Where to find vibration controls on your iPhone

Vibration on your iPhone is controlled through the Sounds & Haptics settings, not through a single master switch. You'll find separate vibration controls for calls, texts, notifications, and the keyboard — each one works independently. This means you can turn off vibration for texts but keep it on for calls, or disable it everywhere at once.

The exact location of these settings depends on which iPhone model you have, but the path is the same on all current iPhones: open Settings, tap Sounds & Haptics, and you'll see all the vibration options listed there. On older iPhones running iOS 15 or earlier, the section is called Sounds instead of Sounds & Haptics, but the controls work the same way.

Key Takeaways

  • Vibration controls are in Settings > Sounds & Haptics, and each type of notification (calls, texts, alerts) has its own vibration toggle.
  • Turning off System Haptics disables vibration feedback from buttons and gestures, while notification vibration controls only affect alerts and messages.
  • Silent mode (the physical switch on the side of your iPhone) mutes sound but does not automatically turn off vibration unless you disable it in settings.
  • If vibration is still happening after you turn it off, check that you haven't enabled vibration in a specific app's own notification settings.

How to turn off vibration for calls and texts

Open the Settings app and scroll down to find Sounds & Haptics. Tap it to open the full menu. You'll see a section labeled Vibration near the top, with a toggle switch next to it. This controls vibration for incoming calls. If the toggle is green, vibration is on; tap it once to turn it off.

Below that, you'll see a section for Text Tone. Scroll down past the sound options until you find Vibration again — this is the separate control for text message vibration. Toggle it off the same way. Some iPhones also show a Vibration option under the Ringtone section; toggle that off as well if you see it.

Disabling System Haptics and keyboard vibration

System Haptics is the vibration you feel when you tap buttons, use the keyboard, or interact with app controls. It's separate from notification vibration. To turn it off, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics and look for the toggle labeled System Haptics near the bottom of the screen. Toggle it off.

If you want to keep System Haptics but disable only keyboard vibration, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics, scroll down, and look for Keyboard Feedback or Keyboard Haptics. Toggle that off independently. Not all iPhone models show this option — if you don't see it, your iPhone may not have a separate keyboard vibration control.

What Silent mode does and doesn't control

The physical switch on the left side of your iPhone (labeled with a bell icon) is Silent mode. When you flip it to silent, it mutes all sounds but does not automatically turn off vibration. Your phone will still vibrate for calls and notifications even in Silent mode unless you've disabled vibration in settings.

If you want Silent mode to also disable vibration, you'll need to turn off vibration in Settings > Sounds & Haptics before using Silent mode. Some people prefer to leave vibration on in Silent mode so they still feel alerts without disturbing others around them.

Turning off vibration for specific apps

Individual apps can have their own notification settings that override your system vibration controls. If you've turned off vibration in Sounds & Haptics but a specific app is still vibrating, the app itself may have vibration enabled in its own settings.

To check this, go to Settings > Notifications, find the app in the list, and tap it. Look for a Sounds section or Haptics section within that app's notification settings. If you see a toggle for vibration or haptic feedback, toggle it off. This is common with messaging apps, social media, and games.

Troubleshooting when vibration won't turn off

If vibration is still happening after you've toggled it off in Sounds & Haptics, restart your iPhone. Hold down the power button (or power and volume button, depending on your model) until the power-off slider appears, then slide it to turn off the phone. Wait 10 seconds, then press the power button again to turn it back on.

If restarting doesn't work, check Settings > Notifications and review each app individually — one of them may have vibration enabled in its own settings. You can also go back to Sounds & Haptics and toggle vibration off again, then toggle it back on and off once more to make sure the setting registered.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Silent mode turn off vibration automatically?

No. Silent mode only mutes sound. Vibration will continue unless you've disabled it in Settings > Sounds & Haptics. If you want Silent mode to also stop vibration, you must turn off vibration in settings first.

Can I turn off vibration for calls but keep it for texts?

Yes. Each notification type has its own vibration toggle in Sounds & Haptics. You can turn off the Vibration toggle under Ringtone (for calls) while leaving the Vibration toggle under Text Tone enabled (for texts), or any other combination you prefer.

Why is my iPhone still vibrating if I turned off vibration?

The app itself may have vibration enabled in its own notification settings. Go to Settings > Notifications, find the app, and check whether it has a separate Haptics or Vibration toggle. You may need to disable vibration there as well.

What's the difference between System Haptics and notification vibration?

System Haptics is the vibration you feel when tapping buttons and using the keyboard. Notification vibration is what you feel when you receive a call, text, or alert. You can turn off one without affecting the other.