To silence notifications at night on a Google phone, use Bedtime mode or Do Not Disturb from Settings > Modes, or tap Do Not Disturb in Quick Settings. These built-in Android features automatically mute calls, texts, and alerts during your sleeping hours so you aren’t disturbed, while still letting alarms sound.
How to silence notifications at night with Bedtime mode
Bedtime mode is the most direct way to silence notifications at night on a Pixel phone or Pixel Tablet. It’s designed to match your sleep schedule and automatically activates Do Not Disturb and silent mode during the hours you set.
- Open Settings on your Pixel phone or Pixel Tablet.
- Go to Modes. On Android, open Settings and go to Modes.
- Tap Bedtime.
- Select Set up Bedtime.
- Under When to turn on automatically, turn on Bedtime routine.
- Set a start time and end time for your sleep hours.
- Choose Use a schedule or Turn on while charging to control when Bedtime mode activates.
Once configured, Bedtime mode automatically silences notifications during your chosen window. If you prefer not to set a strict schedule, the “Turn on while charging” option lets you silence notifications whenever you plug in your phone overnight, which is useful for irregular sleep patterns.
Using Do Not Disturb from Quick Settings
For a quick, manual way to silence notifications at night, swipe down from the top of your screen and tap Do Not Disturb in Quick Settings. Google says you can swipe down from the top of the screen, then tap Do Not Disturb in Quick Settings. This immediately mutes calls, texts, and other notifications until you turn it off or until a scheduled time ends.
Do Not Disturb from Quick Settings works alongside Bedtime mode. When Bedtime mode is active, it uses Do Not Disturb to silence calls, texts, and other notifications, so you don’t need to toggle both separately. Tapping Do Not Disturb manually gives you instant control if you’re going to bed earlier than your Bedtime schedule or want a one-off silent period.
Scheduling Do Not Disturb for automatic silence
While Bedtime mode handles scheduling for most users, you can also set up Do Not Disturb to turn on automatically at specific times. Apple documents scheduling for Sleep Focus through Health > Browse > Sleep > Full Schedule & Options > Use Schedule for Sleep Focus.
Instead, use Bedtime mode’s schedule feature to automate silencing. Within Bedtime mode, you can allow calls from specific contacts or enable repeated callers to break through the silence in case of emergencies. This ensures important people can still reach you while everything else stays muted during your sleep hours.
What Bedtime mode silences and what it doesn’t
Bedtime mode uses Do Not Disturb to silence calls, texts, and other notifications while it is on. This means your phone won’t buzz, ring, or light up for incoming messages or app alerts during your set bedtime hours. Apple's Focus support says to go to Settings > Focus, choose a Focus such as Do Not Disturb, Personal, Sleep, or Work, then adjust who and what can send notifications during that Focus. Apple's Do Not Disturb support says you can also manage it from Control Center by tapping and holding the Focus button and choosing Do Not Disturb or another Focus.
Alarms are the exception. Bedtime mode does not silence alarms, so your morning alarm will still sound as scheduled. This feature was formerly called Wind Down in Digital Wellbeing settings and is available on all devices with Digital Wellbeing and parental controls settings, not just Pixel phones. On iPhone, Apple’s equivalent is Focus with Do Not Disturb or Sleep, accessible from Control Center or Settings > Focus.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Bedtime mode block calls from my emergency contacts?
No, Bedtime mode lets you allow calls from specific contacts or repeated callers to break through. You can set these exceptions during setup, so important calls still reach you while everything else is silenced.
Does Do Not Disturb affect my alarm clock?
No, Do Not Disturb and Bedtime mode do not silence alarms. Your alarm will still go off at the scheduled time, ensuring you wake up on time even with notifications muted.
Can I use Bedtime mode on a non-Pixel Android phone?
The exact menu path may vary, but the feature is not limited to Pixel phones.
Does Bedtime mode silence calls and texts?
How do I turn off Bedtime mode if I wake up early?
You can swipe down from the top of the screen to access Quick Settings and tap the Bedtime mode or Do Not Disturb icon to turn it off manually. This stops the silencing immediately without changing your schedule.
