Tech Fixes | At Home with Tech

September 7, 2025

How to Hear Important Texts on a Muted iPhone with Emergency Bypass

I’m embarrassed to report that my iPhone almost interrupted a video shoot at work recently. My device inexplicably projected a singular text ping during the recording. I was standing in the back of our studio, but it was loud enough for the video producer ten feet in front of me to notice.

He shot over a slightly concerned glance. (Yes, of all people, I’m supposed to know better.) I rolled my eyes in apology. Fortunately, we were between takes, and nobody else noticed. (We both smiled.)

No real damage was done (other than to my tech ego). But how could I make this 101-tech-mistake that any kid can easily avoid?

Yes, of course, my producer had previously reminded everyone in the studio to silence their phones before we started. But I took no action, because I believed my iPhone was already muted. In fact, I had already taken steps to permanently silence it. So, I proudly thought I was way ahead of this moment.

And yet, I wasn’t.

Do You Really Know How to Silence Your iPhone?
So, how did I find myself in the center of this tech embarrassment? How does anyone for that matter? It’s not like it’s hard to mute your phone.

But isn’t there’s always someone in the room who can’t seemingly do that?
(present company included)

Well, this kind of mistake is often less about tech failure (I mean… human failure) and more about good intentions.

As I mentioned, I had already set up my iPhone to operate in a totally muted state. I took those steps long ago… I just couldn’t handle all the disruptive sounds my phone projected (however cute or lyrical).

But more recently, I made one other iPhone setting change. I selectively activated the ‘Emergency Bypass’ mode for our teenage son’s texts to me.

What is that exactly?

Text Tone: Emergency Bypass

This setting disables audio restrictions regarding how your phone reacts to certain people in your Contacts app. If you don’t want to miss an incoming text from someone, Emergency Bypass helps to ensure you’ll hear it, even if your iPhone is muted.

Our son doesn’t text us all that much, and when he does reach out, I want him to get through. It’s usually important, requiring a timely ‘parental’ response.

Here’s how to set up Text Tone: Emergency Bypass on your iPhone:

Open the Contacts app
Select your important person
Go to Text Tone
Turn Emergency Bypass to ‘On’

This hack is amazing. I did the same for my wife’s phone number (more on this later). Now, whenever I hear a text come in from my otherwise silenced iPhone, I know it’s either from my wife or our son.

I think you can see where this is going.

Ringtone and Alerts – Change with Buttons

Yes, the Text Tone: Emergency Bypass setting is a powerful setting to help you stay connected to those who matter most. But it can still expose you to an embarrassing moment if you need to entirely lock down your phone’s sounds and forget that you really haven’t.

So, I realized after my little ‘ping-gate’ episode that I needed to adjust one more iPhone setting to quiet my phone further, even when my son or wife reach out.

Here’s the fix to the fix:

Go to Settings
Sounds and Haptics
Ringtone and Alerts
Change with Buttons- Tap to Green

Now, with this ‘Change with Buttons’ setting activated for ‘Ringtone and Alerts,’ you can easily toggle down (and then back up) the volume from your iPhone’s pings and rings with the side buttons.

The manual control enables you to temporarily shut off the sounds from your emergency bypass list.

Only then can you be sure your iPhone will really behave in the quietest of moments. (Just don’t forget to turn up the volume again after your mandatory session of silence!)

One Ping Short
Yes, despite my advanced solutioning for how my iPhone’s little speakers operate, I had still fallen one ping short. But I’ve learned from my mistake and made the appropriate patch in my iPhone’s Settings.

I later texted my wife about my little audio incident at work. (It was, in fact, her own text to me that had broken through.) She wrote back and asked helpfully if I knew how to silence the notifications on my phone.

I blinked a couple times as I took in the layers of irony surrounding this last chapter of my story.

And then I smiled.

Silence is Golden
My cautionary tale is just another reminder that you can’t always set it and forget it when it comes to your tech. And maybe when someone tells you to mute your phone… you simply do that.

Still, with your iPhone running completely silent 24/7, that emergency-bypass sound setting can be essential. I still highly recommend trying it out.

You just need to remember how to control it.

June 15, 2025

Here’s Why Attaching a Bumper to Protect your Apple Watch is a Smart Idea

A long, diagonal crack mysteriously appeared on my Apple Watch screen. No, there wasn’t an ‘incident’ or moment of impact that I could recall. Yes, it was shielded by its OtterBox integrated bumper and screen protector.

I could feel that the crack went deep. But I didn’t know how far down it went and whether it reached the surface of my Apple Watch Series 9.

Yes, I was concerned.

Apple Store ER Visit
So, I visited my neighborhood Apple Store and booked an ‘instant’ appointment with an Apple Genius. (Do they call them that anymore?)

My Genius walked over to me like a doctor entering an examination room. He asked me to take off my OtterBox’s bumper. I quickly realized I couldn’t. It was stuck on. Really stuck (like an alien face-hugging Xenomorph). I asked if he could help. He had trouble too.

It took the Apple Genius a couple minutes, and he needed to use a special Genius ‘tool.’ But eventually, he pried the bumper off. The integrated screen cracked further along the way, but it eventually revealed my Apple Watch’s screen… in perfect condition.

Phew!

But a fair amount of ‘particulate matter’ had accumulated in all the nooks and crannies. My Apple Genius happily polished it up for me and then handed over my Apple Watch.

