Thanks to smartphones, everyone you know can reach you instantly with a simple text or phone call. You also get notifications every time someone mentions you on social media or thereโs an update on an item that you ordered online. Basically, when something happens, your phone will let you know about it.
On the one hand, while itโs nice to stay on top of everything, having to look at your phone every few seconds can be exhausting, not to mention disruptive when youโre working or resting. Most phones have a silent mode where you can mute alerts and calls. However, you would still see your phone light up, tempting you to pick it up.
The good thing is that Apple has a clever solution for this: the โDo Not Disturbโ iPhoneย feature. Once enabled, your iPhone will still be able to receive notifications, but it wonโt make a sound or light up, making it a helpful function for those wanting to sleep, get some work done, or take a break from the online world.
This guide will teach you how to use โDo Not Disturbโ on iPhones.
This Article Covers:
How To Enable the Do Not Disturb iPhoneย Feature Manually
The โDo Not Disturb,โ or DND iPhone feature, was first introduced in 2012 on iOS 6. Over the years, Apple has added new functionalities, giving users two ways to turn on the DND feature: manually or with a set schedule. Hereโs how you do it manually with an iOS 15 or higher iPhone.
Using iOS 15 and Above
This method allows you to access the โDo Not Disturbโ settings at a momentโs notice and turn the feature on or off on demand. It comes in handy when you go to the movies, or your work schedule is inconsistent.
Hereโs how to enable โDo Not Disturbโ from the iPhone Control Center by swiping down from the top right corner of your iPhone screen:
1. Tap the moon icon to enable โDo Not Disturb.โ You should see this on the left, above the flashlight and timer buttons.
2. Upon tapping the moon icon, it will become highlighted, indicating that โDo Not Disturbโ is turned on.
You can disable โDo Not Disturbโ by repeating the steps, turning off the switch, or tapping the moon icon again.
Another way to do it is by tapping the word โFocusโ instead of the moon icon itself. Hereโs how to do it:
1. Tap โFocus.โ
2. From there, the screen will display four different options for you to choose from. One is โDo Not Disturb,โ which is at the top.
3. Tap on the โDo Not Disturbโ button to enable it.
4. If you go back to the lock screen, you will see the โDo Not Disturbโ notification at the bottom of the screen.
Using iOS 14.8 and Older
If you prefer using iOS 14.8 and did not bother with an update, it is still possible to enable the โDo Not Disturbโ iPhone feature. Hereโs how to enable it:
1. Launch โSettingsโ from your home screen by tapping its icon.
2. Scroll down to the โDo Not Disturbโ option and tap on it. You will see a button to its right that turns the feature on and off.
3. If the button’s color is gray, DND is inactive. Tap on it to enable the feature. Once it is enabled, the button should turn green.
How To Set the Schedule for the Do Not Disturb Feature
If you want to use the โDo Not Disturbโ featureย every night when going to bed or during office hours, manually enabling it can be inconvenient. Additionally, you might forget to enable it one time and end up having your sleep or work disrupted.
Thatโs why Apple has also created an automatic scheduling function, giving you peace of mind. Simply follow these steps to enable the automatic scheduling function.
Using iOS 15 and Above
If your iPhone has iOS 15 or higher, hereโs what you need to do:
1. To get started, swipe down from the upper right corner to launch the Control Center from any screen.
2. Next, tap on the โFocus” option. Remember to tap on the word, not the circular symbol to its left.
3. To the right of the โDo Not Disturbโ button are three dots, which give you access to the โDo Not Disturbโ settings.
4. After tapping on the three dots, you will be asked to choose one of the two options:
- Enable DND for 1 hour
- Use DND until tomorrow morning
5. If you donโt like either of the two options, you can customize your settings.
6. Tap on โSettings,โ then scroll down and tap on the โSet a Scheduleโ section.
7. Toggle the switch on.
8. Enter the times you want to enable โDo Not Disturbโ by editing the โFromโ and โToโ times below the โScheduleโ option.
9. Below are the initials for the days of the week. Tap on the days you want to disable the โDo Not Disturbโ feature.
11. Now that you have customized your โDo Not Disturbโ schedule, press โBackโ at the upper left corner to see your updated set schedule.
