Set up Focus Mode on an iPhone

In Focus Mode, incoming calls, text messages, and iPhone notifications are silenced. You still receive them, so you can later check your voicemail and other notifications, but your phone won’t make noise or vibrate, and its screen won’t light up. Setting up Focus Mode on the iPhone requires just a few taps.

Schedule Focus Mode Activation

You can schedule Focus Mode to activate automatically and deactivate at times you specify.

Customize Your iPhone Focus Mode Settings

It’s easy to customize and adjust your Focus settings. Here are some settings you’ll encounter:

Tap Focus > Do Not Disturb to access more precise control options for Focus Mode, including specifying contacts for whom to allow notifications. (There are a few ways to access this feature.)Turn on Share Across Devices to allow Focus Mode to activate on all your connected devices.Tap Focus > Do Not Disturb > Focus Status so people who try to contact you will see you have Focus Mode turned on.Tap Focus > Do Not Disturb > Apps to allow notifications from specific apps during your Focus Mode time.Tap Focus > Do Not Disturb > People to specify people whose notifications you want to receive during Focus Mode.Tap Focus > Do Not Disturb > Home Screen to show or hide notification badges and custom pages.Tap Focus > Do Not Disturb > Lock Screen to dim the lock screen and show silenced notifications on the lock screen.Tap Focus > Do Not Disturb > Add Schedule or Automation to create a preset Focus Mode schedule.Tap Focus > Driving to turn on Focus Mode while you’re driving.Tap Focus > Personal to allow designated contacts to bypass Focus Mode.Tap Focus > Sleep to set up custom Focus settings for while you’re sleeping.Tap Focus > Work to set up specific work-related Focus settings.

Do Not Disturb While Driving

Focus Mode adds a layer of privacy and security while driving to prevent distracted driving. With Driving Focus turned on, you won’t receive notifications while you’re driving that could tempt you to look away from the road. Activate Driving Focus by following these steps:

Use Focus Mode on Apple Watch

The Apple Watch supports Focus Mode. There are two ways to control Focus Mode on the Watch: the default settings and manually. By default, the Apple Watch is set to the same Focus Mode preferences you set on your iPhone, including scheduling. You can’t change these on the Apple Watch. To manually activate Focus Mode on your Watch:

On turns on Focus Mode indefinitely.On for 1 hour starts a one-hour Focus Mode period.On until this evening will deactivate Focus Mode later in the day.On until I leave uses your current location. When the Apple Watch detects that you’ve left the location, it deactivates Focus Mode.