How to Use Focus Mode on iPhone (2025 Guide)

Your iPhone is a powerful tool for connection and information, but it can also be a major source of distraction. The constant stream of notifications—from emails and text messages to social media updates and news alerts—can fracture your attention and pull you away from what matters most. Apple’s solution to this modern problem is Focus Mode, a feature designed to help you reclaim your time and concentration.

Focus Mode is more than just a glorified “Do Not Disturb.” It’s a highly customizable system that lets you create tailored environments for different aspects of your life. Whether you’re at work, studying, exercising, or trying to unwind, you can set specific rules for which people and apps are allowed to reach you. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to master Focus Mode, from initial setup and customization to advanced productivity tips that will help you minimize distractions and maximize your efficiency.

What is Focus Mode and Why Should You Use It?

Introduced in iOS 15, Focus Mode is a feature that allows you to filter notifications and apps based on what you want to focus on at any given moment. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach to silencing your phone, you can create distinct profiles for different activities. This means you can have a “Work” Focus that only allows notifications from colleagues and productivity apps, a “Personal” Focus for time with family, and a “Sleep” Focus that silences everything for a restful night.

The key benefits of using Focus Mode include:

• Reduced Distractions: By silencing non-essential alerts, you can concentrate deeply on the task at hand, whether it’s a work project or reading a book.
• Improved Work-Life Balance: Creating separate Focus modes helps you mentally switch off from work when you’re at home, and vice versa.
• Enhanced Productivity: Fewer interruptions lead to better workflow and efficiency. You can get more done in less time when you’re not constantly reacting to your phone.
• Mindful Technology Use: Focus Mode encourages you to be more intentional about how you use your device, turning it from a source of distraction into a tool that supports your goals.
• Better Sleep: The dedicated Sleep Focus can dim your Lock Screen and hide notifications, helping you wind down before bed and avoid nighttime disruptions.

Setting Up and Customizing Your Focus Modes

Getting started with Focus Mode is simple. The real power comes from customizing each profile to fit your specific needs. You can find the main settings by going to Settings > Focus.

Step 1: Choose a Focus to Set Up

Apple provides several pre-defined Focus modes to get you started: Do Not Disturb, Personal, Work, and Sleep. You can also create a custom one from scratch.

Let’s walk through setting up a “Work” Focus.

1. Go to Settings > Focus.
2. Tap on the Work Focus. If it’s not there, tap the plus icon (+) in the top right and select Work.
3. Tap Customize Focus.

You’ll now see the main customization screen, which is broken down into three key areas: silencing notifications, customizing screens, and setting a schedule.

Step 2: Silence Notifications from People and Apps

This is the core of Focus Mode. Here, you decide who and what can get your attention.

For People:

1. Tap on People.
2. You can choose to Silence Notifications From or Allow Notifications From. It’s usually easier to select “Allow Notifications From.”
3. Tap Add People and select contacts from your address book, such as your boss, team members, or key clients.
4. You can also choose who can call you by tapping Allow Calls From. Options include “Allowed People Only,” “Favorites,” or “Contacts Only.” A useful feature here is Allow Repeated Calls, which lets a second call from the same person within three minutes come through, in case of an emergency.

For Apps:

1. Tap on Apps.
2. Similar to people, you can either Silence or Allow notifications from specific apps.
3. Tap Add Apps and select the applications that are essential for your work, like Slack, Microsoft Outlook, and Calendar. All other apps will be silenced automatically.
4. Consider toggling on Time-Sensitive Notifications. This allows apps not on your list (like a delivery app) to send notifications that are immediately important.

Step 3: Customize Your Screens

To further reduce temptation, you can create a dedicated Lock Screen and Home Screen that only appear when your Focus is active.

• Lock Screen: Tap Choose under the Lock Screen preview. You can link an existing Lock Screen or create a new one with a professional wallpaper and work-related widgets, like your calendar or to-do list.
• Home Screen: Tap Choose under the Home Screen preview. You can select an existing Home Screen page or create a new one that only shows your work-related apps. This is a powerful way to hide distracting social media and gaming apps during work hours.

Step 4: Set a Schedule or Automation

You can activate a Focus manually from the Control Center, but its true power is unlocked with automation.

