How to Not Annoy Everyone With Your Smartphone
Smartphones are incredible tools for staying connected, productive, and informed. But let’s be honest—not everyone uses them considerately. As useful as these devices are, they’ve also become a major source of distraction and irritation in social settings.
If you want to be someone who gets the benefits of mobile tech without annoying everyone around you, here are four simple etiquette tips that will help you use your phone responsibly in public.
1. Keep Your Phone Off the Dinner Table
Dining is a shared social experience. Whether it’s with family, friends, or colleagues, the table is meant for conversation, not scrolling. Even a glance at your notifications can send the wrong message: “This screen is more interesting than you.”
Solution: Keep your phone out of sight and out of mind. Don’t put it on the table—its mere presence can signal disinterest. Instead, give the people you’re with your full attention.
Fun Fact: Some restaurants are rewarding good behavior. Sneaky’s Chicken in Iowa offers a 10% discount to patrons who put away their phones, and Bucato in Los Angeles has a designated “cell phone section.”
2. Keep Your Voice Down in Public Spaces
Talking on your phone in public isn’t rude by itself—until your voice becomes the loudest thing in the room. Bad signal or background noise often leads people to raise their voices without realizing it, disrupting everyone nearby.
Solution: Be aware of your surroundings and your volume. If you need to take a call, step outside or into a quieter area. It’s courteous, simple, and effective.
3. Don’t Chat Through the Checkout Line
Shopping with your phone is fine, but chatting through the checkout line is a no-go. Continuing your call while someone is helping you check out sends the message that their time isn’t valuable. Even if the conversation is important, it comes off as disrespectful.
Solution: Either hang up before you reach the cashier or pause the call and acknowledge them. A simple apology and a moment of eye contact go a long way in showing basic human decency.
4. Stop Leaving Long Voicemails
We get it—you have a lot to say. But voicemails are not meant to be podcasts. Long messages overwhelm the listener and often require rewinding to catch key details, which most people don’t appreciate.
Solution: Keep it short and purposeful. State your name, number, and a brief reason for calling. If the conversation needs more depth, just ask them to call you back. It’s efficient and respectful of their time.
Coexisting with Smartphones—Without Driving Everyone Crazy
We’re all attached to our devices, but it’s possible to be connected and considerate. Learning how to not annoy everyone with your smartphone isn’t just about manners—it’s about creating better shared experiences in public and social spaces.
Have a smartphone etiquette tip of your own? Drop it in the comments—we’re all in this together!
