Do Not Disturb blocks most notifications, but not all of them

Do Not Disturb (on iPhone, iPad, and Mac) and Do Not Disturb mode (on Android) silence notifications by default — but certain apps and contacts are designed to bypass it. The most common reason you still see notifications is that someone or something is set to come through anyway. This happens because you (or the app itself) marked them as important enough to interrupt you.

The second reason is that some notifications don't actually go through the Do Not Disturb filter at all. Alarms, timers, reminders you set yourself, and emergency alerts from your phone carrier skip Do Not Disturb on purpose. Your device assumes you want to wake up for an alarm you set, even if you turned on Do Not Disturb afterward.

Key Takeaways

  • Contacts marked as Favorites on iPhone, or starred on Android, will call and text you even when Do Not Disturb is on.
  • Apps can request permission to send notifications that bypass Do Not Disturb, and you may have said yes without realizing it.
  • Alarms, timers, reminders, and emergency alerts always come through Do Not Disturb because your device assumes they are urgent.
  • Repeated calls from the same person within three minutes automatically bypass Do Not Disturb on iPhone as an emergency override.
  • Turning on Do Not Disturb does not delete notifications — it just hides them until you turn it off or check the notification center.

How contacts get through on iPhone and iPad

On iPhone and iPad, anyone in your Favorites list can call or text you while Do Not Disturb is on. You create this list yourself in the Contacts app or by tapping the star icon next to a contact's name. If you do not remember adding someone, check your Favorites: open Contacts, tap the Favorites tab at the bottom, and look for anyone you do not want to interrupt you.

There is also an emergency override built in: if someone calls you twice within three minutes, the second call comes through even if they are not a Favorite. This is meant to let people reach you in a real emergency, but it can also mean a friend calling back quickly will get through. If this keeps happening with one person, add them to Favorites so their first call comes through, or remove them from Favorites if you want them blocked.

How contacts get through on Android

Android's Do Not Disturb works differently depending on which version you have and which phone manufacturer made it. On most Android phones, you can set Do Not Disturb to allow calls and messages from specific contacts. Open Settings, search for "Do Not Disturb", and look for an option called "Allow calls from" or "Exceptions". If you see a list of contacts there, those people will reach you.

Some Android phones also have a "Priority" or "Important" mode that works alongside Do Not Disturb. Check whether you have turned on a separate priority list in your notification settings. If you are not sure which version of Android you have, go to Settings > About Phone and look for the Android version number, then search your phone's support site for how Do Not Disturb works on that version.

Apps that are set to bypass Do Not Disturb

When you first open an app, it often asks permission to send notifications. Some apps ask for permission to send notifications that bypass Do Not Disturb — this is called a "critical alert" or "time-sensitive" notification. You may have tapped "Allow" without reading what that meant. Common apps that request this permission include navigation apps (so directions come through), messaging apps, and security apps.

To see which apps have this permission on iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications, scroll through each app, and look for a toggle called "Time Sensitive" or "Critical Alerts". Turn it off for any app you do not want interrupting you. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Notifications and look for apps with "Bypass Do Not Disturb" or similar language in their permission settings. The exact name varies by phone.

Notifications that always bypass Do Not Disturb

Your device treats certain notifications as too important to silence. Alarms you set yourself, timers, and reminders always come through, because you created them with the expectation that they would interrupt you. Emergency alerts from your phone carrier (like severe weather warnings or Amber Alerts) also bypass Do Not Disturb. These are sent by your local government or carrier, not by an app.

Phone calls from unknown numbers or people not in your contacts will not come through on iPhone, but on Android they may, depending on your settings. If you are getting calls from numbers you do not recognize while Do Not Disturb is on, check whether you have turned on an option to allow calls from "Unknown" or "Everyone". You can usually change this in your phone's call settings.

Notifications that are hidden, not deleted

Do Not Disturb does not stop notifications from arriving — it just hides them from your lock screen and does not make a sound or vibration. When you turn off Do Not Disturb or unlock your phone, all the notifications that came in while it was on will still be there, waiting in your notification center. On iPhone, swipe down from the top of the screen to see them. On Android, swipe down twice from the top.

If you do not want to see these notifications later, you have to delete them manually or turn off notifications from that app entirely. Turning off Do Not Disturb does not clear them automatically. This is why Do Not Disturb is useful for sleep or focus time — the notifications are still there if you need them, but they will not wake you or distract you while it is on.

What to do if notifications still come through

Start by checking your Favorites list (iPhone) or exception list (Android) and removing anyone you do not want to interrupt you. Then go through your notification settings app by app and turn off "Time Sensitive", "Critical Alerts", or "Bypass Do Not Disturb" for apps that do not need to interrupt you. Most people can turn this off for social media, email, and news apps.

If you are still seeing notifications, check whether you have a separate priority or important mode turned on alongside Do Not Disturb. Some phones have both, and they can work together in confusing ways. If you are not sure what is happening, turn off Do Not Disturb completely for a few minutes, then turn it back on and watch which notifications still come through. That will tell you which app or contact is the problem.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I still hear my phone vibrate when Do Not Disturb is on?

Vibration is usually controlled separately from Do Not Disturb. On iPhone, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics and check whether vibration is turned on. You can turn off vibration entirely, or turn on "Vibrate on Ring" so it only vibrates when someone calls. On Android, the setting is usually in Settings > Sound and Vibration.

Can I set Do Not Disturb to allow calls but block texts?

On iPhone, you cannot separate calls and texts in Do Not Disturb itself, but you can use Focus modes to create different rules. On Android, some phones let you set different rules for calls and messages in the Do Not Disturb settings. Check your phone's support site for your specific model, as this varies widely.

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

Focus mode (iPhone) and Focus modes (Android 12 and later) are newer versions of Do Not Disturb that let you create custom rules for different situations — like Work, Sleep, or Driving. Do Not Disturb is the basic version that blocks most notifications. Focus modes give you more control over which apps and contacts can reach you in each situation.

If I turn on Do Not Disturb while an app is sending a notification, will it still come through?

It depends on the app's permission. If the app has permission to send critical or time-sensitive notifications, it will come through even if you turn on Do Not Disturb after the notification is sent. If the app does not have that permission, the notification will be silenced. You cannot retroactively silence a notification that is already on its way.

Does Do Not Disturb stop notifications from appearing on my lock screen?

Yes, on iPhone. Do Not Disturb hides notifications from your lock screen and removes the sound and vibration. On Android, it depends on your phone model and settings — some phones hide them, others just silence them. Check your Do Not Disturb settings to see what "Hide notifications" or similar options you have available.