What the Crescent Moon Icon in Messages Means in 2024

In the world of iOS notifications, indicators play a crucial role in providing clarity. One such indicator is the crescent moon icon, which is synonymous with the Do Not Disturb (DND) feature.

This article aims to shed light on the significance of the crescent moon icon in Messages and its relationship with the DND mode.

The Meaning of the Crescent Moon Icon in Messages

The crescent moon icon in Messages indicates that a contact is muted or in Do Not Disturb (DND) mode. It signifies that you will receive messages from the contact, but without any notifications.

The icon can appear in different colors, such as blue or gray. A blue crescent moon means the recipient hasn’t read your messages, while a gray one indicates they have.

Enabling DND mode or muting a conversation using the Hide Alerts feature activates the crescent moon icon. To remove it, simply disable DND mode or unmute the conversation.

What do the Different Colors of the Cresent Moon Icon signify?

The crescent moon icon can appear in two different colors within the Messages app: blue and gray.

• Blue Crescent Moon: If you see a blue crescent moon icon, it indicates that the recipient has not opened or read any of your messages.
  
  
• Gray Crescent Moon: If you see a gray crescent moon icon, it indicates that the recipient has opened or read your messages.

What are the Benefits of Enabling Do Not Disturb Mode?

Do Not Disturb mode is especially useful if you receive a high volume of messages, particularly those that are not time-sensitive. By enabling DND mode, you can avoid constant interruptions from notifications.

This feature proves beneficial for family or friend groups where numerous non-essential messages are exchanged.

Placing these groups or specific contacts in DND mode allows you to disable notifications while still receiving messages, ensuring you aren’t overwhelmed during busy periods.

Activating Do Not Disturb Mode and the Crescent Moon Icon

For iPhones with iOS 11 or Earlier

1. Open the Messages app on your iPhone.
2. Tap on the text conversation you want to mute.
3. Click on the “info” (i) icon or the “Details” button.
4. Scroll down and tap on the “Do Not Disturb” or “Hide Alerts” option.
   • This action enables DND mode for the contact, and the crescent moon icon will appear next to the contact’s name.

For iPhones with iOS 11 and later

1. Open the Messages app on your iPhone.
2. Tap on the text conversation you want to mute.
3. Click on the “info” (i) icon or the “Details” button.
4. Scroll down and toggle on the “Hide Alerts” option.
   • This action enables DND mode for the contact, and the crescent moon icon will appear next to the contact’s name.

Alternatively, you can do this, 

1. Open the Messages app on your iPhone.
2. Swipe left on the contact you want to mute.
3. Tap on the Bell icon to mute the conversation.
   • This action mutes messages from the contact, and the crescent moon icon will appear next to the contact’s name.

How to remove the Crescent moon icon in Messages?

If you wish to stop seeing the crescent moon icon and receive notifications from a particular contact again, follow these steps:

For iPhones with iOS 11 or Earlier

1. Open the Messages app on your iPhone.
2. Tap on the text conversation you want to unmute.
3. Click on the “info” (i) icon or the “Details” button.
4. Scroll down and tap on the “Do Not Disturb” or “Hide Alerts” option to disable it.
   • This action deactivates DND mode for the contact, and the crescent moon icon wil lno longer be visible next to the contact’s name.

For iPhones with iOS 11 and later

1. Open the Messages app on your iPhone.
2. Tap on the text conversation you want to unmute.
3. Click on the “info” (i) icon or the “Details” button.
4. Scroll down and toggle off the “Hide Alerts” option.
   • This action turns off DND mode for the contact, and the crescent moon icon will no longer appear next to the contact’s name.

Alternatively, you can do this

1. Open the Messages app on your iPhone.
2. Swipe left on the contact you want to unmute.
3. Tap on the Bell icon to unmute the conversation.
   • This action removes the crescent moon icon and restores notifications for messages from the contact.

Understanding the Difference Between Hide Alerts and Do Not Disturb

There is no difference between the two features on the iPhone. Both Hide Alerts and Do Not Disturb serve the purpose of blocking out alerts and notifications.

Do Not Disturb operates on a system-wide level, while Hide Alerts can be applied on a contact-by-contact basis.

It’s important to note that the crescent moon icon in the Messages app should not be confused with the crescent moon symbol in the iPhone’s status bar.

The crescent moon in the status bar indicates the activation of Do Not Disturb mode for the entire device.

Do Not Disturb mode offers additional customization options, such as setting specific times, allowing exceptions for certain contacts or apps, and more.

What the Crescent Moon Icon in Messages Means – Takeaway

The crescent moon icon in Messages signifies that a contact is in DND mode, preventing notifications from reaching you. Additionally, the icon can appear in different colors to indicate whether your messages have been read or not.

This article has provided a comprehensive understanding of the crescent moon icon and how to enable or disable it. To learn more about the topic and gain further insights, refer to our detailed guide on “What the Crescent Moon Icon in Messages Means.”

I hope this information has been helpful in clarifying the functionality of the crescent moon icon in Messages.

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