The quickest way to disable Do Not Disturb
Open Control Center by swiping down from the top-right corner of your screen (iPhone X and later) 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, it's on. Tap it once to turn it off immediately.
That's the method most people use because it takes two seconds. If Do Not Disturb is already off, the icon will appear gray or unhighlighted, and tapping it won't change anything.
If you don't see the Control Center icon, your phone may have Do Not Disturb scheduled to turn on at specific times. That requires a different approach, covered below.
Key Takeaways
- The crescent moon icon in Control Center toggles Do Not Disturb on and off instantly — swipe down from the top-right corner on newer iPhones or up from the bottom on older ones.
- If Do Not Disturb keeps turning back on by itself, check Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb to see whether a schedule is active.
- Scheduled Do Not Disturb can be set to turn on at bedtime, during work hours, or at a specific time each day — you can delete the schedule entirely or just pause it temporarily.
- On newer iPhones running iOS 15 or later, Do Not Disturb is part of the Focus system, which groups Do Not Disturb with other notification settings you've customized.
Stopping Do Not Disturb from turning on automatically
If Do Not Disturb keeps activating on its own, a schedule is likely running in the background. Open Settings, then tap Focus. You'll see "Do Not Disturb" listed along with any other Focus modes you've created.
Tap "Do Not Disturb" to open its settings. Look for a section labeled "Schedule" — if a time range is listed there (for example, "10:00 PM to 7:00 AM"), that's what's turning it on automatically. Tap "Edit" in the top-right corner, then scroll down and tap the toggle next to "Schedule" to turn it off.
If you want to keep the schedule but pause it temporarily, you can instead tap "Turn Off Until Tomorrow" or "Turn Off Until This Evening" from Control Center. This stops the schedule for one cycle without deleting it permanently.
Removing a Do Not Disturb schedule entirely
Go to Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb. Tap "Edit" in the top-right corner. Scroll down to the "Schedule" section and tap the toggle to turn it off. Then tap "Done" to save the change.
If you want to delete the entire Do Not Disturb Focus mode rather than just the schedule, stay in the Focus menu, swipe left on "Do Not Disturb," and tap "Delete." This removes it completely, though you can recreate it later if needed.
Be aware that deleting Do Not Disturb also removes any custom notification rules you've set up for it — for example, if you allowed calls from certain contacts to come through during Do Not Disturb, those rules will be gone.
Understanding Focus modes and Do Not Disturb
On iPhones running iOS 15 or later, Do Not Disturb is part of Apple's Focus system. A Focus mode is a collection of notification settings that activate together — when you turn on Do Not Disturb, you're actually turning on a Focus mode called "Do Not Disturb."
This means Do Not Disturb can have its own schedule, allowed contacts, and app notification rules separate from other Focus modes like Work or Sleep. If you've customized which people or apps can reach you during Do Not Disturb, those settings stay in place even when you toggle it off and back on.
On older iPhones running iOS 14 or earlier, Do Not Disturb works differently — it's a standalone feature without the Focus system, and you control it only through Control Center or Settings > Do Not Disturb.
Allowing calls and messages through Do Not Disturb
If you want Do Not Disturb on but need certain people to reach you, you can allow calls and messages from specific contacts. Go to Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb, tap "Edit," and look for "Allowed Notifications" or "Calls From."
Tap "Calls From" to choose which contacts can call you during Do Not Disturb — you can select "Favorites," "Recents," or specific people. Similarly, you can set which apps are allowed to send notifications by tapping "Apps" in the same menu.
This is useful if you want to silence most notifications but stay reachable for emergencies or work calls. The settings apply only when that Focus mode is active.
Checking whether Do Not Disturb is on
Look at the top of your screen. If you see a crescent moon icon in the status bar (next to the battery percentage and signal strength), Do Not Disturb is currently on. On some iPhone models, the icon appears as a small moon; on others, it's more prominent.
You can also open Control Center and check whether the crescent moon icon is highlighted. If it's colored (purple, blue, or another color depending on your settings), Do Not Disturb is active. If it's gray or unhighlighted, it's off.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my iPhone keep turning on Do Not Disturb at the same time every day?
A schedule is active in your Focus settings. Open Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb, tap Edit, and turn off the Schedule toggle. If you want to keep the schedule but stop it temporarily, use Control Center to tap "Turn Off Until Tomorrow."
Can I turn off Do Not Disturb without opening Settings?
Yes. Open Control Center and tap the crescent moon icon. This is the fastest way. If that doesn't work, Do Not Disturb may be locked by a schedule — in that case, you'll need to go to Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb and disable the schedule.
Will turning off Do Not Disturb make my phone loud again?
Not necessarily. Do Not Disturb silences notifications, but your ringer volume is controlled separately. Check your physical mute switch on the side of your phone and your volume buttons to adjust how loud your phone rings.
What's the difference between Do Not Disturb and Silent mode?
Silent mode (the mute switch on the side of your phone) silences all sounds. Do Not Disturb silences notifications but allows calls and messages from people you've marked as allowed. You can have both on at the same time.