How to Create and Use Custom Vibration Patterns on iPhone

Apple iPhone has the best vibration motor with powerful haptics among all mobile phones. Apple has included some neat tweaks in iOS to take advantage of haptics. You can create custom vibration patterns and assign them to specific contacts. Here’s how.

Using custom vibration patterns for ringtone, text tone, new email and specific contact, you can guess which contact is trying to reach you just by vibration pattern.

Create a custom vibration pattern

The ability to create custom vibration patterns on iPhone is hidden in the Settings menu. Here’s how you can access and create a custom vibration pattern on your iPhone.

Step 1: Open Settings on the iPhone.

2nd step: Access the Sounds and Haptics menu.

Step 3: Select the type of alert you want to customize with a different vibration pattern. Here we will use Ringtone.

Step 4: Tap Vibrate.

Step 5: By default, iOS uses a vibration pattern from the Standard menu. Under the Custom menu, you will find the Create New Vibration option.

Step 6: This will open the New vibration menu. Tap the blank screen and it will start creating a vibration pattern.

You can keep tapping the screen for continuous vibration, lift a finger for a pause, and create a unique vibration pattern.

Step 7: Once you have created a vibration pattern, you can check the live preview at the bottom.

Step 8: Press play and you can sneak through the created vibration pattern.

Step 9: Once you’re happy with the vibration pattern, tap the save icon at the top.

Step 10: Give it a name and press the save button.

You will find the newly created vibration pattern in the Custom menu. You can create as many custom vibration patterns as you want.

Assign a custom vibration pattern to a contact

Now that you have created custom vibration patterns on iPhone, you can assign them to selected contacts on iPhone. Follow the steps below.

Step 1: Open the Contacts app on iPhone.

2nd step: Search for a contact and open the contact information menu.

Step 3: Tap the Edit button at the top.

Step 4: Scroll down and select Ringtone.

Step 5: This will open the Ringtone menu. Tap Vibrate.

Step 6: Select a custom vibration pattern from the next menu.

Return to the main screen and select Done at the top. Whenever you receive a call from a specific contact, it will use the selected custom vibration pattern to notify you.

Use custom vibration pattern for iMessage contact

Apple lets you set custom vibration patterns for specific iMessage contacts. Here’s what you need to do.

Step 1: Open the Messages app on iPhone and select a conversation.

2nd step: Tap the contact’s name at the top and open the Info menu.

Step 3: Go to Text Tone and open the Vibration menu.

Step 4: Select custom vibrations and return to the main menu.

Step 5: Tap Done at the top and you’ll see a custom vibration set for the contact’s text tone.

iMessage will use the custom vibration pattern for all incoming messages from the contact.

Disable vibration pattern for incoming notifications

You can disable vibration patterns for all other apps and email notifications on your iPhone.

Step 1: Open Settings on iPhone and go to Sound & Haptics menu.

2nd step: Select the type of text whose vibration you want to disable.

Step 3: Go to the Vibration menu and select None from the next menu.

You should turn off vibration for other apps and keep it on for selected contacts only to clear up the confusion.

Delete custom vibration pattern

If you no longer need to use the vibration pattern created on your iPhone, you can easily delete it from the Settings menu.

Step 1: Launch iPhone Settings and open the Sound & Haptics menu.

2nd step: Select any menu in sound and vibration patterns.

Step 3: Select the Vibrate menu.

Step 4: Tap Edit at the top.

Step 5: Tap the red – icon and select Delete.

Master vibration patterns on iPhone

Some messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Messenger let you use custom notification sound, but you can’t use custom vibration pattern for them. There is no way to use a custom vibration pattern for WhatsApp or Telegram.

How do you plan to use custom vibration patterns on your iPhone? Share your setup in the comments below.