In iOS 12, Apple has given users the tools to cut down on disturbances to get more time away from their devices if desired, and one of these new tools is an expanded set of Do Not Disturb options.

Thanks to these changes, there are more convenient options for using Do Not Disturb in iOS 12, and it's also a lot smarter.

How to Get to the New Do Not Disturb Options

Your Do Not Disturb options in the Settings app are largely the same, with the new Do Not Disturb features housed in Control Center.

donotdisturb3

  1. Open Control Center, through a right-side swipe downwards on the screen of an iPhone X or iPad or by swiping upwards from the Home button on other devices.
  2. 3D Touch or long press on the Control Center icon that looks like a moon, which is the icon for Do Not Disturb.
  3. A 3D Touch or a long press brings up all of the Do Not Disturb options, which can be selected with a tap.

Do Not Disturb is a default widget within the Control Center and it's always available, so it's not an option that needs to be enabled through the Control Center customization options.

All of the Ways You Can Use Do Not Disturb in iOS 12

There are multiple new limited-time settings for Do Not Disturb in the Control Center, which automatically turn off after the specified time elapses.

  • For one hour
  • Until this evening (or afternoon/morning depending on the time - it's generally a few hours)
  • Until I leave this location
  • Until this event ends (if you have a timed event set in your calendar)
  • A single tap on the icon without selecting an option turns on Do Not Disturb until you tap it again.

Not all of these options will be visible at all times. If you're not in a set location or you don't have any events scheduled, these two options won't appear. The first two, allowing you to set Do Not Disturb for an hour or until the evening/afternoon/morning are always available.

Underneath these options, there's a "Schedule" button (see screenshot at top) that will open up the Settings app so you can set a specific time period for when you want Do Not Disturb to turn on. This is also where you can turn on Do Not Disturb at Bedtime, a feature that prevents notifications from displaying on the iPhone's display at night.

Check out our Do Not Disturb at Bedtime how to for more details on this feature.

Managing Do Not Disturb Settings

Your general Do Not Disturb settings are available in the Settings app, which can be accessed by going to Settings > Do Not Disturb or through the above mentioned "Schedule" section of the No Not Disturb Control Center widget.

Most of these settings aren't new, but we thought it would be useful to offer a quick primer on Do Not Disturb's other settings alongside what's new in iOS 12.

donotdisturb2
In the Settings app, you can enable or disable Do Not Disturb, set a specific time for Do Not Disturb to turn on and off, or enable Bedtime Mode.

You can also choose whether Do Not Disturb should mute calls and notifications only while the iPhone is locked or at all times, and there are options to select whether calls from certain people should bypass your Do Not Disturb settings. This section is also where you'll find your Do Not Disturb While Driving options.

Related Forum: iOS 12

Top Rated Comments

Thekevan Avatar
68 months ago
I wish they would allow a more customizable schedule for “Do not disturb,” such as:

I work 5pm - 3am Tuesday through Friday, (so I schedule DND for 3am - 11am), but Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, I sleep normal people’s hours (during the night), so my scheduled DND does not apply, and I have to remember to turn the schedule off.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CMDXtreme Avatar
66 months ago
I use DND daily. Is there any way to get rid of the “calls and notifications will be silenced...” on the lock screen? I swipe and remove it and it comes back after awhile.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Gameboy70 Avatar
66 months ago
I use DND daily. Is there any way to get rid of the “calls and notifications will be silenced...” on the lock screen? I swipe and remove it and it comes back after awhile.
This. I thought I was the only one annoyed by the persistent lock screen banner.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
eyeseeyou Avatar
68 months ago
I need FULL mute for individual group texts.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sirozha Avatar
68 months ago
About 8 years ago, there was an app on Cydia that allowed the iPhone’s ring to be put in silent mode (with vibrate enabled) for every Calendar event marked as “busy”. This was a great solution, as the phone would never ring during a scheduled meeting, but would go back to the ringing mode as soon as the scheduled event ended. For those who are in meetings on and off during the day, that’s an invaluable feature. In fact , I jailbroke my iPhone back then just to get this functionality.

