Do Not Disturb stops calls, texts, and notifications from reaching you until you turn it off

Do Not Disturb is a built-in iPhone feature that silences incoming calls, text messages, and app notifications. When it is on, your phone will not ring or buzz for most alerts — though calls from people in your Favorites list and repeated calls from the same person within three minutes can still come through, depending on your settings.

You can turn it off in seconds using the Control Center, the Settings app, or by asking Siri. The method you choose depends on whether you want to turn it off right now or change when it turns on and off automatically.

Key Takeaways

  • Swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen and tap the moon icon to turn off Do Not Disturb when ready.
  • You can also go to Settings, then Sounds & Haptics, and toggle Do Not Disturb off.
  • If Do Not Disturb is scheduled to turn on at a certain time each day, you need to change the schedule in Settings to stop it from coming back.
  • Saying "Hey Siri, turn off Do Not Disturb" works on any iPhone with Siri enabled.

The fastest way: Control Center

The quickest method is to use Control Center, which you can reach from anywhere on your phone. On iPhones with Face ID (iPhone X and newer), swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen. On iPhones with a home button, swipe up from the bottom of the screen.

Look for the moon icon — that is the Do Not Disturb symbol. Tap it once to turn off Do Not Disturb. The moon icon will disappear or change appearance, and your phone will start receiving notifications again when ready.

Using the Settings app

If you want to check your Do Not Disturb settings or turn it off from a menu, open Settings and tap Sounds & Haptics. Scroll down until you see Do Not Disturb, then toggle it off.

This method takes a few more taps than Control Center, but it also shows you whether Do Not Disturb is set to turn on automatically at certain times. If you see a schedule listed under Do Not Disturb, that is why it keeps coming back on — you will need to tap that schedule and turn it off if you do not want it to set up again.

Stopping Do Not Disturb from turning on automatically

Many people set Do Not Disturb to set up at bedtime or during work hours. If your phone keeps turning Do Not Disturb back on even after you turn it off, a schedule is likely active.

Go to Settings, tap Sounds & Haptics, then tap Do Not Disturb. Look for any schedules listed — you might see "Bedtime" or a custom time range. Tap the schedule and toggle it off. You can also edit the schedule to change when it starts and stops instead of deleting it entirely.

Using Siri to turn it off

If your hands are full or you are driving, you can say "Hey Siri, turn off Do Not Disturb." Siri will confirm that Do Not Disturb is now off. This works on any iPhone with Siri enabled, and you do not need to unlock your phone first.

You can also ask Siri to turn Do Not Disturb back on, or to turn it on for a specific amount of time — for example, "Hey Siri, turn on Do Not Disturb for one hour."

What happens when Do Not Disturb is on

When Do Not Disturb is active, your phone will not light up or make a sound for most incoming calls and messages. However, the behavior depends on which Do Not Disturb mode you are using. Standard Do Not Disturb silences everything, while Focus modes (like Work or Sleep) let you customize which people and apps can reach you.

All notifications still arrive — they just do not alert you. You can see them when you unlock your phone and check your notification center. This is different from blocking someone, which prevents their messages and calls from coming through at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Do Not Disturb keep turning back on?

A schedule is almost certainly active. Open Settings, go to Sounds & Haptics, tap Do Not Disturb, and look for any listed schedules. Tap each one and toggle it off, or edit the time range so it does not overlap with when you want to receive notifications.

Can people still call me if Do Not Disturb is on?

Calls from people in your Favorites list will come through. If someone not in your Favorites calls twice within three minutes, the second call will also ring through. All other calls go silent but still arrive as missed calls.

Will Do Not Disturb silence my alarm?

No. Alarms, timers, and reminders will still sound even when Do Not Disturb is on. Only calls, texts, and app notifications are silenced.

What is the difference between Do Not Disturb and Focus modes?

Do Not Disturb is a straightforward on-off feature that silences everything. Focus modes (Work, Sleep, Driving, etc.) let you choose which contacts and apps can reach you. You turn off Focus modes the same way you turn off Do Not Disturb — through Control Center or Settings.

Does turning off Do Not Disturb send a notification to anyone?

No. Turning Do Not Disturb on or off is private. No one will be notified that you have changed your status, though they may see that you are now responding to messages.