What is Quiet Mode in Instagram and How to Turn it On or Off

ByJim Miller

If you're an active Instagram user, you probably receive a lot of notifications that can sometimes be overwhelming. That's where Instagram's Quiet mode comes in handy. But what exactly is Quiet mode on Instagram and how can you turn it on or off? In this article, we'll explore the ins and outs of Quiet mode, including what happens when you enable it and the difference between Pause notifications and Quiet mode.

What Is Quiet Mode on Instagram

Quiet mode in Instagram is a built-in notification feature that allows you to silence your Instagram notifications for up to 12 hours each day. By default, Quiet mode is active from 11 PM to 7 AM, but you can customize the time according to your preferences. It's similar to the Focus modes on the iPhone, which help minimize distractions.

What Happens When You Put Instagram in Quiet Mode

When you enable Quiet mode on your Instagram account, several things happen:

Notifications

Once you activate Quiet mode, you won't receive any Instagram notifications, such as new message notifications or comments, when you're not using the app. Instead, the notifications will appear once you open the app, allowing you to focus on your work without being constantly interrupted. After Quiet mode is turned off, you'll see a summary of the new notifications you received during that time.

Activity Status Icon

When Quiet mode is enabled, your activity status or the green dot on your profile picture will be replaced with a moon icon. This icon will be visible even if you have disabled the activity status feature for your Instagram account.

Quiet Mode on Instagram Messages

When someone sends you a message or opens your chat thread while you're in Quiet mode, they will see the text “In quiet mode” under your name. They will also receive an auto-reply or see a label stating that you're in quiet mode and won't be notified about the message. This helps ensure that the other person knows you may not see their message immediately.

Ability to Use the Instagram App

Enabling Quiet mode doesn't restrict you from using the Instagram app. You can still browse your feed, send and receive messages, and interact with posts by liking or commenting on them. The only difference is that you won't receive notifications when you're not actively using the app. However, you will still receive notifications if you're currently using Instagram.

Difference Between Pause Notifications and Quiet Mode

Within the Instagram app's notification settings, you'll find Pause notifications just above Quiet mode. You may wonder what the difference is between the two.

Both features allow you to silence or pause Instagram notifications, but they do so in slightly different ways. Quiet mode primarily offers a daily scheduling feature and lets others know that your Instagram notifications are paused.

On the other hand, Pause notifications silences notifications for a maximum of 8 hours starting from the current time. You can choose from a set of predefined time periods and can't customize the duration or schedule it for the future. Additionally, you can only use Pause mode for up to 8 hours, slightly less than Quiet mode's 12-hour duration. Neither mode allows you to customize the types of notifications you can silence; both modes pause all Instagram notifications.

Furthermore, when you use Pause notifications, others won't see any special icon or message indicating that you've paused notifications. Similar to Quiet mode, you can still use the Instagram app normally even when notifications are paused, and in-app notifications will still appear.

In summary, if you want to pause your Instagram notifications at a specific time every day, Quiet mode is the way to go. If you only need to temporarily silence notifications for a short period, Pause notifications will suffice.

Turn on Quiet Mode on Instagram on iPhone/Android

To enable Quiet mode on Instagram, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Instagram app on your Android or iPhone.
  2. Tap on your profile picture icon at the bottom to go to your profile screen.
  3. Tap on the three-bar icon at the top and select Settings and Privacy.
  4. Tap on Notifications, followed by Quiet mode.
  5. Enable the toggle next to Quiet mode.
  6. Tap on From or To and set the time when you want Quiet mode to activate automatically.

Turn off Quiet Mode on Instagram on iPhone/Android

By default, Quiet mode automatically turns off at the scheduled time. However, you can manually turn it off before the scheduled time or disable it permanently. Please note that you cannot turn off Quiet mode from Instagram DM chats; you must use the Instagram settings. Additionally, you cannot disable it for individual chats; it's either all chats or none.

To turn off Quiet mode on Instagram permanently or temporarily, follow these steps:

  1. Go to Instagram Settings > Notifications > Quiet mode (steps 1-4 of enabling Quiet mode).
  2. Turn off the toggle next to Quiet mode.
  3. A pop-up will appear. Tap on “Skip for now” to disable Quiet mode temporarily, or tap on “Turn off Quiet mode” to disable it permanently.

And there you have it! You now know how to enable and disable Quiet mode on Instagram, as well as the difference between Quiet mode and Pause notifications. Use these features to take control of your Instagram notifications and create a more focused and uninterrupted social media experience.