Where is airplane mode?
Airplane mode is one of only two settings in this catalogue where every vendor chose the same words — the disagreements are purely about capital letters. We read the settings tree of all 43 systems in the catalogue and recorded where each one keeps it.
What each system calls it
19 of the 43 operating systems in our catalogue have this setting, and they agree almost completely on what to call it — every one of them says Airplane Mode.
That is rarer than it sounds. Across the settings we have measured, most concepts carry four or more names; this one is an exception worth noticing.
Where it lives on each system
These are the shortest paths from the first settings screen on the newest release of each system. Every one of them is within two taps of the first settings screen.
| System | Path | Taps |
|---|---|---|
| Firefox OS Firefox OS 2.5 | Airplane Mode | 1 |
| HarmonyOS 6.0 | Airplane mode | 1 |
| iOS 27.0 | Airplane Mode | 1 |
| iOS 6 6.1 | Airplane Mode | 1 |
| iPadOS 27.0 | Airplane Mode | 1 |
| KaiOS 3.0 | Airplane Mode | 1 |
| Nintendo Switch 22.5.0 | Airplane Mode | 1 |
| watchOS 27 | Airplane Mode | 1 |
| Windows Phone 8.1 | Airplane mode | 1 |
| Android 17 | Network & internet › Airplane mode | 2 |
| BlackBerry OS 10 | Networks and Connections › Airplane Mode | 2 |
| Garmin System 20 | Connectivity › Airplane Mode | 2 |
| HyperOS 4.0 | Connection and sharing › Airplane mode | 2 |
| One UI 9 | Connections › Airplane mode | 2 |
| OxygenOS 16 | Connection and sharing › Airplane mode | 2 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | Wi-Fi › Airplane Mode | 2 |
| Wear OS 7 | Connectivity › Airplane mode | 2 |
| Windows 11 | Network & internet › Airplane mode | 2 |
| Zepp OS Zepp OS 6 | Connection › Airplane Mode | 2 |
Each system name above opens the real menu in the simulator, so you can walk the path before you touch your own device.
Why the names came out this way
The reason is regulatory. The mode exists because aviation rules required a way to disable every transmitter at once, and the phrase travelled with the requirement. There is no competitive advantage in calling it something clever when a cabin crew member is going to say the words out loud.
Its placement is equally settled: top of the first screen, usually above Wi-Fi, because it is the switch people need in a hurry and under mild social pressure.
Find it on your own device
If your system is not in the table, or the label on your screen is different again, there are three ways through it:
- Search every system at once for a setting by name — it looks inside all 43 trees, not just the one you are holding.
- Open your own system in the settings simulator and click to the screen without changing anything real.
- Follow the step-by-step guide to joining a Wi-Fi network, or see where that setting lives on every system.
Related settings in the same part of the menu:
All of it comes from the same catalogue: 43 systems, 135 versions, published as an open dataset.
Try it yourself, on the real menusOpen any of 43 operating systems in your browser and walk the Settings tree exactly as it appears on the device. No download, no account.Frequently asked questions
Where is airplane mode on most systems?
On 19 of the 19 systems that have it, within two taps of the first settings screen. The most common label is “Airplane Mode”, used by 11 of them. The table above gives the exact path for each system.
Why can I not find it by searching my settings?
Because settings search matches the label your system uses, and the label may differ from the words you are searching for. Searching for the word your previous device used is the single most common reason a setting appears to be missing.
How many systems have this setting at all?
19 of the 43 operating systems we catalogue. The rest either have no hardware for it or fold the behaviour into something else, which is why a feature that feels universal often is not.