The Apple Ecosystem Sync
One of the defining features of the Apple ecosystem is how seamlessly devices work together. When you use Focus modes (the advanced version of Do Not Disturb), macOS automatically syncs your current Focus state across all your devices using the “Share across devices” feature. If you turn on “Do Not Disturb” on your Mac, your iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch will also immediately silence their notifications.
While this is incredibly convenient for most people, it can be a massive problem if you use your devices for different purposes. For example, you might want your Mac to be in a strict “Work” Focus mode that blocks all social media notifications while you are coding, but you still want your iPhone to ring if your family calls, or you might want to casually browse Twitter on your iPad. If you need your devices to operate independently and not blindly copy the notification settings of your Mac, you must break this synchronization.
How to Stop Focus Mode Sharing
You can decouple your Mac’s Focus state from your other Apple devices via your System Settings.
- Click the Apple Logo in the top-left corner of your screen and select System Settings… (or System Preferences on older versions).
- In the left-hand sidebar, click on Focus.
- At the top of the right-hand pane, above your list of specific Focus modes, look for a toggle switch labelled Share across devices.
- Click the toggle switch to turn it Off.
- Note: You may be prompted to confirm this action, as it will also disable sharing *to* your Mac (meaning turning on DND on your phone will no longer silence your Mac).
Once disabled, your Mac will manage its own notifications independently. You can put your computer into a strict work mode without accidentally muting your phone in your pocket.