In plain English

What are the basic rules of mobile phone etiquette?

There is no official rulebook. Phone manners come down to one idea: your phone should not make life harder for the people around you. Most of the rules below follow from that.

At the table and in conversation

• Put the phone away during a meal, face down or in a pocket or bag. A phone on the table says that something else might matter more than the person across from you.
• If you are expecting something important, say so at the start: "I might get a call about my mom. I will keep it short."
• If you must answer, step away from the table, and come back as soon as you can.
• Do not scroll while someone is talking to you. Looking up when they speak is a small habit that people notice.

In public places

• Use headphones for music, videos and games. Other people did not choose your sound.
• Take calls away from crowded spots, and keep your voice at a normal level. People tend to talk louder on a phone than they think.
• Quiet places need quiet phones: libraries, waiting rooms, places of worship, theaters and meetings. Silence the ringer, and turn off the keyboard clicks too.
• On trains and buses, keep calls short, or send a text instead.
• Do not use speakerphone around strangers. Not everyone wants to hear both sides of a call.
• Watch where you walk. Stopping in a doorway or stairwell to check your screen blocks other people.

At work and school

• Follow your workplace or school rule. If there is no rule, silence the phone in meetings and classes and keep it out of sight.
• Set a ringtone that is not loud or embarrassing, or use vibrate.
• Keep personal calls for breaks, away from where others are working.

Calls, texts and voicemail

• Say who you are when you call someone who may not have your number.
• Ask "Is this a good time?" before a long call.
• Keep sensitive news for a call or a talk in person. A text is easy to misread and hard to take back.
• Reply when you can. You do not have to answer right away, but answer important messages in a reasonable time.
• Think before you send. A message cannot be unsent once it is read. If you are angry, wait before you write back.
• Use group chats with care. Do not add people without asking, and take side conversations somewhere else.
• Late at night, text rather than call, unless it is urgent. Silent mode helps you, too.

Photos, video and other people's privacy

• Ask before you take a photo of someone, and ask again before you post it. A photo of you that you would not mind is not the same as one of a stranger.
• Be careful around children. Avoid posting other people's kids without their parents' say-so.
• Recording a private conversation can be against the law in some places. Rules vary, so check yours.
• Keep your screen to yourself. Do not read over someone's shoulder, and tilt your own screen away if you are reading something private on a train.
• At concerts and shows, hold the phone up only briefly. A raised screen blocks the view of the people behind you.

In the car

Do not text, scroll or hold a phone while driving. Laws about phones and driving differ by state and country, and many places ban handheld use. The simplest rule works everywhere: set up your route and your music before you start, and let calls and messages wait until you stop.

A quick check before you reach for the phone

1. Is anyone talking to me, or waiting for me?
2. Can this wait for five minutes?
3. Will my sound or my screen bother someone near me?
4. Would I do this if the other person were watching over my shoulder?