Turn on Do Not Disturb or another Focus on your Mac

Why it happens

Do Not Disturb is one of several Focus modes, alongside ones like Work, Sleep or any you make yourself. Each one silences notifications, except from the people and apps you allow. You switch them on from Control Center and set them up in Focus settings.

How to fix it

1. Click Control Center in the menu bar. It's the icon with two small switches, near the clock at the top-right.

2. Click Focus to see your Focus list, then click Do Not Disturb or the Focus you want. You can also choose how long it lasts, such as For 1 hour, or until the end of a calendar event you're in.

   Menu bar›Control Center›Focus

3. Check it's on: the Focus is highlighted in Control Center. For a quicker way next time, tick Focus under Menu Bar Controls in Menu Bar settings and choose Always Show or Show When Active, so it gets its own menu bar icon.

   Menu Bar›Menu Bar Controls›Focus

4. To turn it off, open Control Center again and click the Focus that's on.

Still not fixed?

1. To choose who can still reach you, open Focus in System Settings, click Do Not Disturb or another Focus, and set Allowed People and Allowed Apps.

   Focus›Do Not Disturb›Allowed People

2. Want it to come on by itself, for example every night? In the same Focus, click Set a Schedule and add a time, a place or an app.

   Focus›Do Not Disturb›Set a Schedule

3. Have an iPhone or iPad? With Share across devices on, turning a Focus on or off on one device does the same on your others. On iPhone, open Control Center and tap Focus. Turn the switch off on your Mac if you want them separate.

   Focus›Share across devices

4. If Focus doesn't appear in Control Center, or notifications still break through even though a Focus is on and nothing is allowed, restart your Mac. If it still happens, contact Apple Support.