What's it mean when my phone vibrates without showing a visual alert? I've just got my first Android phone (Galaxy S7) and so am still learning the ropes.

Occasionally, when I am using the phone, it will vibrate quickly twice, like I am receiving an SMS. However, there's is no visual information along with the vibration.

I thought it might be reminding me of unread messages, but this happens regardless. This also does not happen when the phone is locked, but does happen whilst I'm using other applications, like games, am on the home screen, or immediately after I unlock.

Would anyone know what my phone is trying to tell me?
Samsung Galaxy S7 has vibration patterns, which can be attached to, and most importantly changed, for many triggered system events. It is impossible to define exactly what your double vibration is attached to, since it is modifiable, and may be already changed from its default. However, you may find out what your notification vibration is by going to


  Settings->Sounds and Vibration


and searching for what sounds to me like "Heartbeat" (defined as pulsing, double vibration). There are other vibration patterns you can set instead defined from the following list:


Basic Call (continuous, even vibration)
Heartbeat (pulsing, double vibration)
Ticktock (two long, even, vibrations)
Waltz (long, quick, quick, vibration pattern)
zig-zig-zig (three, even vibrations)


This, and other settings can be searched using the term "vibration pattern", and of course, by reading your device's User Manual. Here is a quick link to the relevant section of a guide (Thanks, Sprint! ).