# Why does my phone do this? Can I prevent it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 29, 2020, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-phone-do-this-can-i-prevent-it/847182 "2020-01-29T19:35:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-phone-do-this-can-i-prevent-it/847182/1 "2020-01-29T19:35:49Z")
It turns the flashlight on; it turns the ringer off. These happen independently of each other. I carry it in my shirt pocket, pants pocket, or in a belt case (pocket style with a flap, not snap-in style). I always hit the power button briefly so the screen goes black before putting it away. It’s a Samsung Galaxy S8 Active. Arguably the ringer volume could go down from the power button getting pressed and then the volume button being pressed for a few seconds, but sometimes it goes to vibrate which (as far as I know) can only be done by swiping down on the screen – after it’s turned on so that the apps show – and pressing the icon then revealed on the screen. The only way I can turn the flashlight on is that same swipe then press procedure. So far I haven’t found a solution by googling. I’m baffled as to how this happens. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-phone-do-this-can-i-prevent-it/847182/2 "2020-01-29T19:46:40Z")
My phone (OnePlus 6T) switches to non-ringing vibrate-only mode if you press the power and volume-up buttons at the same time. It’s easy to do accidentally. It’s a ridiculously stupid feature, especially since this phone has a dedicated slider switch to turn the ringer on and off. I’ve looked for a way to disable it but have not found one. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-phone-do-this-can-i-prevent-it/847182/3 "2020-01-29T20:18:14Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > My phone (OnePlus 6T) switches to non-ringing vibrate-only mode if you press the power and volume-up buttons at the same time. Mine doesn’t seem to do that. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-phone-do-this-can-i-prevent-it/847182/4 "2020-01-29T20:28:35Z")
Maybe yours has a different button combination? Oh and the flashlight – on mine, in Settings under Button & Gestures -\> Quick Gestures, you can choose an action associated with a gesture on the screen **while it’s turned off**. I have mine set to to turn the flashlight on when I draw a large V on the screen. I’ve occasionally managed to do that accidentally while it was in my pocket. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-phone-do-this-can-i-prevent-it/847182/5 "2020-01-29T20:54:47Z")
On my phone you can turn the flashlight on and off just by shaking the phone. I’m sure there’s a setting somewhere that allows you to turn that feature on and off, but damned if I can find it. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-phone-do-this-can-i-prevent-it/847182/6 "2020-01-29T21:44:49Z")
Yes, it sounds like you have some gestures enabled - functions triggered by moving the phone a certain way. For example, shaking the phone side-to-side turns on the camera. You can turn these off in the phone settings. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-phone-do-this-can-i-prevent-it/847182/7 "2020-01-29T22:25:19Z")
I have a Moto android phone. Some settings are located in “phone settings” , but others are buried within “Moto settings” (such as the flashlight turning on/off by chopping).