Time for Another Bumper?
My naked Apple Watch rested in my palm, gleaming. So now what?

No, Apple doesn’t sell bumpers or screen protectors for Apple Watch.

However, my Apple Genius mentioned how much he liked the OtterBox brand and that I could probably buy a replacement bumper online.

I strapped on my Apple Watch as it was meant to be worn… without any third-party protection. But I must admit… I do occasionally hit my wrist against doors and walls. So, my experience may fall outside of Apple’s definition of ‘normal.’

I walked out of the Apple Store with my next mission: Buy a replacement bumper.

In Search of a Better Bumper/Screen Protector
I jumped back online and searched OtterBox’s website. I didn’t want to buy the exact same OtterBox ‘Eclipse’ bumper/screen combo. Not because it only lasted for barely more than a year. I didn’t appreciate how difficult it was to remove.

OtterBox didn’t offer another choice. So, I expanded my search.

There aren’t many manufactures in this market, and even fewer from brands I recognized. The options on Amazon mostly fell in the sub $10 price point. Sometimes, you’d get two bumpers for ten bucks… even with the built-in screen protector.

How good could any of these really be?

And I couldn’t find consensus with reviews… the few that I could find. It’s like this was a forgotten/abandoned product category.

Perhaps Apple is right… Apple Watch doesn’t need protection.

Still, I knew that mine did.

OtterBox EXO EDGE
After my exhaustive search through uncertainly, I eventually ended up back where I started with the one brand I knew.

OtterBox also makes the EXO EDGE bumper without a screen protector. I figured the simple bumper by itself would be more structurally flexible without a rigid screen protector on its top.

So, I gave it a shot… Click.

And in fact, the EXO EDGE bumper does have a bit more give and take. It popped easily onto my Apple Watch. More importantly, I expect it will be simpler to remove when the time comes.

And here’s my Apple Watch with its new EXO EDGE bumper
(and Nomad leather band).

No More Screen Protection?
Case closed, right?

Well, what about the screen? It’s now exposed to any number of dangers with no net.

Yes, I’d prefer to also have a screen protector on my Apple Watch, but I don’t want to use an integrated solution that can cause damage when removed.

My EXO EDGE bumper should offer sufficient protection from most scenarios. But no, it won’t protect against a sharp object at 90 degrees moving directly towards the screen.

You Can’t Protect Against Every Situation
I could seal my Apple Watch in bubble wrap and duct tape. Or perhaps I should just keep my Apple Watch in my pocket all the time. But, of course, that’s all absurd.

I’ve taken reasonable precaution to protect my Apple Watch’s body and screen with a simple OtterBox bumper. We’ll see how far this sensible approach takes me this time.

This topic falls under a larger question I sometimes have regarding the practicality of manufacturing expensive, shiny surfaces that require constant protection. (Wouldn’t it be great to drive a car with a tough, rubberized exterior?)

Alas, I know you’ve just got to travel your life’s path without worrying about every possible stumble.

But it’s okay to be smart and apply certain protections.

And just try not to trip.

May 4, 2025

How to Update Account Settings on Apple Watch Using your iPhone

Trying to type into Apple Watch keyboard — Stop trying to sign into your Apple ID using your Apple Watch’s micro keyboard. Your finger is probably way too big for this. Here’s the better way to get the job done.

I don’t like messing with my Apple Watch. I’ve set it up to do what I want, and I usually don’t dig in to change the settings. The screen is so tiny. Yes, its interface is clever, but it’s not much bigger than a postage stamp.

And that’s fine. It’s a watch… not an iPhone.

Sure, it’s similar to iPhone in certain ways and is best tethered to one. And I can easily interact with it using the Digital Crown and side button.

But please don’t ask me to type anything into my current Apple Watch Series 9. That’s absurd. Yes, you can call up a cute micro keyboard to use. But come on… My index finger takes up 30% of the entire surface of my Apple Watch.

Update Apple ID Account Settings on your Apple Watch
But that exactly what my Apple Watch sometimes asks me to do after a software update. I’m supposed to log back into my Apple ID account. And then my Apple Watch presents me with its tiny keyboard. Are you kidding?!

My finger’s surface area can press onto 3 keys easily… so tapping away gives me about a 30% chance of keystroke success. (And the tiny scribble pad? That’s no better.)

So recently, after failing to sign into my Apple account after multiple miss-tapping sequences, I looked for another way in…

Use your iPhone Instead
If you think your iPhone can help, you’d be correct. Strangely, I couldn’t quickly solve this tech challenge by Googling it, but eventually I found the clue. Here’s how it works:

You simply need to activate your sleeping iPhone right after your Apple Watch prompts you to micro-tap your password.

Immediately, your iPhone will come to the rescue and open a thin text-prompt window on its own screen for you type into.

And as you do that, your password will magically mirror onto your Apple Watch’s screen. Done.

So obvious, right? (The solution is already baked into the Apple Watch/iPhone relationship.)

No More Micro Tapping
Perhaps the whole world already knows this trick. And if it’s just you and me who’ve finally caught on, so be it. (I won’t tell anyone.)

But now, my finger will never again attempt the absurd micro-tap dance on my Apple Watch.

It’s a micro win… but a win, nevertheless.

Category: Tech Fixes

Text Tone: Emergency Bypass

Ringtone and Alerts – Change with Buttons

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