Airplane mode, aeroplane mode, flight mode, offline mode, or standalone mode is a setting available on smartphones and other portable devices. When activated, this mode suspends the device's radio-frequency (RF) signal transmission technologies (i.e., Bluetooth, telephony and Wi-Fi), effectively disabling all voice, text and phone services. GPS may or may not be disabled, because it does not involve transmitting radio waves.
The mode is so named because most airlines prohibit the use of equipment that transmit RF signals while in flight.
Typically it is not possible to make phone calls or send messages in airplane mode, but some smartphones allow calls to emergency services. Most devices allow continued use of email clients and other mobile apps to write text or email messages. Messages are stored in memory to transmit later, once airplane mode is disabled.
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth can be enabled separately while the device is in airplane mode, as allowed by the operator of the aircraft. Receiving RF signals (as by radio receivers and satellite navigation services) is not inhibited by airplane mode; however, both transmitters and receivers are needed to receive calls and messages, even when not responding to them.
Since a device's transmitters are shut down when in airplane mode, the mode reduces power consumption and increases battery life.