The quickest way to turn off Do Not Disturb
Open Control Center by swiping down from the top-right corner of your screen (iPhone X and newer) or swiping up from the bottom (iPhone 8 and earlier). Look for the crescent moon icon labeled "Do Not Disturb" — if it's highlighted in purple or blue, the feature is on. Tap it once to turn it off immediately.
That's the fastest method for most situations. If you need more control over when Do Not Disturb turns back on, or if you want to understand what the feature actually does, the other sections below cover those options.
Key Takeaways
- Control Center (swipe from top-right or bottom of screen) is the fastest way to toggle Do Not Disturb on and off.
- Do Not Disturb silences calls, texts, and notifications, but alarms and timers still sound unless you also turn on Sleep Focus.
- You can set Do Not Disturb to turn off automatically at a specific time, or turn it off "for one hour" from Control Center.
- Calls from people in your Favorites list will still come through even when Do Not Disturb is on, unless you change that setting.
- Do Not Disturb is different from Focus modes — Do Not Disturb is the basic version, while Focus modes let you customize which contacts and apps can reach you.
What Do Not Disturb actually does to your phone
When Do Not Disturb is on, your iPhone silences incoming calls, text messages, and notifications. The phone still receives them — they just don't make a sound or light up your screen. You'll see them later when you unlock your phone or open the Messages or Phone app.
Important: alarms and timers will still sound even when Do Not Disturb is on. If you set an alarm for 7 a.m. and turn on Do Not Disturb at 6 p.m., that alarm will still go off in the morning. The same is true for timers you've already started. This is intentional — Apple designed it so you don't accidentally sleep through something you set deliberately.
By default, repeated calls from the same person within three minutes will still come through. This is meant to catch emergencies — if someone calls twice in quick succession, the phone assumes it might be urgent. You can change this setting in the Do Not Disturb options if you want to block everything.
Turning Do Not Disturb off for one hour or until tomorrow
When you tap the Do Not Disturb icon in Control Center, a menu appears with three options: "Turn Off", "For 1 Hour", or "Until Tomorrow". Choose "For 1 Hour" if you want Do Not Disturb to stay on for the next 60 minutes and then turn off automatically. Choose "Until Tomorrow" if you want it to stay on until 9 a.m. the next morning (or whatever time you set in your Do Not Disturb schedule).
This is useful if you're in a meeting and want to silence your phone for a set amount of time without having to remember to turn it back on later. The phone will handle it automatically.
Setting up a schedule so Do Not Disturb turns off automatically
Go to Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb. Scroll down to "Schedule" and tap it. You can set Do Not Disturb to turn on and off at specific times each day — for example, 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. if you want it on while you sleep.
Once you set a schedule, Do Not Disturb will follow that pattern automatically every day. You can still turn it on or off manually at any time using Control Center, and it won't break the schedule — it will just resume the schedule at the next scheduled time.
If you don't want a schedule at all, leave the Schedule section blank or toggle it off. Do Not Disturb will then only turn on when you manually enable it.
Allowing calls and messages from specific people
By default, repeated calls from anyone will get through. If you want to allow calls and messages from specific contacts even when Do Not Disturb is on, go to Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb and look for "Allowed Notifications" or "Calls From".
Tap "Calls From" and select a contact group — usually "Favorites" is already set. Anyone you've marked as a Favorite in your Contacts app will be able to call you even when Do Not Disturb is on. You can also allow messages from specific people by adding them to an allowed list.
If you want to block everything completely, including repeated calls, you can remove the contact group or set it to "None". This is rare, but useful if you're in a situation where you truly need zero interruptions.
Do Not Disturb versus Focus modes
Do Not Disturb is the basic version of a larger feature called Focus. When you go to Settings > Focus, you'll see Do Not Disturb listed alongside other options like Work, Personal, Sleep, and Driving.
Do Not Disturb silences everything equally. Focus modes let you be more specific — for example, you can create a Work focus that allows calls from your boss and work contacts but silences everyone else, or a Sleep focus that allows alarms but blocks everything else. Most people use Do Not Disturb for simple "silence everything" situations and Focus modes when they need more control.
If you turn on a Focus mode, Do Not Disturb will turn off automatically. You can only have one active at a time.
Troubleshooting: Do Not Disturb won't turn off
If tapping the Do Not Disturb icon in Control Center doesn't work, check whether a Focus mode is active instead. Look at Control Center again — if you see a different icon (like a briefcase for Work focus or a moon for Sleep focus), tap that icon instead. Turning off the Focus mode will also turn off Do Not Disturb.
If a schedule is set and you turned off Do Not Disturb manually, it will turn back on at the next scheduled time. If you want to stop this, go to Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb and toggle off the Schedule.
If Control Center itself isn't responding, restart your iPhone by holding the power button and volume button together, then sliding to power off. Wait a few seconds and turn it back on. This fixes most temporary glitches with Control Center.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will alarms still go off when Do Not Disturb is on?
Yes. Alarms, timers, and reminders will sound normally even when Do Not Disturb is active. This is intentional — the feature silences notifications and calls, but not things you've deliberately set to alert you at a specific time.
Can I turn off Do Not Disturb without using Control Center?
Yes. Go to Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb and toggle the switch at the top off. This is slower than Control Center but works the same way. You can also use Siri — say "Hey Siri, turn off Do Not Disturb" and it will do it immediately.
What happens to messages while Do Not Disturb is on?
Messages arrive normally and are stored in your Messages app, but you won't see a notification or hear a sound. When you unlock your phone, you'll see them waiting. Calls work the same way — they go to voicemail if you don't answer, and you can listen to the voicemail later.
Does Do Not Disturb hide my location from Find My Friends?
No. Do Not Disturb only silences notifications and calls. It does not affect location sharing, iCloud sync, or any other background features. People who can see your location in Find My will still see it when Do Not Disturb is on.
Can I set different Do Not Disturb schedules for weekdays and weekends?
The basic Do Not Disturb schedule applies every day. If you need different schedules for different days, create separate Focus modes instead — for example, a Work focus for weekdays and a Personal focus for weekends. Each can have its own schedule.