This Apple hack is for people like me who have had to physically hide their iPhones if they want to get any work done.
We’re bombarded all day with emails, text messages, social media DMs, Slack or Microsoft Teams messages, calendar alerts, reminders, update badges and… well, you get it. The constant barrage of notifications on your laptop and phone can be overwhelming and seriously distracting.
That’s why Apple’s Do Not Disturb mode seems like such a good fix, as it allows you to silence all notifications. The feature is great for blocking out notification badges and sounds during heads-down work. But as I’ve been working using Focus mode, I’ve found there are some notifications I need to see no matter what, like meeting reminders and two-step verifications.
That’s where Do Not Disturb customizations can help. You can use these tools to create a custom Focus mode, automate a daily schedule and choose which apps and people are allowed to break through. These easy personalizations will ensure you don’t miss any urgent notifications while blocking out all the others. And when you share your Focus preferences across devices, you can access your personalized modes from your iPhone and MacBook.
Here’s how to customize your “Do Not Disturb” modes for maximum productivity and minimum distractions.
How to allow notifications in Do Not Disturb Mode on iPhone
The first thing you can customize is which notifications show up in Do Not Disturb mode. Here’s how to set that up.
1. Open your iPhone’s Settings.
2. Tap Focus.
3. Tap Do Not Disturb.
4. Under Allow notifications, tap People and Apps to select which are allowed to break through.
When you tap into Allow notifications for People and Apps, you’ll be presented with two options: Silence notifications from and Allow notifications from. Make sure you have Allow notifications from selected, otherwise you may accidentally silence the notifications you actually want.
Choose which apps and people can send you notifications while you’re in Do Not Disturb mode.
Screenshot by Katelyn Chedraoui/CNET
For more customization options, tap Options under Allow notifications. From there, you can choose whether to show notifications on your lock screen or as app badges. You can also choose whether to dim your lock screen while in Focus mode. You also have the option to share Focus mode across devices, which means that when you turn on Do Not Disturb on your iPhone, your MacBook will also silence notifications according to your preferences.
Screenshot by Katelyn Chedraoui/CNET
How to set a Do Not Disturb schedule
Avoid having to toggle your Do Not Disturb mode on and off by setting a schedule. Here’s how:
1. Open your iPhone’s Settings.
2. Tap Focus.
3. Tap Do Not Disturb or whichever Focus mode you want.
4. Scroll down to Add Schedule.
5. Choose how you want to set your schedule.
6. Tap Done.
You can set your schedule three different ways, depending on the time, your location and what apps you have open. For example, you can use this customization to silence notifications after your bedtime, while you’re in the office or when you open Netflix.
How to create a custom Do Not Disturb mode
If you want to create your own personalized Focus mode, you can do so easily. Here’s how:
1. Open your iPhone’s Settings.
2. Tap Focus.
3. Tap the + icon in the top right corner.
4. Select one of the preset focus options or choose Custom.
5. Tap Customize Focus.
From here, you can customize the new Do Not Disturb mode. Select which, if any, apps and people you want to be able to break through your silenced notifications under “Allow notifications.”
You can customize the appearance of your custom Do Not Disturb mode.
Screenshot by Katelyn Chedraoui/CNET
To customize the appearance of the mode, tap Edit under the icon. You can choose the color and icon, and if you select Custom, you can rename the focus mode to whatever you want.
For more, check out how to limit your screen time with these iPhone and Android wellness settings.