This is for you if… your phone is not ringing, notifications are silent, or you can see a moon or focus symbol and do not know how to turn it off.
I was helping someone in Haverhill whose family thought they were ignoring calls. The phone had Do Not Disturb scheduled every afternoon, so calls were being silenced automatically.
What Do Not Disturb does
Do Not Disturb, Focus or Quiet Mode can silence calls, text messages and app alerts. It is useful at night or during appointments, but it is confusing if it turns on by mistake.
Before you start
- Check the phone is charged and unlocked.
- Look for a moon, Focus, Quiet Mode or Do Not Disturb symbol.
- Remember that volume and Do Not Disturb are separate settings.
Step-by-step: turn off Do Not Disturb on iPhone
- Unlock your iPhone.
- Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen to open Control Centre. On some older iPhones, swipe up from the bottom.
- Look for a button called Focus or Do Not Disturb.
- If it says Do Not Disturb is on, tap it.
- Tap Do Not Disturb again to switch it off.
- Close Control Centre.
- Ask someone to call you to test whether the phone rings.
Step-by-step: turn off Do Not Disturb on Android
- Unlock your Android phone.
- Swipe down from the top of the screen.
- Swipe down again if you only see a few quick buttons.
- Look for Do Not Disturb, Quiet Mode or a moon symbol.
- If it is highlighted or switched on, tap it once to turn it off.
- Press the volume button and check the ringtone volume is not muted.
- Ask someone to call you to test it.
If it keeps turning itself back on
- Open Settings.
- Search for Do Not Disturb or Focus.
- Open the setting.
- Look for Schedule, Sleep, Driving or Automation.
- Turn off any schedule you do not want.
- Test again the next day to make sure it has not returned.
Need help?
For ongoing help and peace of mind in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk, my membership can help. For one-off setup help, you can book a visit.