To put your iPhone on DND instantly, open Control Center and tap the crescent moon icon on the Focus button. This silences all calls, alerts, and notifications so your iPhone won't ring, vibrate, or light up the screen.
How to put iPhone on DND instantly from Control Center
Control Center is the fastest way to toggle Do Not Disturb. On iPhone X and later, swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen. On iPhone SE, 8, and earlier, swipe up from the bottom edge. In Control Center, tap and hold the button showing "Focus," "Do Not Disturb," or another Focus option, then tap "Do Not Disturb" in the menu to activate it. Alternatively, you can directly tap the crescent moon icon on the Focus button to toggle Do Not Disturb on or off. A crescent moon icon appears in the status bar and on the Lock Screen when Do Not Disturb is active. When Do Not Disturb is enabled, notifications are still received but stored silently in the Notification Center, accessible by swiping down from the top of the screen.
How to enable Do Not Disturb with Siri
For a hands-free method, simply say "Siri, turn on Do Not Disturb mode" to your iPhone. You can also say "Siri, turn off Do Not Disturb mode" when you want to disable it. This voice command works without touching the screen, making it ideal when your hands are full or you need to silence your phone quickly.
How to turn on Do Not Disturb in the Settings app
Open the Settings app, tap "Focus," then tap "Do Not Disturb" and toggle the feature on. Do Not Disturb is part of Apple's Focus system, introduced in iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 or later. This method gives you access to all customization options in one place, including scheduling and exceptions. By default, iPhone automatically turns on Do Not Disturb when the device is locked.
Customizing Do Not Disturb to allow calls from certain contacts
You can customize Do Not Disturb to allow notifications from specific people or apps by going to Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb > Allow Notifications. Under "Allow Calls From," choose "Favorites" to let calls from your designated favorite contacts ring through. Enable "Repeated Calls" so a second call from the same person within three minutes bypasses Do Not Disturb, useful for emergencies. This way, you benefit from the difference between Do Not Disturb and Silent Mode: Do Not Disturb silences all notifications while still letting you set exceptions, whereas Silent Mode only mutes sounds but still shows alerts and lights the screen. You can set up an automatic text response to let callers know you're unavailable due to Do Not Disturb mode, with pre-set messages or the option to customize your own.
Scheduling Do Not Disturb mode for specific times
Do Not Disturb can be scheduled to turn on automatically based on specific times, locations, or when certain apps are in use. Go to Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb > Set a Schedule to define start and end times. You can also customize your Lock Screen or Home Screen to automatically activate Do Not Disturb when selected. On iPhone 16 or later, and iPhone 15 Pro models with iOS 18.2 or later, "Intelligent Breakthrough & Silencing" can be enabled to allow important notifications to interrupt while silencing others. The Bedtime Mode option in scheduling automatically activates Do Not Disturb during your scheduled bedtime set in the Clock app.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the crescent moon icon mean on my iPhone?
The crescent moon icon in the status bar and on the Lock Screen indicates that Do Not Disturb is currently active. It shows that calls, alerts, and notifications are being silenced.
Will alarms still work when Do Not Disturb is on?
Yes, alarms you set in the Clock app will still sound even when Do Not Disturb is enabled. The feature only silences calls, alerts, and notifications from apps and contacts.
Why does Do Not Disturb turn on automatically?
If Do Not Disturb turns on automatically, it is usually due to an active schedule you set in Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb > Set a Schedule, or because another Focus mode is enabled. This is not an error, check your scheduled times or active Focus modes to adjust it.
Can I allow specific apps to bypass Do Not Disturb?
This lets important apps like messaging or work tools interrupt you while others remain silenced.
Does Do Not Disturb silence phone calls from everyone?
By default, Do Not Disturb silences all calls, but you can customize it to allow calls from your Favorites, everyone, or no one.
