PC Advisor

Feature: Android Marshmallow tips and tricks
1
Take control of notifications with
MARSHMALLOW’s Do not disturb feature
Marshmallow further bolsters Android’s
existing notification muting features thanks
to an enhanced Do Not Disturb feature.
In Android 5.0 Lollipop, Google added
some new features that made it easier to
silence unwanted notifications while you’re
asleep or at work, for example. Android 6.0
Marshmallow builds on Lollipop’s Priority
Notifications and Downtime features, and
gives these notification management tools
a new umbrella name: Do Not Disturb.
Let’s take a look at what these expanded
notification-silencing features can do.
Turn on Do Not Disturb at any time
Marshmallow lets you mute notifications
at any time with just a tap. Pull down the
Notifications drawer, then swipe down
again to get to the Quick Settings tray.
Tap Do not disturb, then choose the sorts
of alerts you want to receive while do not
disturb is active. You can choose to continue
receiving notifications for alarms or priority
notifications, or you can opt for total silence.
Finally, choose whether you want to
have Do Not Disturb stay on until you say
otherwise (Until you turn this off) or for a
set period of time (For one hour, by default).
If you choose the latter option, use the ‘+’
and ‘-’ buttons to set how long you want
Do Not Disturb to be active.
Priority interruptions
Android Lollipop introduced the concept of
‘priority notifications’. These notifications
rise to the top of the notifications screen,
and you can choose to continue receiving
auditory or vibration alerts for these
notifications even when you have all
other notifications muted.
To choose which notifications you’d like
to treat as priority notifications, head on
over to your phone’s Settings app, then tap
Sound and notification – a one-stop shop of
sorts for all things related to notifications
and alert sounds. Next, tap Do not disturb,
then tap Priority only allows. From this
screen, you can choose to limit the sorts
of notifications you’ll be alerted to.
First, choose whether you want to give
priority to notifications for reminders and
calendar events. (The option to silence
alarms is greyed out for whatever reason.)
Next, review the priority notifications
options for Messages and Phone calls. Set
your priority preferences by tapping either
‘Messages’ or ‘Calls’. When you do, a menu
pops open with four options:
• From anyone: This option allows all
notifications through, regardless of
who is trying to reach you.
• From contacts only: Notifications
alerting you to calls or messages from
people listed in your Contacts app will
get priority status.
• From starred contacts only: This setting
gives priority to notifications that pertain
only to those marked as favourites in
the Contacts app. To mark someone as
a favourite, go to the Contacts app, tap
that person’s name, then tap the star icon
in the upper right corner.
• None : No call or message notifications
will receive priority status.
Once you choose your desired settings
for calls and messages, choose whether you
want notifications from repeat callers to gain
priority by toggling the ‘Repeat callers’ slider
to the On position. When this is switched on,
Do Not Disturb is a swipe and a tap away
in Android Marshmallow
With priority notifications, you can choose
to let certain notifications through while
Do Not Disturb is turned on
You can continue receiving phone call and
message notifications from some people,
even when Do Not Disturb is turned on
104 www.pcadvisor.co.uk/features February 2016