Do you want or need not to be disturbed for a certain period of time by notifications or calls on your iPhone? Use Focus Mode, the iOS equivalent of Android’s Do Not Disturb.
SMS, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, emails, sports apps, streaming apps, online games… Not to mention calls, not always welcome, the amount of notifications received daily on a smartphone can quickly become impressive even overwhelming and stressful. The device that we keep within reach or hand most of the time demands our attention at the slightest opportunity. It is therefore difficult to stay focused on a task to be done. And for those who keep their smartphone close to them during the night, the ringing of an impromptu notification quickly wakes them from sleep simply to warn them of a promo not to be missed under any circumstances.
Aware of the power of notifications and the abuse that can be made of them, Google with Android and Apple with iOS allow you to find a little peace of mind with Do Not Disturb mode. On iPhones, Apple decided to name it Concentration. But it is nevertheless the same thing as on Android (read our article) since it does not only focus on giving you a few moments of calm during the day but can also help you find peaceful nights. Once Focus Mode is enabled to your liking, unnecessary notifications are blocked. You can thus choose the apps authorized to solicit your attention, but also select from your contacts the people authorized to call you (parents, children, friends, etc.) for emergencies in particular. Here’s how to set it up and activate it on your iPhone.
For this Do Not Disturb mode on iOS, Apple did not take things lightly. The firm offers several models – even a little too many – which can cause confusion and even allows you to add others.
► To access focus mode, swipe down from the top right edge of the screen to reveal the iOS Control Center. Then do a long press on the tile Concentration symbolized by a Crescent moon.
► On iOS, Concentration mode is not simple. Apple offers four models from the outset: Do not disturb (with a crescent moon icon), Work, Rest (with a bed icon) and finally Time for yourself. The button + New Concentration Period allows you to add other predefined templates or create a new template yourself. Each mode has its own characteristics concerning in particular the filtering of notifications. Press on the three points of suspension fashion Do not disturb. The settings for that mode are displayed.
► Here you can choose to activate it for an hour, until the evening (without further details about the time) or until you leave the place where you are currently. However, there is no information indicating what parameters this mode plays on. To find out for sure, press Settings.
► Mode settings Focus Do Not Disturb are displayed. You can see that with it, by default, none of your contacts will be able to reach you by any means and no application will send you a notification. It’s a bit of an extreme filter that cuts out all requests without preventing you from using your iPhone. Nevertheless, nothing obliges you to undergo such strict filtering. Press on People to define the contacts allowed to reach you.
► In the new screen that appears, press the button + Add and select the people you want to keep in touch with in mode Do not disturb.
► To section Phone calls, you can again determine who can reach you. Press on Favorites (selected by default) and choose an option.
► Finally, leave the box checked Allow repeat calls so you don’t miss urgent calls if someone tries to reach you at least twice in three minutes. Press on Feedbackat the top left of the screen, when you’re done.
► Now press apps in order to define the applications allowed to send you notifications during the activation of the mode Do not disturb. As with contacts, tap + Add to choose your priority apps.
► By activating the switch Urgent notices, you allow apps that are not in your priority list to send you notifications marked as urgent. For example, these may be apps for health prevention (attack alert, etc.). Press on Feedbackat the top left of the screen, when you’re done.
► Now press Options to define how notifications should behave.
► In the screen that appears, you can choose to display notifications on the locked screen rather than in the Notification Center which requires waking up the iPhone, dimming the locked screen (to not be tried to watch it) and finally to hide the notification dots on the apps placed on the home screen so as not to be tempted, again, to open an app that displays a notification. Press on Feedbackat the top left of the screen, when you’re done
► To section Customize screens, you can set how your device’s lock screen, home screen, and even your Apple Watch screen should look like if you have one. A good way to force yourself not to use your iPhone when you want to focus on a task for example. Press on Choose for each screen.
► The home screen, for example, can be kept to a strict minimum. Press on OKat the top right of the screen, when your choice is made.
► To section Set a scheduleyou can automate the activation of the mode Do not disturb based on several criteria. Press on Add a program.
► The page that is displayed allows you, for example, to define a regular time slot for activating the mode. Press on Hour.
► You can define the days of the week concerned by this mode and the time slot concerned. Press on OKat the top right of the screen, when your choice is made.
► The criterion of Place allows you to activate the mode Do not disturb depending on where you are. It can thus start as soon as you arrive at the office and deactivate as soon as you leave this place (GPS data is used to determine your position). Press on Place.
► Choose an address from the list or add one from the search field. Press on OKat the top right of the screen, when your choice is made.
► Finally, the criterion app allows you to activate the mode Do not disturb as soon as you open a specific application. A reading or GPS guidance app for example. A great way to avoid distraction and stay focused while using your iPhone. Press on app then choose the app that will trigger the mode Do not disturb. Press on OKat the top right of the screen, when your choice is made.
► Last mode setting Concentration : THE Concentration filters. It allows you to go even further in filtering the information and notifications that you allow yourself to see. Press on + Add filter.
► The page that appears presents several options: Calendar, Email, Posts, Safari and possibly apps that you have installed on your iPhone. For example, press Email.
► Here you can define which mailboxes you will have to consult during the mode Do not disturb.
► Make settings for SMS (choosing groups of people), Safari tabs, calendars, etc. Once you have made your settings, press Feedbackat the top left of the screen.
► Back to the mode settings page Concentration, you can still apply some settings. By activating the switch Share between devicesyou will apply this same mode Concentration on all the Apple devices you use (Mac, iPad and Apple Watch).
► Finally, you can also notify your contacts that you have activated the mode Concentration through setting Status Concentration. To be able to do this, mode sharing between all devices must be activated.
► You can then choose for which concentration mode you want to notify contacts who try to reach you. This option only works with iPhone users.
► You have made multiple settings for the mode Focus Do Not Disturb. All that remains is to configure the other predefined modes (Work, Rest, Time for yourself, etc.) or even add your own models. To do this, choose a mode or press the button + at the top right of the screen.
► Other predefined modes are available to you: Conduct, Video game, Reading, Mindfulness And Sport. Tap the one you want to define more precisely.
► You are then led to modify all the filtering settings established by default for this mode as we have just done for the mode Do not disturb.
► You can also define a new profile yourself. Press on Custom then give a name for this new mode and choose an icon. Press on Following at the bottom of the screen.
► iOS offers some default settings. It’s up to you to modify them to your liking.
You have just fine-tuned the various focus modes on your iPhone. Now all you have to do is activate them when you want if you haven’t set automatic activation.
► Swipe down from the top right edge of the screen to display the iOS Control Center. Then do a long press on the tile Concentration symbolized by a crescent moon.
► The different Focus modes are displayed. Just tap on the one you want to activate to implement it.
► It will be enough to press it again to deactivate it directly from the Control Center of iOS.
► By pressing the three points of suspension next to the mode name, you can choose to activate it according to your needs.
