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How to block distractions on your phone and computer

Focus and Downtime on iPhone, Do Not Disturb and app timers on Android, and Do not disturb on Windows 11. Pick one and leave it on for the hours you already know are noisy.

  1. How to turn on Do not disturb in Windows 11

    Click the network, volume or battery icon to open quick settings, then click Do not disturb. For a schedule, go to Settings > System > Notifications > Do not disturb.

    Use it when: Banners stop covering the thing you are trying to read.

    Windows · Easy · 2 min · Full steps

  2. How to set up a Focus on iPhone

    Go to Settings > Focus, pick Do Not Disturb or Work or make your own, and choose the people and apps allowed to reach you. Turn it on in Control Center or give it a schedule.

    Use it when: Do Not Disturb is one blunt mode. A Focus lets work calls through and holds the rest.

    Productivity · Easy · 3 min · Full steps

  3. How to set Downtime in Screen Time on iPhone

    Go to Settings > Screen Time > Downtime, turn it on and set the hours. Only apps in Always Allowed work during Downtime, and calls still come through.

    Use it when: The block is on a clock, so it does not depend on you deciding in the moment.

    Productivity · Easy · 3 min · Full steps

  4. How to set a time limit on an app on Android

    Go to Settings > Digital Wellbeing and parental controls > Dashboard, pick the app and tap the hourglass to set a daily limit. When time is up, the app is paused until midnight.

    Use it when: The limit is attached to the one app, not to a vague resolution.

    Android · Easy · 2 min · Full steps

  5. How to schedule Do Not Disturb on Android

    Go to Settings > Notifications > Do Not Disturb, add a schedule for the hours you sleep, and allow calls from contacts or favourites so family can still get through.

    Use it when: A night of sleep stops depending on you remembering to flip a tile.

    Android · Easy · 2 min · Full steps

Questions people ask

Where do my notifications go?

They still collect in Notification Center. They just don't pop up.

Why do some notifications still come through?

Time Sensitive notifications can break through a Focus. Turn that off for a noisy app in Settings > Notifications.

Can I get around Downtime?

Yes, unless there's a Screen Time passcode. Without one you can ignore the limit for a minute or the rest of the day.

Can I get around the timer?

Yes, unless parental controls lock it. It's a speed bump, and that's often enough.

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