On modern iPhones, Do Not Disturb still exists, but it now lives inside a larger system called Focus. That is why you may see both names in Control Center and Settings even though they both affect notifications.
This applies to iPhones running iOS 15 or later, including iOS 17 and iOS 18.
Does This Affect You?
Use this if you are unsure whether Focus and Do Not Disturb are separate features, why notifications are silent, or which one to turn on for meetings, sleep, work, driving, or personal time.
What Do Not Disturb Is
Do Not Disturb is the classic quick-silence mode. It is still built into iOS and remains the fastest way to quiet almost everything.
- Open Control Center and tap the crescent moon icon to turn Do Not Disturb on or off.
- While it is on, calls, alerts, and notifications are silenced, and the Lock Screen does not light up for routine alerts.
- You can allow exceptions, including selected people, selected apps, or repeated calls, from Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb.
When used this way, Do Not Disturb behaves much like the older iPhone feature did before Focus was added.
What Focus Is
Focus is the broader notification-filtering system. Do Not Disturb is one Focus mode, alongside Work, Personal, Sleep, Driving, and any custom modes you create.
- Open Settings > Focus to see every available mode.
- Each Focus can have its own allowed people, allowed apps, Home Screen pages, Lock Screen, schedule, location trigger, or app trigger.
- Only one Focus mode can be active at a time. Turning on Work does not also mean Do Not Disturb is active; it is a different mode with different rules.
The easiest way to think about it: Focus is the overall feature, and Do Not Disturb is one simple mode inside it.
Which One Should You Use?
Use Do Not Disturb for Quick Silence
Choose Do Not Disturb from Control Center when you just need the iPhone quiet for a meeting, movie, nap, or focused work session without building a custom setup.
Use Focus for Different Rules
Create a specific Focus when different situations need different exceptions. For example, Work can allow coworkers and calendar apps, while Personal can allow family and hide work notifications.
Check Active Modes
If notifications feel unexpectedly quiet, open Control Center or Settings > Focus and look for an active mode. The status bar may also show a crescent moon or another Focus icon.
Sources
- Apple Support: Set up a Focus on iPhone
- Apple Support: Use Do Not Disturb on iPhone
- Apple Support: Share your Focus status on iPhone