Apple in iOS 15 introduced Focus mode, 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. In iOS 16, Apple has expanded what Focus modes can do with new features, including the ability to add Focus Filters. This article explains what Focus Filters are and how to set them up.

iOS 16 Focus Feature
Focus Filters are a completely new feature in ‌iOS 16‌. With this option, you can filter out content within apps, displaying a specific Mail account or Calendar that pertains to your Focus. When you use a Focus with a filter set, the app with the filter will only show what you've selected and will hide everything else. If you have a work Focus, for instance, you might filter out events from your family calendar.

Here's what you can filter out with Focus Filters:

  • Calendar - If you have different calendars set up for work and family, you can associate just one calendar with a Focus so you see only relevant events when that Focus is activated.
  • Mail - You can choose any of your Mail accounts to associate with a Focus, and with this activated, when you're in that Focus, the Mail app will only show the accounts you've selected. It's useful if you want to filter out personal emails while working, and vice versa.
  • Messages - The Messages app can be set to hide all messages except for the messages from the People list that you created for the particular Focus mode. So if you have a "Personal" Focus that filters out all contacts from work, you won't see their messages in the Messages app with the Personal Focus turned on.
  • Safari - Safari can be set to only show a specific Tab Group when a Focus is turned on. You'll need to set up the Tab Group ahead of time in the Safari app.
  • Dark Mode - You can choose Dark mode or Light mode for a Focus.
  • Low Power Mode - You can opt to have Low Power mode activated or deactivated with a Focus.

How to Add a Focus Filter to Your Focus

  1. Launch the Settings app on your ‌iPhone‌, then tap Focus.
  2. Select the Focus mode that you want to add Focus Filters to.
    focus

  3. Scroll down, and under "Focus Filters," tap Add Filter.
  4. Choose an App Filter that you'd like to set up: Calendar, Mail, Messages, or Safari. In this example, we're adding a calendar filter.
    filter

  5. Tap Choose to select which calendars to show, and when.
  6. Tap the iCloud and/or other calendars that you want to include, then tap Done.
    focus

  7. Tap Add to include the filter in your Focus mode.

Your chosen filter will now be active the next time you enable the Focus mode.

Apple has made a Focus Filter API for developers so that third-party apps can allow the same specific filtering options within a Focus as Apple's own app. If you use a third-party email app, for example, you'll be able to select a mailbox to show within that app provided the developer adds the Focus Filter API. For more on everything new in Focus with iOS 16, check out our comprehensive guide.

Popular Stories

apple tv 4k new orange

New Apple TV Expected Later This Year With These New Features

Saturday July 12, 2025 3:09 pm PDT by
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Rumors Faster Wi-Fi Support The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports ...
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...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 16 New Features

Friday July 11, 2025 12:40 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are only two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:A redesigned Dynamic Island: It has been rumored that all iPhone 17 models will have a redesigned Dynamic Island interface — it might ...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3: What to Expect

Sunday July 13, 2025 10:30 am PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is nearly over, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 3:Satellite connectivity for sending and receiving text messages when Wi-Fi and cellular coverage is unavailable 5G support, up from LTE on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Likely a wide-angle OLED display that ...
iphone 16 pro pro max

iPhone 17 Pro Models With BOE Displays Will Be Sold in China Only

Thursday July 10, 2025 11:59 pm PDT by
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models with displays made by BOE will be sold exclusively in China, according to a new report. Last week, it emerged that Chinese display manufacturer BOE was aggressively ramping up its OLED production capacity for future iPhone models as part of a plan to recapture a major role in Apple's supply chain. Now, tech news aggregator Jukan Choi reports...
top stories 2025 07 12

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, iOS 26 Beta 3, and More

Saturday July 12, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
The iOS 26 public beta release is quickly approaching, while developers have recently gotten their hands on a third round of betas that has seen Apple continue to tweak features, design, and functionality. We're also continuing to hear rumors about the iPhone 17 lineup that is now just about right around the corner, while Apple's latest big-budget film appears to be taking off, so read on...