How to Set Up Do Not Disturb and Focus Modes on iPhone and Android in Australia

Do Not Disturb and Focus modes are the simplest way to get quiet time back from your phone. Set them up once, and your phone will silence calls and notifications at night, during work or while you drive, while still letting urgent calls from the right people through. This guide covers iPhone and Android, with the settings that matter most for everyday life in Australia.

The trick is not just turning the mode on, but choosing who can break through it. Get that part right, and you can silence the noise without worrying about missing a call from family or a school.

Step 1: Turn on Do Not Disturb on iPhone

On an iPhone, open Settings, then Focus, then Do Not Disturb. Tap the switch to turn it on, or swipe down from the top right corner to open Control Centre and tap the Focus button, then Do Not Disturb. A small moon icon in the status bar shows that it is active.

From the Focus screen, tap People to choose who can still reach you. Add close family or anyone whose calls you never want to miss, and turn on Allow Repeated Calls if you want a second call within three minutes from the same person to break through. That setting is handy for genuine emergencies, where someone will usually try again straight away. Tap Apps to allow notifications from a few essential apps only, such as your phone app or a banking app, and leave everything else silenced.

Step 2: Set up a Focus mode for work, sleep or driving on iPhone

Do Not Disturb is the general quiet mode, but Focus modes let you create different rules for different parts of the day. In Settings, then Focus, you will see options such as Sleep, Work, Driving and Personal. Tap one, then choose the people and apps allowed during that mode, and pick which home screens and lock screen to show.

Sleep Focus is worth setting up even if you never use the others. Link it to your bedtime in the Health app or set a schedule in the Focus settings, and your phone will dim the lock screen and hold non urgent alerts until morning. Driving Focus can turn on automatically when your phone detects you are driving.

Step 3: Schedule quiet hours so you do not have to remember

A schedule is what turns Do Not Disturb from a manual switch into a habit. On iPhone, go to Settings, then Focus, then Do Not Disturb, then Add Schedule, and pick the days and times. A common setup is 10 pm to 7 am every night, plus a work block on weekdays if your job allows it.

Check the schedule against your real life. If you work night shifts, set quiet hours for daytime instead, and allow calls from overseas family if their daytime falls in your night.

Step 4: Turn on Do Not Disturb on Android

On most Android phones, open Settings, then Sound and vibration or Notifications, then Do Not Disturb, and turn it on. You can also swipe down twice from the top of the screen to open Quick Settings and tap Do Not Disturb. A small icon in the status bar confirms it is active.

From the Do Not Disturb settings, tap People to allow calls and messages from starred contacts, all contacts or no one, depending on how strict you want to be. Turn on Repeat callers if you want a second call within 15 minutes from the same person to get through. Tap Apps to allow a few essential apps, and check Alarms and other interruptions to make sure your morning alarm still sounds. Alarms are usually allowed by default, but it is worth confirming before you rely on it.

Step 5: Use Android Focus mode and Bedtime mode

Android also has a Focus mode that works a little differently from Do Not Disturb. Open Settings, then Digital Wellbeing and parental controls, then Focus mode, and choose the apps you want to pause, such as social media or games. Turn Focus mode on when you want to work or study, and those apps will be greyed out and silenced until you turn it off. You can set a schedule for it, so it starts automatically at the same time each day.

Bedtime mode is the Android equivalent of Sleep Focus. In Digital Wellbeing, tap Bedtime mode, set your bedtime and wake time, and choose whether the screen goes greyscale at night, which makes the phone far less inviting to scroll through in bed. On Samsung phones, similar options sit under Settings, then Modes and Routines.

Step 6: Fix the common problems

If important calls are still being silenced, check your allowed people list first. A contact who is not on the list will be blocked, even if they call twice, unless repeat callers is turned on. Also check whether the caller is using a private number or a different number from the one saved, because the phone can only match the number it sees.

If notifications flood in when you turn the mode off, that is normal: silenced alerts are held, not deleted, and appear in Notification Centre on iPhone or the notification shade on Android. Finally, test your setup by asking a friend to call you while the mode is on, once from an allowed number and once from a blocked number.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Do Not Disturb block my alarm in Australia?

No, in most cases your alarm will still sound. Both iPhone and Android are designed to let alarms through Do Not Disturb and Focus modes. Check the setting once, especially on Android under Do Not Disturb exceptions, so you are not caught out on a work morning.

Can urgent calls still get through while Do Not Disturb is on?

Yes, if you set it up that way. Add important contacts to your allowed list, and turn on the repeated calls option so a second call shortly after the first can break through. Without those settings, all calls will be silenced, so take a minute to choose your exceptions.

What is the difference between Do Not Disturb and Focus mode?

Do Not Disturb is a single quiet mode that silences calls and notifications. Focus modes are separate profiles, such as Sleep, Work or Driving, each with its own allowed people, apps and schedule. Use Do Not Disturb for general quiet time, and Focus modes when you want different rules for different parts of your day.