How to Use Do Not Disturb on Your iPhone

Do Not Disturb is one of the most useful features on iPhone, and many people have never set it up intentionally. When Do Not Disturb is active, your screen stays dark and silent during incoming calls, texts, and app notifications. The calls and messages still come in — they're just silenced. You can check them when you're ready.

This is especially useful overnight (so a 2 AM spam call doesn't wake you), during meals, during doctor appointments, or during any time you want to be present without phone interruptions.

In iOS 17 and later, Apple expanded Do Not Disturb into a system called Focus. Focus works the same way as Do Not Disturb. It silences notifications — but adds the ability to allow specific contacts through, set a custom schedule, and create multiple Focus modes (Sleep, Driving, Work, Personal, etc.).

An important feature that a lot of people worry about: even with Do Not Disturb or a Focus mode on, emergency calls get through. If the same number calls twice within three minutes, the call will ring through even during Do Not Disturb. You can also set specific people (like family) as Starred Contacts who can always reach you.

Setting up a Sleep schedule in the Focus system is particularly valuable. It automatically activates Do Not Disturb at your bedtime and deactivates it at your wake time every day without any manual steps.