Let certain people reach you while Do Not Disturb is on

Why it happens

Do Not Disturb silences everyone unless you tell it otherwise. Each Focus, such as Do Not Disturb, Sleep or Work, keeps its own list of allowed people. If someone isn't on the list of the Focus that's running, their messages wait quietly until you turn it off.

How to fix it

1. Open the Apple menu, choose System Settings, and click Focus in the sidebar.

2. Click Do Not Disturb, then Allowed People.

   Focus›Do Not Disturb›Allowed People

3. Click Add People and pick each person from your contacts.

   Focus›Do Not Disturb›Allowed People›Add People

4. Under Allow calls from, choose who may ring through, for example Allowed People Only or Favorites. Turn on Allow repeated calls if you want a second call from the same person within three minutes to get through.

   Focus›Do Not Disturb›Allowed People›Allow calls from

5. Click Done.

Still not fixed?

1. Use a different Focus at night or at work? Each one has its own list. Open that Focus in the same place and add the same people.

2. Calls often ring on your iPhone first. With Share across devices on, a Focus turns on across your devices, so check the same Focus on the iPhone too: in Settings, tap Focus, then the Focus, then People.

   Focus›Share across devices

3. Make sure the person's contact card has the phone number and email they actually use to message you. Focus can only recognise them by those details.

4. Not getting their messages at all, even with Focus off? Check that Messages is allowed to show notifications.

   Notifications›Messages›Allow notifications

5. If people on your allowed list still can't get through, contact Apple Support. They can go through your Focus and iCloud settings with you.