How to Use Do Not Disturb on iPad

Minimize or eliminate distractions with this Focus mode

By
Jeremy Laukkonen
Jeremy Laukkonen
Jeremy Laukkonen
Writer
  • Shoreline Community College
Jeremy Laukkonen is automotive and tech writer for numerous major trade publications. When not researching and testing computers, game consoles or smartphones, he stays up-to-date on the myriad complex systems that power battery electric vehicles .
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Updated on June 3, 2022
Reviewed by
Jon Fisher
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Reviewed by Jon Fisher
  • Wichita Technical Institute
Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA certified technologist with more than 6 years' experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek.
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What to Know

  • Turn on Do Not Disturb from Settings: Navigate to Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb > Do Not Disturb. 
  • You can also open the Control Center > Focus > Do Not Disturb.

This article explains how to use the Do Not Disturb setting of the Focus feature on an iPad.

How Do You Put Do Not Disturb on iPad?

Do Not Disturb can be enabled on your iPad through the Settings app, the Control Center, or even from your iPhone.

Here’s how to enable Do Not Disturb on an iPad using the Settings app:

  1. Open the Settings App, and tap Focus.

    Focus highlighted in iPad Settings.

  2. Tap Do Not Disturb.

    Do Not Disturb highlighted in iPad Focus settings.

  3. Tap the Do Not Disturb toggle.

    The Do Not Disturb toggle highlighted in iPad Focus settings.

    Tap People or Apps in this section if you want to receive notifications from specific people or apps while Do Not Disturb is active.

  4. Do Not Disturb is now active on your iPad.

How to Enable Do Not Disturb From the iPad Control Center

You can also enable Do Not Disturb directly from the Control Center without opening up the Settings app. Here’s how to enable Do not Disturb from the Control Center:

  1. Open the Control Center.

    Swipe down from the top right of your iPad display. The Control Center is designed to give you quick assess to a lot of settings.

  2. Tap Focus.

    Focus highlighted in the iPad Control Center.

  3. Tap Do Not Disturb.

    Do Not Disturb highlighted on an iPad.

  4. Do Not Disturb will turn on.

    Do Not Disturb enabled on an iPad.

How Do I Turn Off Do Not Disturb on My iPad?

You can disable Do Not Disturb at any time by either navigating to Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb and switching off the Do Not Disturb toggle, or by opening the Control Center, tapping Focus, and tapping Do Not Disturb.

Here’s how to switch off Do Not Disturb using the iPad Control Center:

  1. Open the Control Center.

  2. Tap Do Not Disturb On.

    Control Center on an iPad with Do Not Disturb On highlighted.

  3. When the button switches to say Focus, that means Do Not Disturb is off.

    Do Not Disturb turned off on an iPad.

How to Enable Do Not Disturb On iPad Using Your iPhone

You can also automatically enable Do Not Disturb on your iPad from your iPhone whenever your iPhone enters Do Not Disturb mode. This is a feature of the Focus system, which allows your iPhone to act as a hub for your other Apple devices. If you set your iPhone to control the Focus settings on your other devices, entering a Focus mode like Do Not Disturb on your iPhone will switch all of your devices which use the same Apple ID into the same Focus mode.

Make sure the iPad and iPhone use the same Apple ID. If they don’t, this method won’t work.

Here’s how to enable Do Not Disturb on an iPad using your iPhone:

  1. Open the Settings app, and tap Focus.

  2. Tap Share Across Devices to turn the toggle on.

  3. Tap Do Not Disturb.

  4. Tap Do Not Disturb to turn the toggle on.

    Steps to turn on Do Not Disturb on an iPad via an iPhone.

  5. Your iPhone, iPad, and other connected devices will enter Do Not Disturb mode.

What Is Do Not Disturb on iPad?

Do Not Disturb is a Focus option you can enable on your iPad to help you avoid unwanted distractions when you’re busy or trying to accomplish a task. When Do Not Disturb is enabled, it prevents all alerts and notifications when your device is locked. That means you can enable Do Not Disturb, lock your iPad, and it won’t bother you until you’re ready to start receiving notifications again.

Do Not Disturb allows you to set specific people and apps to send you notifications when the feature is active. For example, if you’re waiting for an important message from a specific person, you can go into the Do Not Disturb settings on your iPad, tap People, and select a specific person from your contacts. You can do the same thing with apps if there’s an app you need to receive notifications from.

Does iPad Have Do Not Disturb or Silent Mode?

Yes, Do Not Disturb and Silent Mode are built into the iPad’s Focus functionality. Focus is a multi-purpose feature which includes four default modes: Do Not Disturb, Sleep, Personal, and Work. You can also set up custom modes. These Focus modes allow you to silence all calls and apps, or allow specific calls and apps to send notifications while everything else is silenced.

FAQ
  • What is the difference between Do Not Disturb and mute on iPad?

    When Do Not Disturb is active, you won't see any notifications that arrive. If your iPad is muted, notifications will still appear, but alert sounds won't play.

  • Why do notifications still show on an iPad when it's on Do Not Disturb?

    Up until iPadOS 15, Do Not Disturb only worked when your iPad was locked; that is, when the screen was off. If you turned the feature on and continued to use your tablet, alerts would still appear. After iPadOS15, when DND is on, you should be able to continue to use your iPad without seeing notifications.

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