How to Use iOS 15's Focus Mode to Stay on Task

Apple has long had a Do Not Disturb function that can be activated when you want to mute incoming notifications to avoid being bothered, but with iOS 15, Apple is taking Do Not Disturb to a new level with Focus.

iOS 15 Focus Feature
With Focus, you set an activity that you're doing, such as working, exercising, reading, or spending time with family, and block out the notifications that are unrelated to those tasks. It's basically Do Not Disturb but with more options for refining what you see and what you don't see. This guide highlights everything that you need to know about iOS 15's Focus mode.

Accessing Focus Mode

Focus, like Screen Time, lives in the Settings app. It's grouped up with Notifications, Sounds & Haptics, and Screen Time on iOS.

ios 15 focus settings app
You can also activate, manage, and create new focuses through the Control Center on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

ios 15 focus control center activation

Creating and Editing Focuses

In a nutshell, with any Focus mode, you can select who can contact you and which apps, if any, can send you notifications. Focus mode lets you personalize the people and apps able to contact you based on what you're doing.

ios 15 focus mode creation
Apple has several pre-made Focus options like Do Not Disturb, Driving, and Sleep, but you can also create your own Focus modes and choose which apps are able to send you notifications.

You can set up different Focus modes for work, personal time, working out, gaming, reading, cooking, or anything else you can think of where you don't want to be disturbed.

In the Focus section of Settings or through the Control Center, you can tap on the "+" button to create a new Focus, or tap on one of the existing Focus modes to tailor it to better suit your needs.

You can select a pre-prepared Focus goal or create something entirely custom, choosing an icon and an icon color. With any Focus mode, you can decide if you want to get notifications from people during the Focus, and if so, which people.

ios 15 focus mode creation 2
From there, you can select which apps are allowed to send you notifications, and then you can choose whether or not you want to receive Time Sensitive notifications.

time sensitive notifications focus mode
Time Sensitive notifications are a new notification class in iOS 15. A notification marked as time sensitive can be allowed to bypass Focus mode. Notifications that are classed as time sensitive are those that are immediately important, such as someone at the door, a food delivery, a ride pickup, and more.

Focus Setup Suggestions

When creating a Focus, your device will use on-device intelligence and data gathered about your past activity to suggest apps and people you might want to allow notifications from.

ios 15 focus suggestions

Activating a Focus

To activate one of your Focus modes, just toggle it on using the Control Center. This is the simplest way to turn on a Focus, disable a Focus, and swap between Focus modes.

ios 15 focus control center activation 1
When a Focus is active, the Control Center will display the name and the icon of the Focus mode, so you know at a glance that a Focus is turned on. Focus modes also display on the Lock Screen of your ‌iPhone‌.

Cross Device Functionality

When you activate a Focus on one device, it activates across all of the devices you're signed into with your Apple ID so you won't be disrupted even if you switch from an ‌iPhone‌ to an ‌iPad‌ or a Mac.

If you want Focus mode to be activated on one device and not another, you can toggle off "Share Across Devices" in the Focus mode section of the Settings app.

Letting People Know Focus Mode is Active

In any Focus that you create or edit, you can opt to toggle on the "Focus Status" option. This option lets apps like Messages tell people that you have your notifications silenced.

ios 15 focus mode alerts
When someone goes to send you an iMessage, if Share Focus Status is toggled on, they'll see a small message at the bottom of the app that says "[Person] has notifications silenced." People can choose to send a message anyway regardless of Focus status if there's something important that needs to be shared.

Focus Status sharing is available in Apple's built-in apps like Messages and there's also an API for developers to build it into their apps too.

Auto-Reply

For some Focus modes like Driving, you can activate an "Auto-Reply" option that will let people know that you're busy and will get back to them later. Auto-Reply messages can be customized, and this is an option for the previous Do Not Disturb While Driving feature that has been folded into Focus.

ios 15 focus mode auto reply

Breakthrough Messages

If you have your Focus Status on and are blocking incoming notifications, people can opt to send an urgent message. You can choose to allow or or disallow urgent messages, which bypass your restrictions.

Lock and Home Screen Refinements

With a Focus mode enabled, you can choose to show only select app pages and hide all notification badges from the Home Screen. With this feature, you can dedicate a specific screen of apps to a given Focus mode, blocking out distractions like social networking apps and leaving you only with what's relevant.

ios 15 focus mode home lock screen
On the Lock Screen, you can choose to use a dim feature and decide whether silenced notifications should be shown on the Lock Screen.

Focus Smart Activation

If you toggle on the Focus Smart Activation feature, your device will use signals like your location and app usage to decide when to automatically turn on a Focus mode throughout the day. With this enabled, your ‌iPhone‌ might activate a work Focus mode when you leave the house in the morning to head to the office, turning it off again when you get home.

ios 15 focus mode smart activation

Focus Automations

You can set a Focus mode to activate at a certain time, at a certain location, or when a specific app is opened using Automations.

ios 15 focus mode automation

Guide Feedback

Have questions about Focus in iOS 15, know of a feature we left out, or want to offer feedback on this guide? Send us an email here.

Related Forum: iOS 15

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
apple account card feature

Apple Account Card Expanding to More Countries

Tuesday July 8, 2025 7:34 pm PDT by
Apple is expanding the ability to add an Apple Account Card to the Wallet app to more countries, according to backend Apple Pay changes. With iOS 15.5, Apple updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID. If you receive an Apple gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that is also...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

Leaker Reveals Amount of RAM in iPhone 17 Through iPhone 17 Pro Max

Wednesday July 9, 2025 8:08 am PDT by
Three out of four iPhone 17 models will feature more RAM than the equivalent iPhone 16 models, according to a new leak that aligns with previous rumors. The all-new iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to Fixed Focus Digital, an account with more than two million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...

Top Rated Comments

Khedron Avatar
52 months ago
Is there a Focus mode for when you’re setting up Focus modes?
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jclo Avatar
52 months ago

OK. Please repost when the rest of the world gets iOS 15. Thanks.
I will! I'm making a master guide that has all of our iOS 15 content so we'll have something great when iOS 15 launches.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
contacos Avatar
52 months ago
My life must be so boring. If I don’t want to be disturbed, I just put away my phone ??‍♂️ My phone has been on mute since iPhone 4
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Saturnine Avatar
52 months ago
Am I missing something in regards to focus mode? I’ve tried to use it on the beta but it doesn’t seem to do what I want it to do.

When it comes to setting up the different focus modes I want to be able to set “Allow calls from anybody” and “Allow notifications from all apps except selected apps” but these don’t appear to be options.

Bascially I want to set a focus mode that blocks notifications from the apps I only use for work like Teams and Outlook.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RosOne Avatar
52 months ago

Am I missing something in regards to focus mode? I’ve tried to use it on the beta but it doesn’t seem to do what I want it to do.

When it comes to setting up the different focus modes I want to be able to set “Allow calls from anybody” and “Allow notifications from all apps except selected apps” but these don’t appear to be options.

Bascially I want to set a focus mode that blocks notifications from the apps I only use for work like Teams and Outlook.
This is what I wanted too. I want to block work related notifications (people and apps) when I’m not at work.
Some people don’t get I’m off work. I also don’t want to block them ?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
now i see it Avatar
52 months ago
The most insidious A.D.D inducing device ever invented by mankind now has a Focus feature to keep you on track.
Where will it end?

Pro tip: Turn off your phone.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)