1. In the Focus settings, scroll down to Set a Schedule.
2. Tap Add Schedule. You have several options:
3. • Time: Set a schedule for specific days and times, like 9 AM to 5 PM on weekdays.
   • Location: Automatically turn on your Work Focus when you arrive at your office.
   • App: Trigger the Focus when you open a specific app, like launching a “Reading” Focus when you open the Books app.
   • Smart Activation: This lets your iPhone learn your habits and automatically turn on the Focus at relevant times throughout the day.

Creating a Custom Focus

If the pre-defined options don’t fit your needs, you can create your own.

1. Go to Settings > Focus and tap the plus icon (+).
2. Select Custom.
3. Name your Focus (e.g., “Studying,” “Gym,” “Driving”), choose a color and an icon, and tap Next.
4. Follow the same steps as above to customize who and what can notify you, which screens to show, and how to automate it.

Tips for Maximizing Productivity with Focus Mode

Once you’ve set up your profiles, you can take things a step further with these advanced tips.

• Use Focus Filters: This feature lets you customize how specific apps behave within a Focus. For example, in your Work Focus, you can set a filter for the Calendar app to only show your work calendar, or for Messages to only show messages from your allowed contacts. You can find this option at the bottom of a Focus’s settings page under Add Filter.
• Share Focus Status: In the Focus settings, tap on Focus Status and enable Share Focus Status. This lets people who message you in iMessage see that you have notifications silenced, which manages their expectation of a quick reply. They still have an option to “Notify Anyway” in an emergency.
• –Link Focus to your Lock Screen: One of the quickest ways to activate a Focus is by linking it to a specific Lock Screen. Simply long-press on your Lock Screen, and at the bottom, tap the Focus button to link that screen to a Focus mode. Now, whenever you swipe to that Lock Screen, the corresponding Focus will turn on.
• Sync Across Devices: In Settings > Focus, make sure Share Across Devices is toggled on. This will sync your Focus modes across your iPhone, iPad, and Mac, creating a unified, distraction-free environment no matter which device you’re using.

Troubleshooting Common Focus Mode Issues

1. Focus Mode Turns On Unexpectedly
This is almost always due to an automation you’ve set up. Check the Set a Schedule section for each of your Focus modes. You may have a time, location, or Smart Activation schedule enabled that you forgot about.

2. Alarms Are Not Going Off
Focus Mode does not block alarms set in the native Clock app. They will always sound. However, alerts from other apps that you use for reminders (like a third-party to-do list app) may be silenced if that app is not on your allowed list.

3. I’m Missing Important Calls
Review the “People” section of your active Focus. Make sure Allow Calls From is configured correctly and consider enabling Allow Repeated Calls for emergencies.

4. It’s Not Syncing Across My Devices
Ensure you are signed in to the same Apple ID on all your devices and that Share Across Devices is enabled in Settings > Focus on each device.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What’s the difference between Focus Mode and Do Not Disturb?
Do Not Disturb is now one of the profiles within the larger Focus Mode feature. While the classic Do Not Disturb silences all notifications, Focus Mode allows you to create multiple profiles that are highly selective about which notifications get through.

Q2: Will I lose notifications that are silenced?
No. Silenced notifications are sent directly to your Notification Center. You can view them by swiping down from the top of your screen. They will appear in a summary under “While in [Focus Name].”

Q3: Can I turn a Focus on and off quickly?
Yes. The fastest way is through the Control Center. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen, tap on the Focus button (it may show an icon like a moon or a person), and select the Focus you want to activate or tap the active one to turn it off.

Q4: How does the Sleep Focus work?
The Sleep Focus is integrated with the Health app’s Sleep Schedule. It automatically silences notifications and dims your Lock Screen during your scheduled wind-down and sleep time to help you disconnect and rest better. Alarms will still ring.

Q5: Can I have different Home Screens for different Focus modes?
Absolutely. You can design a unique Home Screen for each Focus, showing only the apps relevant to that activity. This is a powerful way to reduce the temptation to open distracting apps.

Conclusion: Take Control of Your Digital World

Focus Mode is a powerful feature that transforms your iPhone from a constant source of interruption into a tool that respects your attention. By investing a little time to set up and customize your Focus profiles, you can create dedicated digital environments that boost your productivity, protect your personal time, and help you be more present in your daily life. Start with one or two modes, experiment with automations and filters, and reclaim your focus one notification at a time.