turn it on and how such a simple feature can really come in handy while on vacation or back at the office. Sure, they call it airplane mode—but now you know how to use it on land or by sea. Thank you for learning with us. We know you have a lot of wireless company blogs to choose from, and we appreciate you choosing Mint Mobile. But as much as we love saving battery life and data with airplane mode, we also love saving travelers’ money. So if you’re looking to take off from your current overpriced wireless carrier, consider making the switch. Click below to see why Mint Mobile should be your final destination in wireless.