iOS 16: How to Stop Focus Modes From Sharing Your Status - MacRumors
Skip to Content

iOS 16: How to Stop Focus Modes From Sharing Your Status

by

In iOS 16, Apple has made it easier to control whether apps can let people know that you have a Focus mode activated and are silencing notifications. Keep reading to learn how it works.

iOS 16 Focus Feature
Focus mode is an expansion of Do Not Disturb that allows you to set up different permissions for apps, contacts, and more depending on what you're doing. For example, you can have separate focus modes for when you're at work, when you're studying, when you're at home, and so on. It's a handy way to filter out distractions and give all your attention over to something.

With a Focus on, your apps can display to people who message you that you have notifications silenced. Alternatively, you can block a Focus mode from sharing that information, so people won't be informed that your notifications are off if they try to message you. In iOS 16, Apple has made it easier to control which Focus modes are permitted to share this information by bringing the option for individual profiles into a unified menu. Here's how it works.

  1. Launch Settings on your iOS device.
  2. Tap Focus.
  3. Turn on Share Across Devices (required), then tap Focus Status.
  4. If it's not enabled already, turn on Share Focus Status.
  5. Now you can control which Focus profiles are able to share that you have notifications silenced by using the individual switches.

focus

That's all there is to it. Note that the Settings -> Focus -> Focus Status menu shown above replaces the Focus Status control option that appeared in individual Focus profiles in previous versions of iOS.

Popular Stories

Apple TV Thumb 3

Everything Coming in the 2026 Apple TV 4K

Wednesday July 8, 2026 4:51 pm PDT by
The Apple TV 4K hasn't been updated since 2022, and it's due for a refresh. An update is planned for 2026, but Apple is likely going to wait to launch it after Siri AI launches in iOS 27. Design Apple TV design updates don't happen often, and that's not changing. The next Apple TV is going to have the same squircle shape as the current model, and it'll continue to be made from a black...
iphone 16e usb c feature

Apple Begins Selling a $419 iPhone

Monday July 6, 2026 6:29 am PDT by
Apple recently added the iPhone 16e to its refurbished store, with U.S. pricing starting as low as $419 for a model with 128GB of storage. Originally released in February 2025, the iPhone 16e is a lower-end device with a 6.1-inch OLED display, an A18 chip with 8GB of RAM for Apple Intelligence support, a single 48-megapixel rear camera, a 12-megapixel front camera, a USB-C port, an Action...
iphone 16 teal

'Siri AI' Lawsuit Update: Apple to Pay Owners of These iPhone Models

Thursday July 9, 2026 7:08 am PDT by
In May, Apple agreed to pay $250 million to settle a U.S. class action lawsuit over Siri AI's delayed launch, and eligible iPhone users could receive up to a $95 payout. This week, the California court overseeing the case held a hearing regarding preliminary approval of the settlement, but the judge has not yet issued a ruling. It will likely be at least a few more months before eligible...