Facebook launches new Quiet Mode: Here's what it does
What's the story
As billions strive to adjust to their new home-bound routine due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Facebook is working to minimize distractions. The social media giant has launched a new 'Quiet Mode' for its mobile app, one that gives its users a way to mute push notifications for a while and get things done more efficiently. Here's all you need to know about it.
Feature
Quiet Mode to stop Facebook push notifications
Quiet Mode, as the name suggests, lets you set boundaries for Facebook usage by silencing 'most' notifications from the service for a specified time frame. You can access the feature from the 'Your Time on Facebook' dashboard under app settings to enable/disable the mode manually or set it to work automatically between specified times, say, like during your work hours.
Reminder
Launching Facebook would remind about Quiet Mode
If you try launching Facebook when the quiet mode is running, the app will show a full-screen 'Quiet Mode' page reminding you that you have set this time for some other work. It will also show when the quiet mode will end and provide an option to manage the settings for the feature (if you really need to use the service urgently).
Exemption
Only some privacy notifications will be exempted
The new mode, Facebook explains, would silence nearly all notifications except those related to privacy, which it's legally obliged to send. Also, the company notes that this is just a single part of a broader update for Your Time on Facebook, which will also bring features like week-over-week trends, usage tracking for daytime versus night, and a chart for the total number of visits.
Roll-out
Changes are rolling out now
The quiet mode and other changes have started rolling out for Facebook for iOS and will come on Android devices in May-June. "Whether it's to help you focus on your family and friends, sleep without distraction or manage how you spend your time at home, we have tools that can help you find the right balance for how you use Facebook," the company says.