Tech 1

Millions of iPhones can unlock ‘car mode’ that tells people you’re driving – and can even reply to pals for you --[Reported by Umva mag]

YOUR iPhone may be one of millions with an easy-to-miss “car mode” designed for when you’re driving. It has some extremely handy benefits, including the ability to automatically text your friends and family for you. AppleDriving Focus is designed specifically for when you’re behind the wheel[/caption] The feature is called Driving Focus, and it’s a free Apple feature built into iOS. However, it’s only available on iPhones that have updated to iOS 15 or later. So check that first by going into Settings > General > Software Update. Once that’s done, you’ll be able to start using Driving Focus. HOW TO SET UP DRIVING FOCUS ON IPHONE First you’ll need to set up the Driving Focus. It’s a bit like a Do Not Disturb mode, but specifically for driving. Go into Settings then choose Focus, tap on the Add button, and then choose Driving. Then tap on Customise Focus, which will give you on-screen instructions for setting it up. For instance, you’ll be able to choose whether to allow some notifications through the Focus. For instance, you can add certain contacts that can break through your Driving Focus with phone calls. And you can ask Siri to read message replies to you so you don’t need to physically look at your phone. HOW TO TURN DRIVING FOCUS ON To turn it on, simply go into the Control Centre (by swiping down from the top-right), touch and hold on Focus, then choose Driving. If it’s worked, you’ll see the Driving icon – a small car symbol – appear in your status bar. It’ll also show up in the Lock Screen, and your status will be shown in the Messages app too. AppleOnce you’ve set Driving Focus up, you can easily activate it from the Control Centre[/caption] That means when someone sends you an iMessage, they’ll be able to see that you’ve silenced notifcations. However they can still override this and notify you if it’s urgent. CUSTOMISE DRIVING FOCUS There are several other Driving Focus tweaks you might want to make. For instance, go into Settings > Focus > Driving and you can choose to have the feature active automatically. AppleYou can allow notifications from specific contacts, letting them break through your Driving Focus[/caption] This can be done based on “detected motion”, or when you connect to your car’s Bluetooth. Additionally, it can be activated when you connect to your car’s Apple CarPlay feature. You can customise notifications based on specific contacts. And you can also set up an auto-reply. AppleYour shared Focus Status will appear in conversations in the Messages app[/caption] This will automatically reply to your contact favourites and people you’ve allowed notifications from. It only works when you’ve got Driving Focus activated. Once you turn it off, those auto-replies will no longer be sent. Just go into Settings > Focus > Driving and choose Auto-Reply. AppleYou can set up automated replies to specific groups of contacts[/caption] Then select an option from the list: No One Recents Favourites All Contacts You can then edit the automatic reply to let people know that you’re driving and you can’t respond right now. Apple’s default suggestion is: “I’m driving with Focus turned on. I’ll see your message when I get where I’m going.” AUTOMATIC DRIVING FOCUS – YOUR OPTIONS Here are the official options for having Driving Focus turn on automatically, according to Apple... Automatically: Driving will be activated based on detected motion. When Connected to Car Bluetooth: Driving will be activated when your iPhone is connected to car Bluetooth devices. Manually: Driving can be activated manually from Control Center. Activate With CarPlay: Driving will be activated automatically when your iPhone is connected to CarPlay. You can find these in Settings > Focus > Driving > While Driving.

Oct 14, 2024 - 17:41

Millions of iPhones can unlock ‘car mode’ that tells people you’re driving – and can even reply to pals for you --[Reported by Umva mag]

YOUR iPhone may be one of millions with an easy-to-miss “car mode” designed for when you’re driving.

It has some extremely handy benefits, including the ability to automatically text your friends and family for you.

a phone screen that says driving focus on it

Driving Focus is designed specifically for when you’re behind the wheel[/caption]

The feature is called Driving Focus, and it’s a free Apple feature built into iOS.

However, it’s only available on iPhones that have updated to iOS 15 or later.

So check that first by going into Settings > General > Software Update.

Once that’s done, you’ll be able to start using Driving Focus.

HOW TO SET UP DRIVING FOCUS ON IPHONE

First you’ll need to set up the Driving Focus.

It’s a bit like a Do Not Disturb mode, but specifically for driving.

Go into Settings then choose Focus, tap on the Add button, and then choose Driving.

Then tap on Customise Focus, which will give you on-screen instructions for setting it up.

For instance, you’ll be able to choose whether to allow some notifications through the Focus.

For instance, you can add certain contacts that can break through your Driving Focus with phone calls.

And you can ask Siri to read message replies to you so you don’t need to physically look at your phone.

HOW TO TURN DRIVING FOCUS ON

To turn it on, simply go into the Control Centre (by swiping down from the top-right), touch and hold on Focus, then choose Driving.

If it’s worked, you’ll see the Driving icon – a small car symbol – appear in your status bar.

It’ll also show up in the Lock Screen, and your status will be shown in the Messages app too.

a phone displays a screen that says do not disturb

Once you’ve set Driving Focus up, you can easily activate it from the Control Centre[/caption]

That means when someone sends you an iMessage, they’ll be able to see that you’ve silenced notifcations.

However they can still override this and notify you if it’s urgent.

CUSTOMISE DRIVING FOCUS

There are several other Driving Focus tweaks you might want to make.

For instance, go into Settings > Focus > Driving and you can choose to have the feature active automatically.

a phone screen shows the driving focus notifications page

You can allow notifications from specific contacts, letting them break through your Driving Focus[/caption]

This can be done based on “detected motion”, or when you connect to your car’s Bluetooth.

Additionally, it can be activated when you connect to your car’s Apple CarPlay feature.

You can customise notifications based on specific contacts.

And you can also set up an auto-reply.

a phone screen showing the focus status settings

Your shared Focus Status will appear in conversations in the Messages app[/caption]

This will automatically reply to your contact favourites and people you’ve allowed notifications from.

It only works when you’ve got Driving Focus activated.

Once you turn it off, those auto-replies will no longer be sent.

Just go into Settings > Focus > Driving and choose Auto-Reply.

a phone screen shows the settings for driving focus

You can set up automated replies to specific groups of contacts[/caption]

Then select an option from the list:

No One
Recents
Favourites
All Contacts

You can then edit the automatic reply to let people know that you’re driving and you can’t respond right now.

Apple’s default suggestion is: “I’m driving with Focus turned on. I’ll see your message when I get where I’m going.”

AUTOMATIC DRIVING FOCUS – YOUR OPTIONS

Here are the official options for having Driving Focus turn on automatically, according to Apple...

Automatically: Driving will be activated based on detected motion.
When Connected to Car Bluetooth: Driving will be activated when your iPhone is connected to car Bluetooth devices.
Manually: Driving can be activated manually from Control Center.
Activate With CarPlay: Driving will be activated automatically when your iPhone is connected to CarPlay.

You can find these in Settings > Focus > Driving > While Driving.

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