The Smart Do Not Disturb
macOS features a sophisticated Focus system (an evolution of Do Not Disturb) that allows you to silence notifications based on what you are doing. To make this easier, Apple included several automation features, such as the ability to turn on specific Focus modes automatically at certain times, or more commonly, “Turn on Focus automatically” when using specific apps (like launching a game or opening a reading app).
However, this smart automation can easily become a nuisance. If macOS automatically silences all your notifications just because you opened a specific application, you might miss a critical email, a Slack message from your boss, or an urgent iMessage. If you prefer to have absolute, manual control over when you are “off the grid,” and find the OS guessing your focus state to be unreliable, you must disable these automated triggers.
How to Stop Automated Focus Changes
You can prevent Focus modes from activating on their own via your System Settings.
- Click the Apple Logo in the top-left corner of your screen and select System Settings… (or System Preferences).
- In the left-hand sidebar, click on Focus.
- You will see a list of your Focus modes (e.g., Do Not Disturb, Work, Sleep). Click on the specific Focus mode that keeps turning on by itself.
- Look for the section titled Set a Schedule (or “Turn On Automatically” in older macOS versions).
- This section lists the triggers (times, locations, or apps) that activate the mode.
- Click on each schedule or automation rule in the list.
- In the window that appears, either click Delete Schedule or toggle the switch to turn it off.
- Repeat this for any other Focus modes in your list.
From now on, macOS will only silence your notifications when you explicitly tell it to via the Control Center. Your Focus state will remain entirely in your manual control.