How to Create a Custom Vibration Pattern on Your iPhone

By default, when your iPhone receives a notification or a phone call, it plays a standard, recognizable vibration pattern. While you can easily assign different ringtones to different contacts so you know who is calling without looking at your screen, you can also take this a step further by assigning custom haptic vibration patterns. This allows you to know exactly who is calling or texting even when your iPhone is completely silenced and hidden in your pocket.

How to Create a Custom Vibration Pattern

You can create and save as many unique vibration patterns as you want directly from the iOS Settings app.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap on Sounds & Haptics.
3. Under the “Sounds and Haptic Patterns” section, tap on Ringtone (or Text Tone, depending on what you want to customize first).
4. At the very top of the next screen, tap on Haptics.
5. Scroll down past the standard pre-installed patterns and tap on Create New Vibration.

You are now on a blank canvas screen. Tap your finger on the screen to create a vibration. You can do quick taps for short buzzes, or press and hold your finger down for a continuous, long vibration. A progress bar at the bottom will track your recording. Once you stop tapping and the progress bar finishes, tap Save in the top right corner and give your new pattern a memorable name (like “Wife Calling” or “Urgent Alert”).

Assigning the Pattern to a Specific Contact

Now that you have created your custom pattern, you need to assign it to a specific person in your address book.

1. Open the Contacts app (or the Phone app and go to the Contacts tab).
2. Find and tap on the person you want to customize.
3. Tap Edit in the top right corner of their contact card.
4. Scroll down and tap on Ringtone (or Text Tone).
5. Tap on Haptics at the top of the screen.
6. Look under the “Custom” section and select the vibration pattern you just created.
7. Tap Back, then tap Done twice to save the contact.

From now on, whenever that specific person calls or texts, your iPhone’s Taptic Engine will play your custom rhythm, allowing you to instantly identify the caller by feel alone.