Using iOS 14.8 and Older
If youโre using an older operating system on your iPhone, follow these steps to set the schedule for DND.
1. Launch your iPhoneโs Settings.
2. Tap on “Do Not Disturb.”
3. Scroll down to “Scheduled” and turn the toggle on.
4. Set the start and end times for when you want “Do Not Disturb” to turn on and off automatically.
5. After that, your iPhoneโs DND will be active every day during this time.
How To Customize the Do Not Disturb Feature
Aside from enabling and disabling or setting the schedule, you can also tweak your iPhoneโs DND setting by adding more customization.
Hereโs how to customize your โDo Not Disturbโ feature from the Control Center:
1. Swipe down from the top right corner of your screen and tap on โFocus.โ
3. Tap the three dots icon on the right of the โDo Not Disturbโ option.
4. Tap โSettings.โ
3. If you want to customize your DND feature to control who can contact you, you can personalize your notifications by tapping on the โPeopleโ section.
4. Click the โAddโ button to add people from your contact list who you do not want to receive notifications.
Note that the default setting in this section is โAllow Notifications From.โ
5. The โAllow Calls Fromโ option is at the bottom of the notifications. Tap on the option to choose who you want to receive messages fromโeverybody, your favorites, contacts, or allowed people.
6. Tap on โBackโ at the upper right corner of the screen.
7. Here, you can also set your preferences for your apps by tapping on โAppsโ on the right side of the โPeopleโ option. You will see the default setting of โAllow Notifications From.โ
8. Tap on โAdd Appsโ to add the apps you want to include in your exception list.
9. Go back to the โDo Not Disturbโ setting. Then, scroll down to the โCustomize Screensโ section to select one of the two available options.
10. Go back to the DND setting page and scroll down to the โFocus Filtersโ section at the bottom of the screen.
11. Press โAdd Filterโ to customize the apps while the DND feature is active.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Not Disturb vs. Focus: Whatโs the Difference?
You might notice that the โFocusโ feature is only available on iOS 15 and above software versions. It is not available on iOS 14.8, which only has the โDo Not Disturbโ option.
Whatโs the difference between the two?
In the older version, the DND feature does the same thing: mute the notifications and prevent the screen from lighting up. However, iOS 15 expanded on this function by coming up with โFocus.โ
Here, you have an updated version of the โDo Not Disturbโ option, plus three other โFocusโ settings: Personal, Work, and Sleep. In other words, โFocusโ subsumes the old โDo Not Disturb” feature.
Wrapping Up
If you want a healthy balance between rest, work, and screen time, you need to learn how to use the โDo Not Disturbโ iPhoneย feature, allowing you to decide which messages, calls, or apps can get through your wall of silence.
Hopefully, the steps outlined above will help you tweak the DND settings according to your unique needs or preferences. If you want to learn more about other iPhone features, these helpful iPhone coursesย will guide you through using Whatsapp, improving your photography skills, and more!
Looking for a quick pick-me-up? Elevate your productivity, one cup at a time, with a Keurig coffee machine by your side. Makes hot or iced drinks in seconds so you can get back to conquering your to-do list.
Related:
- iPhone Keeps Disconnecting From Wifi? 8 Quick Fixes to Try
- Learn to Schedule a Text Message on an iPhone in 2 Minutes
- How to Fix Face ID Not Working on iPhone: A Complete Guide
- How to Speed Up a Video on iPhone: An Easy Guide (2 Ways)
- How to Move Search Bar to Top on Safari [iPhone]
- iPhone Home Button Not Working? 4 Easy Ways to Fix It
- How to Factory Reset an iPhone (3 Effortless Ways)
- How to Hide Photos on iPhone (3 Easy Ways)
- 17 Best Secret iPhone Codes (+ How to Use Them)