Focus Mode on iPhone is Apple's system for silencing or prioritizing notifications for a chosen period, location, or activity. It evolved from the older Do Not Disturb feature and is set up in Settings > Focus, giving you granular control over when and how you are interrupted.
What is Focus Mode on iPhone?
Focus Mode is a set of customizable profiles that let you filter notifications and calls based on what you are doing. Instead of a single Do Not Disturb toggle, you can create separate profiles for work, sleep, personal time, or exercise, each with its own allowed contacts and apps. Apple designed it to help you stay in the moment by silencing everything except what you choose to let through.
How to turn Focus Mode on or off
The fastest way to turn on a Focus is from Control Center. Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen, tap the Focus button, then tap the Focus you want to enable. To turn it off, open Control Center again, tap Focus, then tap the Focus that is currently on. You can also turn off a Focus using Siri by saying 'Hey, Siri! Turn off Work Focus.'
How to set up a Focus profile
- Open Settings and tap Focus.
- Tap an existing Focus, such as Do Not Disturb, Personal, Sleep, or Work, or create a custom Focus where available.
- If you create a custom Focus, name it, choose a color theme, and select an icon.
- Tap Next and follow the prompts to choose which contacts and apps can notify you during this Focus.
You can customize your Home Screen to show only specific pages during a Focus via Settings > Focus > [Focus name] > Home Screen > Custom Pages. You can customize the Lock Screen for a Focus via Settings > Focus > [Focus name] > Lock Screen, with options like Dim Lock Screen or Show On Lock Screen.
How to allow notifications from people and apps
In Settings > Focus, tap the Focus you want to edit. Under Allowed Notifications, tap People to select contacts whose calls and messages can bypass the Focus filters. There is a 'Calls From' option to select a category to bypass Focus filters for calls. Tap Apps to choose which apps can send notifications through. This is useful when you want to silence everything except urgent messages from family or important work tools. For Time Sensitive notifications, Apple developers choose what qualifies, not the user.
How to schedule a Focus to turn on automatically
- Go to Settings > Focus and tap the Focus you want to schedule.
- Under Turn on Automatically, tap Add Schedule or Automation.
- Choose a trigger based on time, location, or when you open a specific app.
- Turn on Smart Activation if you want your iPhone to learn when to activate the Focus based on your routines.
You can also set an ending point from Control Center, such as For 1 hour or Until I leave this location.
How to share your Focus Status with contacts
Go to Settings > Focus > Focus Status and turn on Share Focus Status. When enabled, people who message you in apps that support this feature may see that you have notifications silenced. Apple notes that Focus Status is shared in apps only after you give the app permission. This lets others know you are busy without sending a manual reply.
How to sync Focus across your Apple devices
In Settings > Focus, turn on Share Across Devices. When this toggle is on, your Focus profiles and settings stay consistent across your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. You do not need to set up the same schedule or allowed contacts on each device separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Focus Mode replace Do Not Disturb and silent mode?
Yes. Do Not Disturb is now one of the preset Focus profiles. You still have the option to use a simple silent mode from the side switch on some iPhones, but the Focus system provides more detailed control over which notifications get through.
Can I create more than one custom Focus profile?
Yes. You can create as many custom Focus profiles as you need. Each one can have its own name, icon, color, allowed contacts, allowed apps, and schedule.
Will my Focus schedule still work if my iPhone is in Low Power Mode?
Yes. Focus schedules and automations continue to run normally in Low Power Mode. The only difference is that background activities like mail fetch may be reduced, but your Focus settings remain active.
How do I delete a Focus profile I no longer need?
Go to Settings > Focus, tap the profile you want to remove, scroll to the bottom of the screen, and tap Delete Focus. This permanently removes that profile and its settings.
Can I use Focus Mode with third-party apps like Slack or WhatsApp?
Yes. When you set up a Focus, you can choose which third-party apps are allowed to notify you. Additionally, apps that support Focus Status can show your contacts that you have notifications silenced.
Related reading: How To Disable Focus On IPhone and Why Doesn't My Phone Ring When I'm Playing A Game?.