Why can’t Apple implement this in iOS? Isn’t it a basic function that is required for anyone using the iPhone in a business environment? That and being able to see the status of the “mute” during the call so that if you have to step into a noisy environment, you can make sure that your iPhone is muted with a single glance at the lock screen.

Why is it taking Apple over a decade to implement these two basic features?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Braderunner Avatar
68 months ago
I wish they would allow a more customizable schedule for “Do not disturb,” such as:

I work 5pm - 3am Tuesday through Friday, (so I schedule DND for 3am - 11am), but Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, I sleep normal people’s hours (during the night), so my scheduled DND does not apply, and I have to remember to turn the schedule off.
I use the Bedtime feature in the Clock app as my alarm. You can “turn on DND during bedtime” under the options of Bedtime in the Clock app. I get up at 6 am, M-F. Then change the wake time to 9 am for Sat. and Sun. DND then mirrors my Bedtime schedule, and I only have to change one schedule, instead of two. I forgot about this option until earlier today. :confused: :rolleyes:
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Details: Action Button, USB-C Port, Face ID, and More

Wednesday September 27, 2023 1:34 pm PDT by
Significant changes are expected to arrive with Apple's fourth-generation iPhone SE, in terms of both design and hardware, MacRumors has learned. The iPhone SE 4, known internally under the codename Ghost, is expected to receive a new design derived almost entirely from the base model iPhone 14. According to our sources, the iPhone SE 4 will use a modified version of the iPhone 14 chassis...
Multi Display CarPlay 1

All-New Apple CarPlay Launching Later This Year With These 5 New Features

Friday September 29, 2023 11:29 am PDT by
At WWDC 2022 last year, Apple previewed the next generation of CarPlay, promising deeper integration with vehicle functions like A/C and FM radio, support for multiple displays across the dashboard, personalization options, and more. Apple said the first vehicles with support for the next-generation CarPlay experience would be announced in late 2023, but it has still not shared any additional...
iOS 17

Everything New in iOS 17.1 Beta 1

Wednesday September 27, 2023 1:57 pm PDT by
Just a week after releasing iOS 17, Apple has seeded the first beta of iOS 17.1 to developers. iOS 17.1 adds some features that Apple promised were coming to iOS 17 in the future, plus it refines and improves some existing features. This guide covers everything new in the first iOS 17.1 beta. Apple Music Favorites You can favorite songs, albums, playlists, and artists in the iOS 17.1...
iPhone 15 Pro lineup

iPhone 15 Pro Overheating Concerns Highlighted in Two More Reports

Thursday September 28, 2023 6:25 am PDT by
iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max overheating concerns continue to make headlines this week, with the topic highlighted by The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg. Both of the reports document anecdotal complaints from customers, and outline potential causes, but it's unclear how many devices are actually affected. Bloomberg said the overheating could be caused or compounded by the iPhone's setup...
iPhone 15 Pro lineup

Apple to Address iPhone 15 Pro Overheating Issue With iOS 17 Update

Saturday September 30, 2023 9:28 am PDT by
Apple plans to release an iOS 17 update to address a bug that may contribute to the reported iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max overheating issue, according to a statement the company shared today with MacRumors and Forbes reporter David Phelan. Apple also says some recent updates to third-party apps have overloaded the system and contributed to the overheating issue. The report notes that...
iPhone 15 USB C Port Keynote

Some USB-C Power Banks Fail to Work With iPhone 15

Thursday September 28, 2023 2:06 pm PDT by
Apple added a USB-C port to the iPhone 15 lineup this year, allowing it to work with USB-C cables, USB-C power banks, and more. It turns out that some USB-C battery packs are not working properly with Apple's iPhone 15, resulting in charging issues. As highlighted on Reddit and the MacRumors forums, not all existing USB-C power banks can be used with the iPhone 15 models, perhaps due to the...
iOS 17

Apple Releases iOS 17.0.2 and iPadOS 17.0.2 for All iPhones and iPads

Tuesday September 26, 2023 12:47 pm PDT by
Apple today released iOS 17.0.2 and iPadOS 17.0.2 updates, with the software coming five days after the releases of iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1. Today's iOS 17.0.2 and iPadOS 17.0.2 updates arrive as build 21A351 and can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Note that iOS 17.0.2 was previously made available for iPhone...