Missing calls and messages? Do Not Disturb is probably on. It silences notifications, which is great at night, but confusing when you didn’t mean to turn it on, or when it keeps switching itself back on.

In this guide I’ll show you how to turn it off on each device, and, just as important, how to stop it coming back.

How to tell if Do Not Disturb is on

  • iPhone: a crescent moon icon in the status bar or on the Lock Screen
  • Android: a “minus” circle or crescent icon in the status bar
  • Mac: a crescent moon in the menu bar
  • Windows 11: a bell with a “z” or a crossed-out bell in the notification area

Turn off Do Not Disturb on iPhone or iPad

From Control Centre (quickest):

  1. Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen.
  2. Tap the Do Not Disturb button. When it’s off, the button shows Focus instead.

From Settings:

  1. Open Settings > Focus.
  2. Tap Do Not Disturb and turn it off.

On newer iPhones, Do Not Disturb is one of several Focus modes. If another Focus such as Sleep, Work or Driving is on, it can silence notifications too. Tap its icon in Control Centre to turn it off.

Stop it turning back on (iPhone)

If Do Not Disturb keeps coming back, a schedule or automation is usually the cause:

  1. Go to Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb.
  2. Scroll to Set a Schedule and turn off any schedules you don’t want.
  3. Check the Sleep Focus too: it can turn on automatically with your bedtime in the Health app.
  4. Check Driving Focus, which can turn on automatically when your iPhone detects driving.

Also check Share Across Devices in Settings > Focus. If it’s on, turning on Do Not Disturb on your Mac or iPad also turns it on for your iPhone.

Turn off Do Not Disturb on Android

Menus vary between brands, but the steps are similar:

  1. Swipe down from the top of the screen to open Quick Settings.
  2. Tap Do Not Disturb to turn it off. You may need to swipe down twice or swipe sideways to find it.

If it keeps turning back on, open Settings and search for Do Not Disturb. On newer Android versions it may be under Modes. Check for schedules (such as “Sleeping” or “Bedtime”) and turn off the ones you don’t want.

Turn off Do Not Disturb on Mac

  1. Click Control Centre in the menu bar (the icon with two switches).
  2. Click Focus, then click Do Not Disturb to turn it off.

To remove schedules, open System Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb and turn off any schedules.

Turn off Do Not Disturb on Windows 11

  1. Click the date and time in the bottom-right corner to open the notification centre.
  2. Click the bell icon to turn off Do Not Disturb.

To stop it turning on automatically, open Settings > System > Notifications > Turn on do not disturb automatically and untick the options you don’t need.

Can I keep Do Not Disturb on but still get important calls?

Yes, and it’s often a better option than switching it off completely:

  • iPhone: in Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb, add people under Allowed Notifications. You can also allow repeated calls, so someone calling twice within three minutes gets through.
  • Android: in Do Not Disturb settings, add priority contacts or allow calls from starred contacts.

That way, you get peace and quiet without missing an emergency.

Frequently asked questions

Why does Do Not Disturb turn on by itself? Usually because of a schedule, a Sleep or Driving Focus, or Focus settings shared from another Apple device.

Does Do Not Disturb block calls? It silences them, but callers aren’t told you’re in Do Not Disturb. Calls from allowed contacts still ring.

Is Silent mode the same as Do Not Disturb? No. Silent mode only mutes sounds. Do Not Disturb also hides notifications from your Lock Screen.

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