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
83 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
80 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
80 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
83 months ago
I need FULL mute for individual group texts.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sirozha Avatar
82 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
83 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

AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases Firmware Updates for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4

Monday November 11, 2024 11:28 am PST by
Apple today released firmware updates for both AirPods 4 models (version number 7B20) and the AirPods Pro 2 with both Lightning and USB-C charging cases (version number 7B21). All of these AirPods models were previously on firmware version 7B19. It is not immediately clear what new features or changes are included in firmware versions 7B20 and 7B21, but we will update this story if we find...
New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

18 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.2

Wednesday November 13, 2024 2:09 am PST by
Apple is set to release iOS 18.2 next month, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. There are a handful of new non-AI related feature controls incoming as well....
iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 Camera Modules to Enter Mass Production Next Month

Tuesday November 12, 2024 2:56 am PST by
Apple's camera module supplier for the upcoming iPhone SE 4 is set to begin mass production of the components in December, according to a new report coming out of Korea. Economic newspaper Ajunews reports that LG Innotek will supply the front camera module for the budget-friendly fourth-generation device. Final tests are now said to be underway, with mass production of the module following...
iphone 6 thickness

iPhone 17 'Air' May Not Be Much Thinner Than iPhone 6

Monday November 11, 2024 5:18 am PST by
Next year's iPhone 17 "Air" model may not be as thin as Apple planned, according to a rumor originating in Korea. According to the news aggregator account "yeux1122" on Naver, citing industry sources, Apple has run into problems making the new iPhone 17 model sufficiently thin. The device's reduced thickness is apparently dependent on manufacturing a battery with a thinner substrate, but...
new mac holiday

The Best Early Black Friday Mac Deals

Monday November 11, 2024 7:45 am PST by
Black Friday is getting closer, and prices on MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, and Mac mini computers have started to drop as the shopping holiday nears. These deals include the latest models of the M4 MacBook Pro and iMac. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site...
iOS 18

Here's Everything New in iOS 18.2 Beta 3

Monday November 11, 2024 4:53 pm PST by
Apple seeded the third betas of iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2 to developers for testing today. While the third betas of each update are minor relative to the first two betas, there are still a handful of changes across the Photos app, TV app, and more. A corresponding iOS 18.2 public beta with these changes will likely be released later this week, and Apple previously confirmed that the software...
General Final Cut Pro Feature

Apple Likely to Announce Final Cut Pro Update This Week With These New Features

Sunday November 10, 2024 12:13 pm PST by
In its announcement video for the new Mac mini last month, Apple teased an "upcoming" version of Final Cut Pro for the Mac. Apple will likely announce the update during the annual Final Cut Pro Creative Summit, which begins this Wednesday. The conference is held in association with Apple, and attendees will be visiting Apple Park on the first day. Apple already teased four new features...
iPad iOS 16 WP Display Feature eric edit

Apple to Launch AI-Powered Home 'Command Center' as Soon as March 2025

Tuesday November 12, 2024 1:09 pm PST by
Apple is planning to launch an AI-powered smart home display as soon as March 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The display will measure in at approximately six inches, and while it is similar to an iPad, it is square rather than rectangular and it has thick bezels around the edges. There is a camera at the top front so that it can be used for FaceTime, plus there are internal speakers...