How to turn vibration on or off on your iPhone

While vibration is often a handy thing on an iPhone, especially if it’s silenced, we get it — rumbling can still be distracting when your phone is sitting on a desk or in your pocket. Here’s how to toggle vibrations on and off, as well as troubleshoot random ones.

Editor’s note: These instructions were assembled using an Apple iPhone 15 running iOS 18.3.2. Some steps and UI elements may change depending on your device and software version.

How to turn vibration on or off on your iPhone

On iPhones, vibration is linked to three things: typing, the Ring/Silent option, and general system functions. You’ll have to adjust one or more of these to your liking in the settings.

How to turn off typing haptics on iPhone:

1. Launch the Settings app.
2. Go into Sounds & Haptics.
3. Select Keyboard Feedback.
4. Toggle off Haptic.

How to turn off ringing haptics on iPhone:

1. Launch the Settings app.
2. Go into Sounds & Haptics.
3. Under Rigtone and Alerts, tap on Haptics.
4. Select Don’t Play in Silent Mode, or Never Play if you want to get rid of ringtone vibrations altogether.

How to turn off system haptics on iPhone:

1. Launch the Settings app.
2. Go into Sounds & Haptics.
3. Toggle off System Haptics.

Why does my iPhone randomly vibrate?

First, you should take a step back and determine whether the vibrations are genuinely random. Many are triggered by notifications and other system events, so if you haven’t disabled all possible haptics using the options above, your iPhone will still rumble occasionally.

If you’ve deliberately left System Haptics and/or haptic Keyboard Feedback on, another possibility is that you put your iPhone into your pocket, bag, purse, etc., while it was still unlocked, and it’s brushing up against things that are triggering inputs. Always lock your iPhone before stuffing it into something.

Only once you’ve ruled out everything above should you begin to worry. Damage and defects happen, so it’s conceivable that your iPhone’s haptic motor could go off because of faulty electronics.

Even less likely is an iOS software glitch, but it has happened. A bug with the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max caused their cameras’ optical image stabilization (OIS) motors to go berserk in third-party apps.

If you’re encountering genuinely random vibrations, make sure to update iOS if possible, and do the same for installed apps. If vibrations continue, try rebooting your phone, and as a last resort, performing a reset. After that, there’s not much choice but to book a service appointment at an Apple Store or third-party repair shop.